These Edible Types of Mushroom Are Worth Tracking Down (2024)

Oyster mushrooms are actually a whole genus of edible tree mushrooms with large caps and gills. They can be foraged, but are also considered among the easiest to grow. Popular mushroom kits featuring oyster mushrooms are sold widely.

Roughly chopped, they're an easy substitute for button mushroom in any recipe, and are particularly good marinated in salads or fried in butter. (But what isn't good fried in butter?)

Try them in: Leek, Mushroom, and Escarole Salad

These large, sturdy mushrooms can often be found in Asian grocery stores where they are not expensive. They keep well and make an excellent substitute for button or cremini mushrooms in most recipes. You can also slice the copious stems into coins and simply fry them in butter and herbs for a heavenly side dish.

Try them in: Mushroom Pot Pie with Scallion Drop Biscuits

Sometimes called Bearded Tooth or Bearded Hedgehog, the Lion's Mane mushroom is, as you might suspect, shaggy looking, with lots of long spines or filaments.

They can be difficult to find in stores and are only occasionally found at farmers' markets, where they're typically foraged. You'll often find them as an ingredient in traditional or alternative medicines, though they are delicious and used in cooking as well. They hold up well to being marinated and roasted or sautéed.

Try them in: Roasted Mushroom and Bacon Dutch Baby

The most common type of mushroom in the U.S., button mushrooms are related to cremini and portobellos; the only difference is their age.

Think of buttons as the youngsters, cremini as a teenager, and portobellos as an adult. For a delicious side dish, sauté button mushrooms in butter and thyme with a splash of white wine.

Try them in: Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms

Another form of Agaricus bisporus—cremini mushrooms (also known as Baby Bellas) are just an older version of the button mushroom. Because of their age, they are a bit browner and firmer, which means they're great for soups and stews as they maintain some texture when cooked.

Try them in: Marinated Mushrooms

The third type of Agaricus bisporus, the portobello is the oldest variety of the three featured here. While they were once only imported from Italy, they now grow all over the United States.

Thanks to their large size and meaty flavor, they can be swapped in for meat on pretty much anything—sandwiches, pizza, pasta sauces, omelettes, and more!

Try them in: Mini Portobello Burgers

This species is also known as "hen-of-the-woods," "ram's head," and "sheep's head." Popular for centuries in Japanese and Chinese cuisine, the maitake (pronounced "my-TALK-ee") generally grows at the base of oak trees. Add them to pizza or ramen for a hearty meat alternative.

Try them in: Roasted Wild Mushrooms with Garlic and Shallots

This is also known as the "sweet tooth," and it's easily identifiable thanks to its yellow or orange cap, toothy underside, and fruity odor. After washing, sauté them in butter with a little sage for a delicious treat.

Try them in: Black Beans with Mushrooms and Scallions

The honeycomb-textured wild morchella (which includes multiple edible species) is especially popular in French cuisine. Hard to find and, therefore expensive, these mushrooms have a firm texture and a nutty flavor—so even people who think they don't like mushrooms generally like this kind. Sauté with asparagus for a real spring treat.

Try them in: Parmesan Grits with Morels

This species of mushrooms is often used in Asian cuisine. The long stems–topped by a dark brown, umbrella-like cap—are removed during prep because they can be quite tough.

Try them in: Ginger Garlic Chicken Ramen

Sometimes called "porcino" or "fungo porcino"—Italian for "hog mushrooms"—they generally have a reddish-brown cap that sits atop a white stem. Try porcini in risottos or with fettuccine and a light cream sauce.

Try them in: Turkey-Porcini Tetrazzini

These are pretty easy to pick out of a lineup thanks to their bright red color and seafood-like smell and taste when cooked. But guess what? They're not actually a mushroom, but a mold that attacks certain mushrooms, typically milk-caps. You can find them at farmers' markets in the fall.

Try them in: Polenta Cakes With Sautéed Mushrooms

Here is another favorite in Japanese cuisine. These long, thin, white mushrooms have a mild flavor and crunchy texture. When cooking trim away the base of the bundle and separate the individual mushrooms. Quickly sauté and serve over seasoned rice or add to a brothy soup.

Try them in: Marinated Mushroom-and-Charred Broccolini Salad

These are known for their fan-like shape and come in a variety of colors ranging from orange to yellow to white.

While they have a fruity odor, their taste is more earthy, which makes them perfect for stews and soups, or sauté them in butter, white wine, and a splash of heavy cream and eat them with crusty bread to sop up all the goodness.

Try them in: Creamy Mushroom Soup with Crispy Mushroom Topping

Also called "horn of plenty" or "black chanterelle," this edible mushroom are prized by foragers as a gourmet ingredient. Similar to their chanterelle cousins, they have a rich, earthy taste and are delicious sauteed or in soups. You can also finely chop them and use as a mild substitute for truffle!

Try them in: Truffled Risotto with Mushrooms and Parmesan

This variety of mushrooms (also called clamshell or shimeji) grows in clumps and boasts quarter-size caps and a crunchy texture. They boast an umami flavor and must be cooked to be enjoyed. (When they are raw they are tough and bitter.) To cook trim away the bottom and break into individual stems.

Try in: Roasted Mushrooms and Radicchio