How to Cook Enoki Mushrooms

Co-authored by Yoko Isassi

Last Updated: January 19, 2023 References

Enoki mushrooms have been used for a long time in Asian cuisines, and they are gaining popularity across the world because of their versatility and mild taste. Very different in appearance from the popular button or portobello mushroom, the enoki mushroom has a long, thin, white stem topped with small white buttons. They aren't very meaty in flavor, which makes them a great addition to many recipes.^{[1]
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Research source} Enoki mushrooms are easy to prepare in soups, in stir-frys, or even on their own!

Ingredients

Enoki Mushroom Miso Soup

1 sheet of dried kelp
¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) brown miso paste
¹⁄₂ tablespoon (7.4 mL) sriracha hot sauce
1 chopped clove of garlic
1 tablespoon (15 mL) coconut oil
1 tablespoon (15 mL) maple syrup
Salt to taste
2 cups (470 mL) shredded cabbage
3 cups (710 mL) enoki mushrooms
¹⁄₂ cup (120 mL) green onions
5 cups (1,200 mL) of water

Makes 4 servings

Enoki Mushrooms as a Main Dish

14 ounces (400 g) of enoki mushrooms
2 tablespoons (30 mL) oil
2 minced garlic cloves
3 tablespoons (44 mL) soy sauce
¹⁄₂ teaspoon (2.5 mL) sugar
1 finely chopped green onion

Makes 4 servings

Stir-Fried Mushrooms

2 cups (470 mL) fresh enoki mushrooms
1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) sesame oil
2 teaspoons (9.9 mL) soy sauce
2 minced garlic cloves
2 tablespoons (30 mL) cooking oil

Makes 2-4 servings

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making Enoki Mushroom Miso Soup

1
Clean your enoki mushrooms. Pick out any stems that are slimy or discolored. Rinse them under cold water and pat them dry with a paper towel. Then, cut off the hard or “woody” stems at the bottom. This part of the stem will be darker brown in color than the rest of the cream/white mushroom.^{[2]
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- Don’t rinse the mushrooms until you are ready to cook them.
- Some cooking professionals use a brush or a paper towel to wipe off any dust instead of washing the mushrooms in water.
- When you store enoki mushrooms in the fridge, keep them away from water or other liquids as they will get slimy.
2
Put the dried kelp in a large pan and add 5 cups (1,200 ml) of water. Put on the lid of the pan and turn the heat to medium. After 5 minutes, turn the heat to low. Keep heat low (beneath a boil) for 1 hour to soften the kelp for your soup. After the hour has passed, remove the kelp and discard it.^{[3]
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- Try to not brush off the white powder on the kelp as this is what adds flavor.
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3
Add the miso paste, sriracha, garlic, oil, maple syrup, and salt. You’ll need ¹⁄₄ c (59 mL) of brown miso paste, ¹⁄₂ US tbsp (7.4 mL) of sriracha hot sauce, 1 chopped clove of garlic, 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of coconut oil, and 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of maple syrup. Stir for 4-5 minutes to dissolve all the ingredients.^{[4]
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- If you don’t have maple syrup, you can substitute ¹⁄₂ US tbsp (7.4 mL) of brown sugar.
- Sriracha can be substituted with ¹⁄₂ US tbsp (7.4 mL) of gochujang (Korean red paste). Sriracha generally has a little bit more heat than gochujang, but the gochujang has a deeper and more savory flavor to it.
- You can use 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of sesame oil instead of coconut oil. Sesame oil has a more distinct smell and flavor and generally gives a more “toasted” flavor, whereas the coconut oil often isn’t discernible in a dish.
4
Simmer the mushrooms and 2 cups (470 mL) of cabbage for 10 minutes. Add the vegetables and increase the heat to medium-high to get a simmer. This step softens the mushrooms and cabbage while giving all the flavors a chance to incorporate into each other.^{[5]
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- Cooking the mushrooms and cabbage for too long will eventually cause them to get rubbery, so don’t leave the pot on the stove for too long!
5
Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the chopped green onions. Be careful not to splash yourself when you transfer the hot liquid. Add as much or as little green onion as you prefer. Turn off the burner unless you want to keep the soup heated for a while. If you do want to keep the soup warm, turn the burner down to low, and set a timer for 1 hour. Turn off the burner after the hour has passed and store the leftovers.^{[6]
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- This soup pairs well with sticky rice or tofu, too!
- Store leftover soup in the fridge for 1 week. Put leftovers into a glass dish or tupperware with a lid. Let the soup cool before transferring it to the fridge.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Serving Enoki Mushrooms as a Main Dish

