Cooking Wild Mushrooms: 8 Recipes From the Forest to the Pan
By Varun Vaid · Orangutany
There is a gap between “I found a mushroom” and “this is dinner.” Most foraging guides stop at identification. They tell you what's edible and wish you luck. This page closes that gap.
Safety first: Never eat a wild mushroom unless you are 100% certain of the identification. When in doubt, throw it out.
Golden Chanterelle
Chanterelle Risotto with Thyme and Parmesan
45 min·Serves 4·Bon Appetit
Porcini
Porcini Pappardelle with Brown Butter and Sage
30 min·Serves 4·Serious Eats
Common Morel
Morels in Cream Sauce on Toast
25 min·Serves 4·New York Times Cooking
Lion's Mane
Lion's Mane 'Crab Cakes'
35 min·Serves 3-4·Food52
Hen of the Woods
Roasted Hen of the Woods with Miso Glaze
35 min·Serves 4·Epicurious
Black Trumpet
Black Trumpet Mushroom Butter on Steak
20 min (plus 1 hr chill)·Serves 4·Saveur
Chicken of the Woods
Chicken of the Woods Tacos with Lime Crema
30 min·Serves 4·Forager Chef (Alan Bergo)
Oyster Mushroom
Oyster Mushroom Katsu
25 min·Serves 2-3·Just One Cookbook
A Few Rules for Cooking Any Wild Mushroom
- •Always cook them. Do not eat wild mushrooms raw.
- •Cook them dry first. Start in a dry pan, let the water evaporate, then add fat.
- •Try a small amount first. Even confirmed edible species can cause reactions in some people.
- •Don't forage near roads or treated lawns. Mushrooms absorb heavy metals and pesticides.
- •Be cautious with alcohol. Some wild mushrooms cause severe reactions when combined with alcohol.
- •When in doubt, don't. There is no meal worth a trip to the emergency room.
Found something in the wild you can't identify? Try Orangutany, it can ID mushrooms from a photo.