Cooking With Dried Mushrooms

We highly recommend keeping an abundant supply of dried Monumental Mushrooms in your pantry. While our fresh mushrooms offer a delicate earthy flavor, dehydrated mushrooms bring a concentrated, complex, and rich umami flavor to your soups, stews, sauces, gravies, stir fry, and egg dishes that are unmatched! Whether you prefer to rehydrate them or crumble them in dry, our Lion’s Mane and Oyster mushrooms add something special to your dish. 

When substituting dried mushrooms for fresh, use a ratio of 1:3. For every 1 ounce of dried mushrooms, you’ll get approximately 3 ounces of rehydrated mushrooms.

Rehydrating Mushrooms

To bring the mushrooms back to a plump, tender state without losing flavor, soak them in hot water or broth. The excess liquid can be added back into your dish for an extra flavor boost or saved for another recipe (refrigerate or freeze!).

Basic Rehydration Steps

1. Measure out about 1 cup of boiling water or broth for each ounce of dried mushrooms for rehydration.

2. Place your dried mushrooms in a heatproof bowl.

3. Pour liquid over the mushrooms and let them soak for 20-30 minutes.

Using Rehydrated Mushrooms in Recipes

Once rehydrated, dried mushrooms can be used in any dish where fresh mushrooms would shine. They work especially well in stir fries and egg-based dishes like omelets or frittatas.

Stir-Fry with Rehydrated Oyster Mushrooms:

1. Rehydrate dried oyster mushrooms by soaking them in hot broth for 20 minutes.

2. Once soft, slice them into bite-sized pieces.

3. Heat oil in a wok or large skillet and sauté garlic, ginger, and your favorite vegetables.

4. Add the oyster mushrooms and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes.

5. Season with soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, ginger, and garlic.

6.  Serve over rice or noodles.
   

Mushroom and Spinach Omelet with Rehydrated Lion’s Mane Mushrooms:

1. Rehydrate dried Lion’s Mane mushrooms by soaking them in hot water for 20 minutes.

2. Squeeze out excess water and chop the mushrooms.

3. Whisk 2-3 eggs in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

4. In a skillet, sauté the Lion’s Mane mushrooms and a handful of spinach in a bit of butter until the mushrooms are golden.

5. Pour in the whisked eggs and cook until the omelet sets. Fold and serve for a protein-packed breakfast.

Crumble Them in Dry: Soups, Stews, and Sauces

One of the advantages of dried mushrooms is that they don’t always need to be rehydrated before cooking. In dishes like soups, stews, and sauces, dried mushrooms can be added directly to the pot, allowing them to rehydrate as they cook. This method infuses the broth or sauce with an earthy, umami flavor.

When stored properly in a cool, dry place, in a dry airtight container dried mushrooms can last for a very long time, just like the other goodies in your spice cabinet. They can also be added directly to any dish in imprecise (and may we suggest generous) proportions.

Creamy Mushroom Soup with Dried Oyster Mushrooms:

1. In a large pot, sauté onions and garlic in butter until softened.

2. Add 1 ounce of dried oyster mushrooms directly to the pot along with 4 cups of vegetable or chicken broth.

3. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes, allowing the mushrooms to rehydrate and the flavors to meld.

4. Blend the soup until smooth, then stir in cream or coconut milk for a creamy texture.

5. Season with salt, pepper, and a splash of lemon juice.

Rustic Beef Stew with Dried Mushrooms:

1. In a slow cooker or large pot, sear beef cubes in olive oil until browned.

2. Add diced carrots, potatoes, and onions.

3. Toss in 1 ounce of dried Lion’s Mane mushrooms or oyster mushrooms without rehydrating.

4. Pour in enough beef broth to cover the ingredients and simmer for 2-3 hours until the meat is tender.

5. The mushrooms will plump up as they cook, adding a deep flavor to the stew.

Get Creative!

We love to see and read about the exquisite  dishes our customers create with Monumental Mushrooms! Join us on Facebook and Instagram and we will give your food pics all the hearts! If there’s a recipe you’d like us to share or a question you have about mushrooms, please submit via our contact page and we just might blog about it.