Shiitake mushrooms have global appeal, and their origins are in East Asia. The variety accounts for about a quarter of the world's mushroom production, and Japan is the largest producer. Also called Chinese black mushrooms or black forest mushrooms, shiitake have twice the staying power of button mushrooms when fresh. They're commonly used dried for a more concentrated flavor — the soaking liquid becomes a delicious broth to further enhance a dish's umami notes, like in Chicken Spaghetti Lo Mein. These mushrooms are frequently paired with greens such as spinach, bok choy, kale, and Swiss chard, as in chef David Chang's Shiitake and Swiss Chard Soup with Hand-Cut Noodles. If you're a mushroom fan, you'll definitely want to make the amazing appetizers, brunch dishes, mains, and sides in this roundup of shiitake mushroom recipes.
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Sweet Corn Succotash with Shiitakes and Sugar Snaps
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“I like to lighten it up with summery snap peas and add meaty shiitakes for depth of flavor," says 1998 F&W Best New Chef Katy Sparks about her succotash. "Fresh basil in the smoked paprika butter elevates the whole recipe to something that pairs wonderfully with anything you want to throw on the grill: chicken, pork, fish, burgers, eggplant, and peppers.”
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Tonkotsu Ramen
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A slow-simmered and savory tonkotsu broth is the base to this ramen, which is rich from the meltingly tender chashu pork and soft-boiled egg and brightened by the pickled shiitake mushrooms.
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Shiitake Steamed Buns
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Soy and vinegar-marinated shiitakes give this easy riff on steamed buns punchy, bold flavor while also making this vegan recipe substantial and hearty.
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Chicken Spaghetti Lo Mein
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Writer Lan Samantha Chang's family adds even more savory flavor to their favorite lo mein recipe with dried shiitake mushrooms, soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine. Baking the noodles with the mushroom soaking liquid and soy sauce infuses them with rich flavor, complemented by the stir-fried chicken, eggs, and celery that complete the dish.
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Stir-Fried Baby Bok Choy with Shiitake Mushrooms
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Chef Charles Phan prefers tender baby bok choy but if you can only find mature heads, separate the leaves from the stems, cut the stems into one-and-a-half-inch pieces, and stir-fry them separately so the leaves don't overcook.
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Shiitake and Swiss Chard Soup with Hand-Cut Noodles
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Chef David Chang flavors this fabulous broth with dried shiitakes; fresh shiitakes add intensity. The highlight: simple noodles thrown in at the end. "They're based on the udon I learned to make in Tokyo," Chang says.
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Beef Tenderloin Sandwiches with Norton-Shiitake Sauce
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Chef Andy Ayers loves the organic shiitakes from Ozark Forest Mushrooms in Salem, Missouri, because they add an intensely earthy flavor to these meaty, garlicky sandwiches with their wine-spiked sauce.
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Kale and Shiitake Fried Rice
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This comforting, vegetable-packed rice dish is infused with ginger. It's best made with day-old rice to absorb all the flavorings.
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Pasta with Shiitake, Peas, and Goat Cheese
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This pasta is a lighter take on lasagna. Instead of layering the ingredients and baking in the oven, chef Justin Smillie tosses them in a goat cheese sauce, sprinkles Parmigiano-Reggiano on top, and crisps the dish briefly under the broiler.
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Warm Shiitake-Barley Salad
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Plenty of sweet shallots and meaty shiitakes add flavor to this hearty barley dish.
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Spinach-Shiitake Bread Puddings
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Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's ramekin-sized treats are a nice touch for any brunch spread. Bake and broil the earthy, cheesy bread pudding in an hour and a half.
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Tofu, Eggplant, and Shiitake Noodle Soup
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The base for this tofu, eggplant, and shiitake katiev ("noodle soup" in Cambodian) is a made-from-scratch vegetable stock with a long ingredient list, including two types of cabbage and dried Chinese mushrooms.
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Corn and Shiitake Fritters
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Sweet corn kernels take two forms in these crispy cakes. Half the corn is pureed into the batter; the other half is sautéed with shiitake and onion to give the fritters crunch.
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Salmon with Shiitake and Red Wine Sauce
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Beef stock and red wine make a luxurious sauce for this salmon recipe by Bernie Sun, former corporate beverage director for chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's restaurant group.
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Chimayó-Chile Risotto with Shiitake Mushrooms
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This vegetarian risotto is infused with the moderately hot Chimayo chile powder from the town of Chimayo in northern New Mexico. Shiitakes add an earthy flavor and a meaty texture.
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Swiss Chard Casserole with Shiitake Mushrooms
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Delicious and easy to make and serve, this frittata-like casserole is a great first course at dinner parties. Slice the baked casserole into bite-size squares and top them with a dollop of crème fraîche to serve with co*cktails.
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Shiitake Mushroom and Fresh Herb Stuffing
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After tossing the stuffing ingredients and spreading them in a pan, chill the stuffing for at least an hour before baking. This ensures that the bread soaks up the liquid — key to a stuffing that's crisp on top and moist within.
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Soy-Marinated Chicken Thighs with Shiitake Mushrooms
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For this simple dish, chicken marinates in a mixture of soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and hot sauce for just an hour before it's baked. A whole pound of fresh shiitake mushrooms gets stir-fried with scallions to serve with the finished chicken.
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