How to Cook with Dried Mushrooms

Dried mushrooms are a pantry staple for adding rich, savoury flavour to everyday meals. Whether you’re making soup, risotto, pasta or a simple sauce, a small amount can bring extra depth to the dish.

New to cooking with dried mushrooms? Start with the package directions for your particular variety, then use these ideas to put them to work.

How to rehydrate dried mushrooms

Many recipes call for dried mushrooms to be rehydrated before cooking.

Place the amount you need in a heatproof bowl, cover with warm water and soak according to the package instructions. The time needed will depend on the variety and thickness of the mushrooms.

Once softened, lift the mushrooms out of the water, leaving any sediment behind. Check for remaining grit, rinse if needed, and chop to suit your recipe.

Rehydrating isn’t the same as cooking. Cook the mushrooms thoroughly and follow any variety-specific instructions on the package.

Can you use the soaking liquid?

The soaking liquid can add mushroom flavour to soups, stocks, sauces and risotto. If your package instructions allow it, pass the liquid through a coffee filter or a fine sieve lined with a suitable food-safe cloth to remove grit.

Add the strained liquid during cooking, rather than pouring it over a finished dish. Taste your recipe as you go, since the mushroom flavour can be concentrated.

Easy ways to cook with dried mushrooms

Make a mushroom pasta sauce

Cook rehydrated, chopped mushrooms with onion or shallot, then add stock and cream, or your preferred alternative. Simmer until the mushrooms are thoroughly cooked and the sauce reaches the consistency you like. Toss with pasta and finish with fresh herbs.

Add depth to soups and stews

Stir rehydrated mushrooms into a vegetable soup, bean stew or slow-simmered dish. Their savoury flavour pairs well with ingredients such as barley, potatoes, lentils and root vegetables.

Build a flavourful risotto

Add rehydrated mushrooms while cooking your risotto. If suitable for your mushroom variety, replace part of the stock with strained soaking liquid.

Give gravy a mushroom twist

Finely chop rehydrated mushrooms and cook them with onions before building your gravy. Serve with roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes or your favourite roast dinner.

How to store dried mushrooms

Keep dried mushrooms tightly sealed in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight and moisture. Follow the package’s storage directions and best-before guidance.

Take out what you need with dry utensils, and reseal the package promptly.

Bring mushroom flavour to your next meal

You don’t need a complicated recipe to get started. Choose a dish you already enjoy, such as soup, pasta or gravy, and make dried mushrooms part of it.

Explore Diversified Farm’s dried mushroom selection to find something for your next meal.