Easy Shiitake Mushrooms Recipe (Sticky Shiitake Mushrooms)

Holy Shiitake Mushrooms Recipe! Get stuck on these sticky shiitake mushrooms, the fungi you can’t resist! These caramelized extra sticky mushrooms are rich in Unami flavor and slathered over a bed of warm sushi rice. They’re sweet, savory and spicy, made quickly in your skillet and ready to devour in less than 30 minutes. Low calorie, meatless, dairy-free, gluten-free, plant-based.

These fresh, smoky shiitakes cook slowly in the skillet, soaking up every bit of sticky, saucy, Unami flavor to ignite your taste buds and keep you begging for more. Easy, delicious and full of savory goodness, cooking shiitake mushrooms has never been easier and this sticky mushroom recipe goes from prep to plate in less than 30 minutes.

🥘 Ingredients For Shiitake Mushrooms Recipe (With Substitutions)

• Shiitake Mushrooms – although you may substitute with other mushrooms, I guarantee you won’t want too. Shiitakes are smokier and have much more of an Unami flavor than regular mushrooms. I couldn’t find any online, but you can actually grow your own! Just follow the link to the left. For another great mushroom recipe, try my Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff!
• Corn Starch – acts as a thickening agent to make a thicker, stickier sauce. You can substitute with an equal amount of all purpose flour.
• Toasted Sesame Oil – there’s nothing like toasted sesame oil to enhance the flavor of any Asian dish. Alternatively, you can use equal amounts of olive oil or canola oil.
• Tamari – tamari and coconut aminos are best if you want the recipe to be gluten-free. Coconut aminos are also low sodium. If not gluten-intolerant or on a low sodium diet, feel free to go with regular soy sauce.
• Rice Wine Vinegar – rice wine vinegar is made by fermenting rice sugars into wine. It’s different from rice vinegar that’s vinegar made from fermented rice. Although different, if you can’t find rice wine vinegar, rice vinegar is a fine substitute.
• Coconut Sugar – makes for the perfect balance of sweetness in the recipe and it’s healthier than regular brown sugar, which is not always vegan. You can substitute with organic brown sugar or 2-3 tablespoons of maple syrup if coconut sugar is not on hand.
• Frank’s Red Hot Sauce – OMG, I love this hot sauce. Crafted from aged cayenne peppers, it adds the perfect amount of heat and spice to the recipe. However; if unavailable, you can substitute with an equal amount of sriracha or 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes.
• Fresh Garlic – fresh garlic is a must, in my opinion, for any dish. But, if you don’t have it on hand, you can substitute with 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
• Ground Ginger – adds a sweet, floral and slightly peppery flavor to my sticky shiitake mushrooms. However, fresh is even better, if you have on hand, substitute with 1/2 tsp fresh minced ginger.
• Scallions – chopped green onions are great as a garnish, combined with sesame seeds. For more garnish variations, see below.
• Sesame Seeds – toasted sesame seeds are one of the best garnishes you can use in Asian cuisine. Combined with the green onions, you get a crunchy, flavorful garnish that’s basic but delicious.

🔪 How To Make Sticky Shiitake Mushrooms

1. Add mushrooms and corn starch to a large mixing bowl. Mix until the mushrooms are evenly coated with cornstarch.

2. To a medium or large skillet, add sesame oil and warm over medium heat for 60 seconds. Reduce heat to low and add the mushroom/cornstarch mixture. Cook slowly for 5-10 minutes until the mushrooms start to wilt. Remove from heat while you make the sauce.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the tamari, rice wine vinegar, coconut sugar, Frank’s red hot sauce, garlic, ginger and another teaspoon of cornstarch. Return skillet to low heat and pour sauce over mushrooms. Stir until well-combined.

4. Continue to cook shiitake mushrooms for another 3-5 minutes over low heat so they have a chance to absorb all that Unami flavor and the mushrooms and sauce become a delicious “sticky” mess. Serve over a bowl of warm sushi rice and a glass of your favorite wine. Season with sea salt and black pepper as needed. Garnish with sesame seeds and diced green onions. Bon Appetit!

👩🏻‍🍳 Expert Tips

🍚 Variations

• Get Your Greens On – to make this shiitake mushroom recipe even healthier, top with your favorite green vegetables, such as broccoli, broccolini, baby bok choy, green beans or these Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts.
• Substitute With Dried – if fresh shiitake mushrooms are unavailable, you can easily substitute with dried. However; before cooking, they need to be rehydrated first. Learn how to rehydrate them with this handy guide.
• Make a switch – serve over this Roasted Mashed Cauliflower or Dairy-Free Mashed Potatoes instead of rice for an extra delightful spin on this shiitake mushrooms recipe! Alternatively, you can substitute rice with pasta if you love mushroom pasta.
• Go wild with garnishes – I went for basic garnishes with these sticky mushrooms. However, feel free to explore with others, like roasted cashews, chopped cilantro, or fresh parsley.

💭 Frequently Asked Questions

🥗 What To Serve With Sticky Shiitake Mushrooms

Serve these caramelized shiitake mushrooms with the following to make it a most benevolent meal:

• Vegetable Spring Rolls
• Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
• Massaged Kale Salad
• Vegan Garlic Bread
• Spiced Orange Gin Spritz

🍄 More Mushroom Recipes

If you love mushrooms like I do, here are more tasty mushroom recipes:

• Creamy Wild Rice Mushroom Soup
• Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burger
• Vegan Mushroom Wellington
• Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff

🌡️ Storage And Freezing

🥢 More Asian-Inspired Dinner Ideas

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