Overwhelmed by the variety of mushrooms on offer when browsing our produce? Their unique shapes, sizes, colours and flavour profiles can make them feel outside of our cooking comfort zones, but that’s what makes them beautifully intriguing. This guide will equip you with the knowledge to choose the perfect mushrooms and have the confidence to get the best out of them. Time to cep up your mushroom game!

Nutritional benefits 

As long as they’re fresh, you can’t go wrong with mushrooms: They’re:

• Fat-free and Cholesterol-free
• Low-sodium
• Low-calorie
• Packed with fiber

Nutritional factors vary depending on the variety of mushroom, but in general you can count on mushrooms for:

• Antioxidants which support the immune system
• Beta glucans which are a type of fiber that may lower cholesterol
• B-vitamins which are essential for energy production
• Copper which is important for nerve health and immune system
• Vitamin D which is important for bone health
• Potassium which is important for heart, muscle, and nerve function

Mushroom preparation and storage

There’s no need to wash or peel mushrooms. Often, they come with some mud on them, but it’s best to wipe them clean as a lot of the nutrients is in the skin of mushrooms, so if you peel or wash them you can lose some of their goodness!

It’s best to store mushrooms in a paper bag, as it’s said that mushrooms can’t ‘breathe’ in plastic packaging which can cause them to go slightly slimy.

Meet the mushrooms

We offer a diverse range of fresh produce, with availability varying by season. You can typically find the following mushroom varieties in our stores:

Brown

Brown mushrooms are the most commonly used mushroom variety in the UK. They’re readily available and extremely versatile!

Slice them up and fry with garlic, butter and parsley for a simple brekkie of mushrooms on toast. Or, why not finely dice and fry them to add an earthy taste and meaty texture to your vegan Bolognese?

Portobello

Due to their size, portobellos are best cooked whole to retain their juicy, hearty texture. Try grilling them and serving them up in a bread roll with salad, cheese and your favourite condiments, as you would a burger patty. Or, try this delicious stuffed mushroom recipe!

There’s about as much potassium in 2/3 cup of cooked portobello mushrooms as there is in a medium-sized banana. Potassium is important for heart, muscle, and nerve function.

Shiitake

Shiitake mushrooms are an East Asian variety so are frequently used in Asian cooking. They have a rich, earthy flavour and are the perfect component to upgrade your favourite stir-fry and ramen recipes.

Both Shiitakes and varieties of Oyster mushrooms have the most effective beta glucans, a dietary fibre which has links to improving cholesterol and supporting heart health.

Grey Oyster

When deep fried or baked, grey oysters have a chewy texture, making them a popular choice for a meat substitution. Deep fry them in a light batter and serve with a squeeze of lemon for a dish similar to calamari, or bake and toss them in a sticky umami sauce to have alongside an Asian feast.

Before frying your oyster mushrooms, make sure your pan is hot. Undercooking the mushrooms can result in a bitter taste.

Noticed a yellow colour on the edges or stalks? This likely means that they have gone off and you shouldn’t eat them.

King Oyster

Their popular dense meaty texture comes from their thick stalk, so make sure you use the whole thing. You can use them as you would other mushrooms, they’ll just take a bit longer to cook and won’t wilt down as much.

Looking to do something a bit different? King oysters can be shredded using a fork before frying or braising in a sauce, resulting in a texture similar to pulled pork. We recommend braising the shredded mushrooms in a BBQ sauce and serving with flatbreads and salads.

We hope that this guide has left you without mush-room for error, and that you enjoy exploring our funghi selection in store soon!