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Oyster mushrooms are amazing ingredients that you can use in almost any dish. They are very delicious and versatile in a way that they can add flavor to your soups, salads, and even pasta sauce.
Another important thing about these mushrooms is that they can be eaten raw and even slightly cooked. Depending on your location, it can sometimes be difficult to find them, which is why you may have to settle for other substitutes for oyster mushrooms.
Some suitable oyster mushroom alternatives include shiitake mushroom, portabella mushroom, porcini mushroom, enoki mushroom, matsutake mushrooms, morel mushroom, and chanterelle mushrooms.
These substitutes can be found in almost every store around you and can also work in place of oyster mushrooms.
Best Substitutes For Oyster Mushrooms
1. Shiitake Mushrooms
If you don’t have oyster mushroom, shiitake mushroom is the best substitute you can use. You can find these mushrooms in various colors, from light to dark brown. The cap of this mushroom has a bad shape that, at first glance, it does not appear edible.
You should have no doubts about the taste of these mushrooms because of their looks because it offers a great taste.
When this mushroom is cut into two, it resembles a good piece of steak. You can use this mushroom in any of your favorite dishes that require oyster mushroom without any regrets.
2. Matsutake Mushrooms
This is one of the best substitutes for oyster mushrooms. Matsutake mushrooms shouldn’t be hard to find in continents like Asia, Europe, and North America as they are widely popular in those places. They can be mostly found in many Asian cuisines, especially in countries like Japan and Korea.
Matsutake mushrooms are in high demand due to their good taste and satisfying aroma, and for this reason, the price of these mushrooms is constantly increasing.
Even if these mushrooms can be eaten raw, they are best enjoyed when added to soups, stews, and also when they are stir-fried.
3. Portabella Mushrooms
If you are a vegan and wish to substitute with a meatier taste, then portabella is the mushroom you’ve been looking for. Most vegetarians go for mushrooms because of their meaty taste as they cannot have any meat, and mushrooms can save the dish.
Portabella mushrooms are one of the biggest commercially produced mushrooms. They are quite famous because of their thick texture and taste. Another importance that portabella mushrooms present is that, unlike other mushrooms, portabellas do not have a pungent smell.
These mushrooms can be cooked however you like but remember to take out the fibrous part of the stem before cooking them.
4. Porcini Mushrooms
If you want a meaty mushroom without minding its pungent smell, then porcini mushroom is exactly what you need. This type of mushroom is very versatile as you can use porcini mushroom in many dishes, and they can also be found in countries like Italy and Tuscany.
You can find these mushrooms in two forms; fresh or dried, but whichever way you choose, they both have the same quality and can be suitable for any mushroom dish.
Another added advantage that porcini mushrooms have is that they do not shrink, even in soups or stews, no matter how long they are being cooked for.
5. Enoki Mushrooms
Enoki mushrooms are often mistaken for various oyster mushrooms as they also grow with multiple caps. These mushrooms are white with long and slender stems that bear a little umbrella cap that grows together in a big bouquet of mushrooms.
When it comes to culinary, these mushrooms are very versatile. You can add them to soups and stews as they give your dishes a unique taste.
6. Chanterelle Mushrooms
If you are often on the lookout for wild mushrooms, you are most likely familiar with the chanterelle mushrooms. Chanterelle mushrooms are widely used in French cuisines due to their meaty texture and nutty flavor.
Due to their rarity and unique characteristics. Chanterelle mushrooms are bright yellow to orange in color as they have a vase-shaped cap.
If you are not an expert at foraging wild mushrooms, you should be extra careful as chanterelles have wild counterparts; a better way of getting them is from grocery stores as they are sold in their dried forms.
7. Morel Mushrooms
Morel mushroom is another type of mushroom found in the middle of the woods. Even if its appearance is not so delicious, you’d be surprised at how meaty and nutty it tastes after being prepared.
Just like the chanterelles, be careful when hunting for these mushrooms as they can also be very dangerous because of their counterparts.
A downturn for this mushroom is quite expensive, and they are also only available at certain seasons. If you ever get the chance to get them, you should most definitely try to enjoy their nutty flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does an Oyster Mushroom Look Like?
Oyster mushrooms are usually white, light brown, or dark brown with a funnel-shaped cap and a whitish-yellow gill that runs up from the off-center stem. If you want a clearer image of these mushrooms, you can google about them.
What Can Replace Oyster Sauce?
Sauces like fish sauce, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, teriyaki sauce, and Worcestershire sauce are decent substitutes. Even if it doesn’t taste exactly like the oyster sauce, it can replace it in your dishes.
What Can I Use Instead of Mushrooms in Ramen?
Tofu is a good substitute for ramen mushrooms as they can be submerged in soy sauce to give off that earthy mushroom taste.
Tempeh is most likely strange to you, but it is very common in Indonesia. It is a soy product with a firm texture and characteristics. The flavor tempeh gives off is very similar to that of mushrooms, and you can also alter the looks to look like mushrooms when sliced thinly.
Zucchini is a vegetable that is included in the squash family. When they are grown for a long time, they can grow for as long as one meter, but they are usually harvested and used when still small.
Other great substitutes include; sun-dried tomatoes, eggplant, russet potatoes, and garbanzo beans.
Conclusion
Some of you might have already been drawn to the conclusion that oyster mushrooms are irreplaceable; however, the odds are against you as the substitutes listed above can save the day and your dish.
However, most of these mushrooms offer that nutty and meaty taste you sought after; never expect the taste to be the same as the oyster mushrooms.
If you prefer your dish with a seafood taste, then you can easily substitute it with oyster sauce, soy sauce, and so on.
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