1
Prep your enoki mushrooms by rinsing them under cold water. Check for any slimy stems and remove them from the bunch, and then trim off the bottom “woody” sections of the mushrooms. Discard the end pieces. Be gentle when washing the mushrooms as they are fragile.^{[7]
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- For smaller bite-size pieces, you can rip or cut the mushrooms into smaller sections.
2
Bring 4 cups (950 mL) of water to boil in a large pan. Once the water is boiling, blanch the enoki mushrooms, leaving them in the hot water for about 1 minute. You may need to do this in 2 separate batches, depending on the size of your pan.^{[8]
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- Blanching stops enzyme actions that cause vegetables (or in this case, your mushrooms) from losing flavor, color, and texture. It also helps clean the surface of dirt that may not have come off during the rinsing process.
3
Drain the water and transfer the mushrooms to a serving dish. Use an oven mitt or hot pad when handling the pot to protect your hands. Drain water slowly to keep it from splashing or spilling. You could also pat the mushrooms dry before putting them into the serving dish.^{[9]
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- Choose a serving dish that has a lip around the edge, as there will be a sauce to accompany the mushrooms.
4
Heat 2 US tbsp (30 mL) of oil in a small saucepan and cook the garlic. Turn the heat to medium-high, then add the 2 cloves of minced garlic. Cook quickly, for 10-20 seconds. You just want to heat the garlic enough to help it release its flavor, but you don’t want to brown or burn it. Use a cooking spoon to stir the garlic and keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.^{[10]
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- Burnt garlic really changes the flavor of a dish and makes it bitter. If you accidentally burn yours, rinse out your pan and start over.
5
Add 3 US tbsp (44 mL) of soy sauce, ¹⁄₂ tsp (2.5 mL) of sugar, and 1 chopped green onion to the pan. Turn the heat up to medium high and bring the sauce to a boil. Once it starts to boil, turn off the heat completely. This process marries the flavors of the soy sauce, sugar, and green onions.^{[11]
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- If you want, you can let the sauce sit for 2-3 minutes to thicken a little bit, or pour it immediately over your dish. If you aren’t going to eat all of the mushrooms, set aside the ones you aren’t going to eat and store them in an airtight container in the fridge before adding the sauce to the dish.
6
Pour the sauce over the enoki mushrooms and serve. This dish also pairs well with sticky rice or tofu. You can serve it either as a side or as the main dish, and it is a great option for people who are vegan or vegetarian. Feel free to top with extra green onion for a stronger flavor.^{[12]
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- For a brighter, fresher option, serve a simple salad on the side.
- You can save leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, but keep in mind that they might get slimy from the sauce. It’s best to use prepared enoki mushrooms the same day or the next for ultimate freshness.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Sautéing for Stir-Fried Mushrooms

1
Rinse and trim off the hard ends of the mushrooms. Check for any slimy stems and remove and discard these, too. Be careful when rinsing and trimming as enoki mushrooms are fragile and can be crushed easily. Pat them dry with a paper towel.^{[13]
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- Try cutting the mushrooms in half for smaller pieces.
2
Heat 2 US tbsp (30 mL) of oil in a large pan on medium high heat. You can use olive oil, coconut oil, grape seed oil, avocado oil, or any other type you have on hand. It’s important to let the oil get hot so the rest of the ingredients will cook properly.^{[14]
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- An easy way to test if your oil is hot enough is to sprinkle a few drops of water into your pan. If the water sizzles, the oil is hot.
3
Put the minced garlic into the pan and cook for 30 seconds. Use a spatula or spoon to continuously stir the garlic so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan and burn. If needed, turn the heat down to medium to prevent the garlic from burning.^{[15]
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- If your garlic does turn brown and burn, rinse out your pan and start the process over again. Burnt garlic can easily ruin a dish.
4
Add the mushrooms, 2 tsp (9.9 mL) of soy sauce, and 1 tsp (4.9 mL) of sesame oil to the pan. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes, or just until the mushrooms start to turn tender. Remove the pan from the heat and let it sit for 2-3 minutes to let the sauce marinate with the mushrooms even further.^{[16]
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- You can tell the mushrooms are tender when they are a little more limp than they were at the beginning. They will seem a bit like they’ve wilted.
5
Serve the mushrooms on their own or combine with other vegetables. You can stir-fry other types of mushrooms, vegetables (zucchini, green beans, and carrots all stir-fry well), and even meats or tofu to add in with the enoki mushrooms. Sticky rice is always a good accompaniment to the mushrooms, too.^{[17]
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- Cook the enoki mushrooms separate from any other ingredients, though, since they cook so quickly. Putting them in with heartier vegetables would overcook them and change the consistency.

Community Q&A

Question

Do you need to cook enoki mushrooms?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

No, you don't have to cook enoki mushrooms. They can be eaten raw or cooked. However, it's really important that you clean them first and pick out any slimy or discolored stems, which can be bitter and distasteful. Run the cluster of mushrooms under cold water and cut off the woody stem at the end. You can then enjoy them raw, add them to dishes whole, or cut them up and add them to a stir fry. You can cook them any way you can cook other types of mushrooms.
Question

Are enoki mushrooms poisonous?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

No, enoki mushrooms are not poisonous or toxic. However, they can be contaminated with bacteria or pathogens such as Listeria, which can make you really sick or be potentially life-threatening. But if you get your enoki mushrooms from a quality source or grocer and you spend time cleaning them well, there's no reason to be concerned about potentially becoming ill from them.
Question

How do you know if Enoki mushrooms are bad?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

There are a couple of obvious signs that enoki mushrooms have gone bad. Look to see if they're discolored or have spots on them. Check the gills beneath the mushroom caps to see if they're dark or look dry and wrinkly. Touch the surface to see if it feels slimy, as well. If you're unsure, or if the mushrooms look questionable, hold off on eating them. In addition, check to see if there have been any reports of contaminated enoki mushrooms in your region.