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Shiitake mushrooms

Vegetables · Mushrooms

Shiitake mushrooms

Savoury brown-capped mushroom sold fresh or dried, central to Chinese, Japanese and Korean cooking.

Also called: shiitake, shitake, chinese mushrooms

A kind of mushrooms

16 recipes with it

Photo: frankenstoen from Portland, Oregon, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-2.0)

What it is

Shiitake have umbrella-shaped, tan to dark-brown caps, often with pale cracks, cream gills and tough, woody stems. Dried shiitake (Chinese black mushrooms) are more intense than fresh and are rehydrated before use; their soaking liquid makes a flavourful stock.

Lentinula edodes

How it’s used

  • Simmered in broths, ramen and hot pot
  • Stir-fried with greens
  • Braised whole in soy sauce
  • Soaked and chopped into dumpling fillings
  • Steeped for vegetarian dashi

Characteristics

Taste
Deeply savoury (umami), woodsy and slightly smoky.
Texture
Meaty and chewy; stems are tough.
When cooked
Dried caps need 20–30 minutes in hot water (longer in cold) to soften; the stems usually stay tough and are used only for stock.
Sold as
fresh, dried
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Suitable for boiling, Suitable for frying, Suitable for grilling

Storage

Refrigerated. Keep fresh shiitake in a paper bag in the fridge. Store dried ones airtight in a cool, dry place.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
34 kcal
Protein
2.24 g
Carbohydrate
6.79 g
Fat
0.49 g
Fibre
2.5 g
Sugars
2.38 g

USDA FoodData Central: Mushrooms, shiitake, raw.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Mushrooms — Brown cremini work in stir-fries; much less savoury.

Related ingredients

Recipes with shiitake mushrooms

See all 16

4 more

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