Roasted miso mushrooms are the flavourful side dish of your dreams. Oh, you don’t dream of side dishes, just me? Well, you will after you taste these. A rich miso marinade and the process of roasting takes simple mushrooms to the next level.
I love serving these miso mushrooms alongside my oven baked teriyaki salmon or as an appetiser along with these pork gyoza.
Why you’ll love it
The perfect side dish that is naturally vegetarian, vegan and can be easily made gluten free, these miso mushrooms will convert even non-mushroom lovers (who even are you?).
- So easy to make – we’re talking about 5 minutes effort
- 7 ingredients – 1 of them is water
- Healthy and nutritious – not my concern because …
- … all the flavour! Umami-rich, meaty, so savoury.
- Works for everyone at the table – V, VG, DF and easily GF
- Great as an appetiser too
I know not everyone loves mushrooms but roasting them seems to infuse them with a whole new flavour. On top of that the miso marinade alone will make you want to go back for more. So all you mushroom haters, don’t give them up entirely until you’ve tried these.
What is miso?
Miso is a Japanese condiment made from fermented soybeans. This thick paste is common through many parts of Asia and is now becoming very popular and available in the western world too.
Considered vegan and vegetarian, miso paste is generally gluten free but as it is sometimes made from grains other than soybeans, check the label first.
Miso is available in a number of types: White (shiro) miso is the best to keep on hand as it works well in a number of recipes. Yellow (shinsu) miso is slightly stronger and a deeper colour while red (aka) miso is the strongest in both it’s deep colour and flavour. Red miso is best reserved for heartier dishes like stews.
The health benefits of miso are many as well. It’s a complete source of protein and filled with vitamins and minerals needed for good health. Miso improves digestion, increases immunity and is reported to reduce the risk of a number of cancers. It’s a mighty little nutrition powerhouse but it does have high levels of salt.
Ingredients you’ll need
With just 7 ingredients and one of them is water, this recipe couldn’t get much simpler. Don’t worry if you aren’t all that familiar with miso paste as it lasts for 9-12 months in the fridge. You’ll have loads of time to use it up.
Detailed quantities and instructions in the recipe card below.
- Mushrooms: I like serving whole mushrooms for this, so pick button mushrooms, swiss browns or cremini that are on the smaller side. Once roasted they’ll be the perfect one bite. Oyster mushrooms also work well. I find shiitake mushrooms a little too strong a flavour here but if you love them go for it.
- White miso (shiro miso) paste: It doesn’t exactly look white but it’s white in comparison to the other varieties. White miso is great for marinades, dressings, glazes, light sauces, soups and even mashed potatoes.
- Extra virgin olive oil: You can use another vegetable oil but I prefer the flavour of a good extra virgin olive oil when roasting.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic cloves or jarred garlic (check that it’s just garlic and not filled with additives). Please don’t use garlic powder.
- Soy sauce: Use light soy sauce here (not dark or sweet) and if you want the recipe to be gluten-free, use tamari instead.
- Sesame oil: I just love sesame oil but a little goes a long way. Sesame oil imparts an intense toasty, nutty flavour that can’t be beat.
- Chives or parsley: Not an official ingredient but just a little green herb to garnish the mushrooms. It makes them look prettier when you serve. I often use chives or parsley.
If you know what umami is, you’ll know that just about all of the ingredients in this recipe are umami-rich, meaning the resulting recipe is very intensely savoury, meaty and so flavourful.
How to roast mushrooms
So raw mushrooms are a bit bland and sauteed mushrooms taste great but roasting mushrooms takes them to a whole new level. Meaty and savoury, roasting mushrooms gives them an intense flavour boost and they’re so easy to make.
Detailed instructions in the recipe card below.
- Wash the mushrooms: Give the mushrooms a good wash then gently dry them off. If you prefer and I most often do since I hate wasting water, you can peel the skin off instead but there is flavour and nutrients in the skin, so choose the way you prefer. You can trim the base of the stalk or remove it completely.
Just a note about peeling the mushrooms. I had a review from someone who loved them but was totally confused over why you would peel mushrooms. I most often do whenever I use mushrooms; my mum always did and I’ve even seen TV chefs who do the same. The reason for it is twofold – first it’s easier than washing them and wastes no water. The second is that by peeling the skin away you essentially open up the mushroom to absorb more flavour. No judgement here though, you do what works for you 🙂
- Make the miso mushroom marinade: Miso paste is quite thick, so start by whisking in some water to loosen it a little (photo 1). Now add the remaining sauce ingredients and whisk vigorously to combine (photo 2). It may look a little “split” for a while but it’s just because you need to emulsify it which just means agitation (or whisking) really quickly.
