Easy Oyster Mushroom Recipe (4-Ingredients)

Name: Easy Oyster Mushroom Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 12 ounces oyster mushrooms; 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar; 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce; 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup; 1 tablespoon olive oil (sesame oil, or water)

👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients

Oyster mushrooms, chili garlic sauce , balsamic vinegar, and olive oil on a wooden cutting board on a gray backdrop.

Oyster mushrooms are meaty, versatile, and surprisingly filling. I first tried these mushrooms at a restaurant, served as a filling for vegan tacos. At the end of the meal, I was stuffed. So much so, I canceled our plans to go for an after-dinner ice cream! This variety of mushroom can be hard to find, but can easily be substituted for the same quantity of sliced shiitake mushrooms for making this mushroom recipe.

Chili garlic sauce adds so much flavor to the marinade for this Easy Oyster Mushroom recipe. However, if you are not a fan of spicy food, you can use minced garlic instead and a drizzle of tamari or soy sauce.

Olive oil is optional. Use sesame oil instead, or water for an oil-free marinade.

See recipe card for quantities.

🍄 Substitutions

Oyster mushrooms - substitute with shiitake, or portobello mushrooms as needed

Chili garlic sauce - use Sambal Oelek sauce, chili paste, harissa paste, or chili-garlic paste instead. Or omit entirely for non spicy and use minced garlic with soy sauce or tamari.

Oil-free - omit the oil as desired and use water instead

For more easy vegan dinner recipes with mushrooms, visit my Vegan Asian Recipes page.

👩🏽‍🍳 Instructions

Oyster mushrooms being trimmed with scissors, chili garlic sauce , balsamic vinegar, and olive oil on a wooden cutting board.

Step 1. Use kitchen shears or a small knife to clip the mushrooms from the base, and remove the stems.

A hand holding a white and red kitchen towel wiping an oyster mushroom.

Step 2. Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp towel to remove any debris.

Balsamic vinegar, olive oil, chili garlic sauce, and maple syrup in a glass baking dish.

Step 3. Add the balsamic vinegar, chili garlic sauce, maple syrup, and oil to a large dish or bowl. Whisk well to combine.

Step 4. Gently toss the mushrooms with the marinade until evenly coated. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Marinated oyster mushrooms in a glass baking dish next to a small cutting board with one oyster mushroom skewer.

Step 5. Optional: Thread the mushrooms onto the skewers. Either grill, roast, or air fry.

Nine oyster mushroom skewers on a white and blue grilling dish with grape tomatoes and chopped parsley.

Step 6. Grill for about 7 minutes on each side, or roast at 425ºF for about 15 minutes, flipping them over halfway, or air fry at 380ºF for about 10 minutes. Baste the mushrooms with remaining marinade halfway through cooking.

💡 Expert Tips

Do not marinate the oyster mushrooms for longer than 10 minutes or they will tear easily from too much moisture. Instead, use the remaining marinade for basting them in the oven, or add roughly chopped veggies to the marinade and cook them with the mushrooms.

If using, remember to soak wooden or bamboo skewers in water for at least 15 minutes beforehand. Otherwise, the food might stick to them when cooking, and become difficult to remove.

For serving: Serve these Easy Oyster Mushrooms as skewers with a dipping sauce, or in sandwiches or wraps. Or add them to veggie or grain bowls in place of meat.

Storage: Refrigerate any remaining cooked oyster mushrooms in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Serve them cold with salads, or reheat in the oven or microwave.

🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs

What is the best way to cook oyster mushrooms?

Once trimmed and wiped clean, marinate oyster mushrooms briefly to add flavor. Then either roast, grill, or air fry the mushrooms until golden brown. Optional: Place them on skewers for easier cooking. This way, you can just flip the skewers over halfway through so they cook evenly. Alternatively, you can pan fry the trimmed oyster mushrooms without marinating them. Add them to a stir fry, wrap, veggie bowl, or a grain of your choice. You can even add them to soups and stews in place of meat. Try this delicious Oyster Mushroom Noodle Stir-Fry.

Do you eat the stems of oyster mushrooms?

All the parts of oyster mushrooms are edible, including the caps, gills, and stems. However, the stems are tough to eat, so it is best slice off the hard base stem before cooking.

Should you wash oyster mushrooms?

Mushrooms will absorb a little moisture if washed (around 1 to 2% by weight), which makes it less likely that they will brown and get those desirable crispy edges when cooked. Therefore, I prefer to wipe them clean with a damp kitchen or paper towel to remove any debris. However, washing them briefly should not significant impact cooking. For a dirty-looking batch of oyster mushrooms, you can rinse them under cold running water, then carefully spin them dry in a salad spinner.

📖 Recipe