Varieties

Seven fresh mushroom species show the range of cap shape, color, and gill structure.

Showing multiple distinct species side by side teaches readers to identify mushrooms by their visual differences in form and color.

Produce

Mushroom

Earthy, savory caps that bring umami to any dish

Meaty and umami-rich, mushrooms sauté to a deep brown, fold into sauces, and add savor to almost anything. Keep them dry in a paper bag, not plastic, and cook soon.

Mushrooms bring deep, savory umami to the plate — meaty, earthy, and brown-roasting in a way no other vegetable quite manages. Technically a fungus, not a plant, the cultivated button-to-portobello line and a world of specialty varieties (cremini, shiitake, oyster, porcini, chanterelle) each add their own savor. The cooking secret is heat and patience: give them room and time to release their water and brown, and they reward you with concentrated, almost meaty flavor.

Measured in: g
Storage: Refrigerate
Shelf life: 7 days

Find it in

Produce

Types & varieties

Button / cremini / portobello

Same species at three ages; mild → deeper → meaty and large

Shiitake

Rich, smoky, savory; discard the woody stem

Oyster

Delicate, fan-shaped; quick-cooking, mild

Porcini (cep)

Intensely savory; superb dried for stock and risotto

Chanterelle / morel

Prized wild mushrooms; fruity, nutty (cook morels thoroughly)

How to choose

Want firm, dry, plump mushrooms with intact caps and no sliminess, dark soft spots, or strong off-smell. For button mushrooms, tightly closed caps (gills hidden) signal freshness; open gills mean they're older (still fine, slightly stronger). They should feel dry, not damp.

To wash or not

Mushrooms are like sponges, so don't soak them — they'll waterlog. Brush off debris with a dry cloth or soft brush, or give them a very quick rinse and pat dry immediately if they're gritty. Trim dry stem ends; remove the tough woody stems of shiitake (save for stock). Slice or quarter as needed.

Don't soak — brush or quick-rinse and dry
Trim dry stem ends
Save trimmings for stock

How to cook for deep flavor

Mushrooms are mostly water. Cook them in a hot pan with space — crowding makes them steam and turn grey and rubbery. Let them sit to release their liquid, let it cook off, then brown in fat for that deep, savory, caramelized flavor. Salt near the end (early salting draws water too soon). Dried mushrooms, rehydrated, give an even more concentrated hit, and the soaking liquid is liquid gold.

Common uses

Sautéed garlic mushroomsMushroom risottoCream of mushroom soupStroganoffDuxellesStuffed mushroomsMushroom ragù and pastaPizza and omelets

Tips & pitfalls

Give them room in a hot pan — crowding steams them grey and limp
Don't soak them; they absorb water like a sponge
Salt after they've browned, not before, so they sear properly
Rehydrate dried porcini for intense flavor — and keep the soaking liquid
A splash of soy, wine, or butter at the end deepens the savor

Nutrition

32kcal

Energy

134 kJ · per 100 g

Where the calories come from

Protein 16%Carbs 72%Fat 12%

Protein

1.5g

3% DV

Carbs

6.9g

2% DV

Fat

0.5g

1% DV

Fiber

3.8g

14% DV

Sugars

1.2g

of which

Sodium

9mg

0% DV

Notable micronutrients

Vitamin D27% DV

Niacin (B3)26% DV

Iron19% DV

Riboflavin (B2)17% DV

Potassium11% DV

Zinc6% DV

Source · USDA FoodData Central · Mushrooms, Chanterelle, raw

View on FDC →

In the shops

Matched grocery products

Mushrooms
250 g · Mercadona
€2.05
Whole Mushroom
Hacendado · 355 g · Mercadona
€1.45
White Mushrooms
300 g · Mercadona
€1.50
Sliced Mushrooms
PETRAS · kg · Bonpreu
€1.99
Shiitake Mushrooms
300 g · Mercadona
€3.96
Portobello Mushrooms
300 g · Mercadona
€2.16

Good to know

Peak season: Cultivated year-round; wild types peak in fall (and spring for morels)
Flavor: Earthy, savory, umami-rich, meaty; deepens with browning
Origin: A fungus; cultivated commercially since the 17th century
Nutrition: ~22 kcal/100g; B vitamins, selenium, umami glutamates; vitamin D if UV-treated
How to buy: Firm, dry, plump caps; closed gills for button; no slime, wrinkling, or dark spots

Substitutes