These Umami-Rich Recipes Prove Mushrooms Make Every Dish Exponentially Better

Earthy mushrooms and shallots cooked until soft and sweet top an umami-rich, satisfying pie.

These “Korean-cut” short ribs are sliced very thin, marinated to tenderize them, and then quickly grilled. Nancy Silverton’s marinade comes from Jenee Kim, owner of Parks BBQ, a legendary restaurant in Koreatown in Los Angeles. It was passed along by Jenee’s daughter, Liz Hong, who is culinary director at Silverton’s Mozza Restaurant Group. Make sure to marinate the short ribs for at least two hours, but no longer than four, to prevent overly tenderizing the meat.

“Nowadays, I have a plant-centered diet, but I tend to avoid labeling myself,” chef Bryant Terry shared. “I am driven by a desire to see justice for all living beings. I also know that there is a growing body of medical research that connects eating a plant-based diet with a lower risk of heart disease and other preventable diet-related illnesses, so I am also about that plant-based life for myself, my wife, and my girls. That being said, this po’boy takes me back to the early days of living in New Orleans when I was all about fish po’boys. Change is good.”

Not quite pickled and not quite confited, this conserva yields flavorful mushrooms that can be used long past peak foraging season. Keep them refrigerated in a tightly sealed jar for up to six months for use in salads, or as a star atop creamy polenta.

Reishi, the flat, brown polypore (also known as ling-zhi) has been touted to reduce cholesterol, and enhance immune systems. Paired with earthy shiitakes and toasted rice, they also make a rich, satisfying tea.

Mu shu pork is said to have its origins in northern China. In this version, Brandon Jew eliminates the pork and adds wild mushrooms, though it will still be delicious with store-bought creminis or other fresh mushrooms. Wood-ear mushrooms are a more traditional ingredient but are optional.

Health fads come and go, and the 1990s were the era of low-fat everything, and no added salt. Thank goodness we no longer have to do that. In this spirit, we gave our 1993 vegetarian casserole a deluxe makeover, replacing nonfat cottage cheese with mascarpone, adding loads of herbs, a crisp, company-worthy filo topping, and yes, salt.

These unusual, wonderful tacos are the creation of chef Donnie Masterton at Taco Lab by Tacolicious, in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Rich, savory, and pleasantly chewy, they hit the spot even for meat lovers.

The steakhouse classic, traditionally prepared tableside, gets the grill treatment here. The cooking goes fast, so have all your ingredients measured and next to the grill beforehand. If time allows, salt the steaks and chill, uncovered, for up to 3 days before grilling—they’ll be even more thoroughly seasoned and tender.

San Francisco chef Melissa King uses this broth for hot pot, a celebratory dish that’s also an event unto itself.  When serving other, meatier broths, it’s especially nice to have this flavorful, Japanese-style vegetarian option. Out of courtesy, meat-dippers should cook their morsels in another broth if vegetarians are using this one. 

A hearty, savory classic that never, ever falls out of favor.

Leftover mashed potatoes make it easy to whip up shepherd’s pie on a weeknight. This vegetarian version is as hearty as the beefy original, thanks to meaty portabella mushrooms, but you could throw in any leftover cooked meat if you want.

Chanterelle mushrooms and cipollini onions are worth the splurge, but you can substitute halved cremini mushrooms and frozen pearl onions and the results will still be very tasty.

When these Garlicky Sautéed Mushrooms are cooked, they release a lot of liquid. Using high heat evaporates the juices, allowing the mushrooms to brown and develop flavor.

Here’s our vegetarian play on the classic Bolognese pasta dish. We used precut mushrooms to make it a quick dinner, but a mixture of gourmet mushrooms would be a decadent variation. Just don’t forget parmesan cheese for the top.

Umami-delicious morels pop up in Western woods and orchards, and make plump, savory nuggets in this quiche. For the neatest slices, make quiche a day ahead; let it cool, loosen it from pan edges, and chill. Cut into wedges, then reheat.

Rachel Yang, chef-owner of Joule in Seattle, reinvents the classic peppercorn steak with a not-too-hot Sichuan peppercorn rub that produces a pleasant tingly sensation in the mouth. With the zesty kale slaw, it adds zaps of excitement to a romantic dinner. At the restaurant, Yang uses a lesser-known, flavorful cut called teres major; we’ve substituted widely available filet mignon.

Sweet asparagus and spring onions go so well with the woodsy flavor of morels. All you need is a bit of butter and some crème fraîche to finish the dish. 

An intensely flavored mushroom-wine filling, a simple custard, and voilà–miniature, quichelike puffs.

Reader Sheila Piccini, of Port Townsend, Washington, uses a mix of wild mushrooms when they’re in season and less expensive. We also tried the recipe with a mix of cremini and common mushrooms, and it was equally delicious.

For this intensely mushroomy lasagna, brawny portabellas and shiitakes cook down until their flavors are concentrated. Then they’re layered with a creamy, velvety sauce and sheets of no-boil pasta, which are thinner than regular dried pasta.

You can use just about any mushroom you like for this stew (or a mix of varieties), as long as you add the more delicate ones during the last hour of cooking.

Think of mild-flavored, juicy bok choy as an invitation to experiment in the kitchen. It’s especially good with earthy mushrooms. Thoroughly drying the bok choy before cooking ensures that you don’t end up with a watery sauce.

Chanterelles from the woods at Big Table Farm winery in Oregon’s Willamette Valley accent vibrant, knee-high chard from owners Clare Carver and Brian Marcy’s garden.

This salad goes all-in with the mushroom flavor, while salty pecorino and crunchy celery provide balance. Tearing the shiitakes into pieces makes for easier prep, and the jagged edges get nicely brown when sautéed.

The combination of fresh Pacific oysters and the umami-rich beurre blanc creates a harmonious balance of flavors. This elegant recipe is perfect for impressing guests at a dinner party or enjoying a special meal at home.

Charring vegetables is a magic trick. It pulls all the sweetness to the top and adds the richest, deepest smoky flavor, transforming the humble cabbage into something so special. Mushroom powder brings this cabbage into another dimension—swirled with a little butter, the dish becomes a tender, melt-in-your-mouth savory side, or, with a little rice and a crispy egg, it’s satisfying enough to enjoy as a main course.

“Most people associate mushrooms with winter cooking, but for chefs, it’s the prized spring morel that really excites us,” explained chefs Thomas McNaughton and Ryan Pollnow. This recipe was developed around the wild morels from the Sierra used at Flour + Water, but feel free to substitute other varieties that are available to you.

This recipe comes from chef, cookbook author, and host of the podcast Eat with Your Ears, Cal Peternell’s book Burnt Toast and Other Disasters. “For meatballs, I find ground turkey is one of the most flavorful ways to go, especially with a bit of pork thrown in the mix,” he says of the meatballs, which make for a great sandwich base or easy appetizer. Peternell’s most recent book lays out tips and tricks to revive kitchen mistakes. He says, “This recipe makes good use of the simple, essential box grater. By grating and sautéing the mushrooms and onions, you can give even tired meat the spirit and color it needs for success.”

Chef and Eat Your Drink: Culinary Cocktails author Matthew Biancello adds umami to a Manhattan with shiitake mushrooms that you can grow yourself. The CapRock bitter he recommends is a wine-based amaro, which is one of the only biodynamic spirits on the market in the U.S.