How to Cook Cordyceps

Co-authored by Ollie George Cigliano and Jessica Gibson

Cordyceps are an intriguing ingredient that you might not come across very often. They're a type of parasitic fungi that have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. While most people probably take cordyceps supplements for the health benefits, try making it into a soup or pasta. The fungi give your dish a deep umami flavor that's a little nutty.

Ingredients

Simple Poached Cordyceps

1 ounce (30 g) of dried cordyceps mushrooms
Water for soaking and poaching
Seasonings like salt, sugar, sesame oil, and Sichuan pepper oil, optional

Makes 2 to 4 servings

Cordyceps Chicken Soup

1 chicken thigh and leg
1 handful of fresh or dried cordyceps mushrooms
4 dried shiitake mushrooms
4 red dates, sliced in half
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) of salt
8 cups (1.9 L) of water
1 tablespoon (1 g) of dried scallops, optional
1 sweet corn, chopped into large chunks, optional
2 small carrots, roughly chopped, optional

Makes 2 servings

Cordyceps with Pasta

2 ounces (57 g) of fresh cordyceps mushrooms
3 ounces (84 g) of dried linguine or spaghetti
1 tablespoon (7 g) of toasted breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons (30 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, julienned
2 tablespoons (6 g) of freshly sliced chives
¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) of dry white wine
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
A handful of fresh watercress, trimmed into 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces
Pinch of dried red pepper flakes, optional

Makes 2 to 3 servings

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Simple Poached Cordyceps

1
Soak 1 ounce (30 g) of dried cordyceps mushrooms in cold water for 5 minutes. Don't want to measure your mushrooms? It's totally fine to grab a handful of dried cordyceps. Put them into a bowl and pour in enough cold water to cover the mushrooms. Then, soak the mushrooms for 5 minutes so they expand a little.^{[1]
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- If you're using fresh cordyceps, you can simply brush them off with a clean kitchen towel.
2
Fill a skillet half full with water and add the drained cordyceps. Set the skillet on the stove and pour in enough water to come halfway up the sides. Then, use your hands or a slotted spoon to scoop the cordyceps out of the water in the bowl and add them to the skillet.^{[2]
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- There's no need to keep the soaking liquid.
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3
Bring the water to a boil and poach the cordyceps for 30 seconds. Turn the burner to high so the water comes to a vigorous boil. Stir the cordyceps so they cook evenly and don't stick together. They don't need long to cook— just about 30 seconds so they soften.^{[3]
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- Use a pasta fork, chopstick, or spoon to stir the mushrooms as they cook.
4
Strain the cordyceps and submerge them in a bowl of cold water. Turn off the burner and use a slotted spoon or pasta fork to scoop the poached mushrooms out of the skillet. Put them into a fine-mesh strainer and lower them into a bowl of cold water.^{[4]
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- The cold water shocks the cordyceps so they stop cooking.
5
Season your poached cordyceps and serve them chilled or warmed. Lift the strainer out of the cold water and squeeze the water out of your cordyceps. Then, decide if you want to serve them chilled as a salad or if you want to heat them in a skillet until they're warmed throughout. For a great seasoning idea, toss the cordyceps with:^{[5]
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- A sprinkle of sugar
- A pinch of salt
- A dash of sesame oil
- A dash of Sichuan pepper oil