- Coat the mushrooms: Add the mushrooms and mix well to coat (photo 3). Use a spoon or tongs or just get your (clean) hands in there and mix them so the miso marinade is well distributed over them all.
- Roast: Line a large baking tray with foil and arrange the mushrooms on the tray so they’re in one layer all with the rounded top up (photo 4). Roast for 25-30 minutes. Toss with some chives and serve.
At some point during the cooking the mushrooms will release a lot of liquid – keep roasting. You want that liquid to reduce a little so that you can toss the mushrooms through it again at the end. This way you won’t leave any of that flavour behind and the miso mushrooms look glossy and delicious when you serve.
Miso mushrooms tips
- Choosing mushrooms: Most mushroom varieties will work but make sure they are firm and fresh. Try not to choose mushrooms that look like they’ve been knocked around or that have softened or have wrinkly skin. They should appear plump and dry – if they look wet, move on.
- Size: Make sure your mushrooms are all the same size. Try choosing ones or similar size or in containers where they all look similar sizes when you buy them. If some look a little too big, cut them in half.
- Oven time: The time they need to roast will depend on the freshness and size of your mushrooms. What you’re looking for is mushrooms that still look plump and haven’t shrivelled and the juice in the liquid they release will have thickened a little.
- Don’t add salt: Miso and soy are already quite salty so there is no need for additional salt in this recipe.
Storage
Though best eaten fresh, these will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Best eaten warmed through.
If you try this miso mushroom recipe, please take a moment to leave a rating and comment below. I love hearing from you and it helps other readers too!
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Ingredients
- 35-40 button mushrooms (swiss brown or cremini work too) (600g / 1.3pounds)
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste (notes 1)
- 1 tablespoon water (notes 1)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons light soy sauce (not dark or sweet)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 small cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped chives or parsley to garnish
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200C / 395F / 180C fan forced. Line a large baking tray with foil.
- Wash the mushrooms well, then lightly dry them. You can peel them if you prefer. Cut any larger ones in half so they’re about 1 large bite size. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the miso paste and water until combined.
- Add the oil, miso paste, soy sauce, sesame oil and garlic. Whisk vigorously until smooth.
- Add the mushrooms and mix well to coat evenly.
- Lay the mushrooms out on the prepared baking tray, in a single layer, smooth side up.
- Roast for 25-30 minutes until browned all over and the liquid that gets released in cooking has started thickening.
- Sprinkle over the chopped chivesServe immediately.
Notes
- I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (equal to 4 teaspoons).
- Pick button mushrooms, swiss browns or cremini that are on the smaller side. Once roasted they’ll be the perfect one bite. Oyster mushrooms also work well.
- Leftover miso paste will keep for 9-12 months in the fridge.
- The time they need to roast will depend on the freshness and size of your mushrooms. What you’re looking for is mushrooms that still look plump and haven’t shrivelled and the juice in the liquid they release will have thickened a little.
- These are great served with rice and chicken or alongside steak with some steamed green beans. I love serving them with this teriyaki salmon too.
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4 Comments on “Roasted Miso Mushrooms”
Great recipe, with a little adjustment: 1 Tbsp oil is PLENTY, no need for a quarter cup. Also, I didn’t have sesame oil and they were still great. Can’t wait to try with the sesame oil next time. Lastly… peel mushrooms ? Huh? I’ve never heard of such a thing. Sure, there’s the debate between those who wash ’em and those who just dry brush to clean. But, in all my years of cooking and extensive reading of recipes, blogs, cookbooks and professional chef sites, I’ve never heard of anyone peeling a mushroom. In any case, glad to have stumbled across your recipe. Will definitely make again… with unpeeled mushrooms LOL
So happy you loved them, Valerie. My mum and therefore I have always peeled mushrooms. It just saves having to wash them and hope you got all the dirt off. A personal preference of course but I do know TV chefs that also peel them so I know we aren’t alone haha.
I’ve never tried the flavour combination of mushrooms and miso, but it sounds tasty and hearty. They look awesome, too!
That’s exactly what they’re like. Thanks Ben.