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Cordyceps Chicken Soup

1
Pour 8 cups (1.9 L) of water into a pot and bring it to a boil. Set a big pot on the stove and pour in your water. Use a pot that's at least 3 or 4 US quarts (2.8 or 3.8 L) in size so you can fit all the ingredients. Then, turn the burner to high so the water comes to a boil.^{[6]
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- Want to make a larger batch of soup? Double all the ingredients and use a really big pot!
2
Put chicken, all the mushrooms, dates, and salt into the pot. Slowly lower a whole chicken thigh and leg into the hot water. Add a handful of fresh or dried cordyceps, 4 dried shiitake mushrooms, 4 sliced red dates, and 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) of salt.^{[7]
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- Leave the bones in the meat so they flavor the soup as it simmers.
- Add 1 tablespoon (7 g) of goji berries if you want to add a mild sweet-tart flavor to your soup.
3
Add optional ingredients like sweet corn or carrots. Customize your cordyceps soup by adding your favorite soup ingredients. Include 1 chopped ear of sweet corn or 2 chopped carrots if you want extra vegetables.^{[8]
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- Don't cut the corn kernels from the cob since the chopped ears will become tender as the soup simmers.
4
Simmer the covered soup for 2 hours or until all the ingredients are tender. Turn the burner down to medium so the water bubbles gently and set the lid on the pot. Cook the soup until the chicken is completely cooked and any vegetables you added are tender.^{[9]
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- Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Cordyceps with Pasta

1
Boil dried linguine or spaghetti until it's al dente and drain it. Since your cordyceps cook really quickly, start your pasta before working on the sauce. Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Then, stir in 3 ounces (84 g) of dried linguine or spaghetti and cook it according to the package instructions. Pour it into a colander or strainer once the noodles are al dente.^{[10]
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- In general, spaghetti takes around 8 to 12 minutes to cook while linguine takes about 9 to 13 minutes.
2
Sauté 1 julienned shallot in a skillet until it's soft. Pour 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil into a skillet and turn the burner to medium. Once the oil shimmers, stir in a julienned shallot and stir it every few minutes. Cook the shallot until it turns soft and fragrant. This should take about 3 minutes.^{[11]
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- Don't have a shallot? You can substitute half of a minced, yellow onion although the flavor might be a little stronger.
3
Stir in white wine and cook the mixture until half of the liquid evaporates. Pour in ¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) of dry white wine and stir it into the cordyceps. Let the mixture bubble over medium heat until half of the wine evaporates. This really concentrates the flavor.^{[12]
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- To give your cordyceps pasta an even stronger umami flavor, stir 6 tablespoons (89 ml) of dashi stock into the skillet along with the wine. Dashi is a simple stock made from fish flakes and kelp.
4
Add the cordyceps to the pan and cook them for 1 minute. Put 2 ounces (57 g) of fresh cordyceps mushrooms into the skillet and stir them over medium heat. The mushrooms will absorb some of the shallot sauce and they'll wilt.^{[13]
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- You can sauté they with a bit of butter or olive oil for a delicious taste.
- Cordyceps don't need to be cooked very long or they'll become rubbery. Just heat the mushrooms until they're warmed throughout and they soften a little.
5
Mix the drained pasta with the cordyceps and season it with red pepper and salt. Transfer your drained spaghetti or linguini to the skillet with the cordyceps and use tongs to toss them together. Then, add a pinch of red pepper flakes along with as much salt and pepper as you like.^{[14]
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- If you want a bold hit of salty, umami flavor, season the pasta with soy sauce.
6
Toss in watercress and chives before you garnish with breadcrumbs. Turn off the burner and stir in 2 tablespoons (6 g) of freshly sliced chives along with a handful of chopped watercress. To serve your pasta, divide it between 2 bowls and sprinkle 1 tablespoon (7 g) of toasted breadcrumbs over them.^{[15]
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- This pasta has the best texture the same day you make it.

Expert Q&A

Question

What is the best way to consume cordyceps?

Ollie George Cigliano
Private Chef & Food Educator
Ollie George Cigliano is a Private Chef, Food Educator, and Owner of Ollie George Cooks, based in Long Beach, California. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in utilizing fresh, fun ingredients and mixing traditional and innovative cooking techniques. Ollie George holds a BA in Comparative Literature from The University of California, Berkeley, and a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from eCornell University.

Ollie George Cigliano

Private Chef & Food Educator

Expert Answer

There are lots of great ways to consume cordyceps! You might toss them with freshly cooked pasta, add them to the inside of an omelet, make a stir fry with other vegetables, or serve them as a delicious side dish.