Herbed Oyster Mushroom Roast Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Thanksgiving

by: Carolina Gelen

November11,2020

5

5 Ratings

  • Prep time 15 minutes
  • Cook time 45 minutes
  • Serves 4

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Author Notes

My main goal in developing this recipe was to create a scrumptious plant based roast that will easily become the centerpiece of your next Thanksgiving dinner. I wanted to create something that imitates the smoky meaty flavor of a roasted turkey and that also looks slightly similar to this classic holiday dish.

I ended up creating a smoky, spicy and pleasantly sweet mushroom roast that will definitely impress your guests at your next dinner. Oyster mushrooms were the perfect candidate for this recipe.

Although often overlooked, oyster mushrooms can provide a very rich and meaty texture to any sort of dish. This type of mushroom is very mild and humble in flavor, and while they still have that characteristic earthy note, they constitute the perfect blank canvas to play around with. One of the many reasons I enjoy working with this type of mushrooms, is the fact that they are incredibly absorbent and they will gracefully embrace any marinade you will coat them in.

For the marinade, I decided to go with a very flavorful combination of ingredients, a slightly smokey, umami, spicy mixture balanced out by a few sweet notes. The smoked paprika, soy sauce and garlic really elevate the mushroom from its humble vegetable state to this complex, meaty entity. The tomato paste and brown sugar are added to contrast the subtle bitter notes of the other elements in the marinade, they will caramelize in the oven, intensifying the flavor and aroma of the whole dish.

This recipe celebrates oyster mushrooms, emphasizes their natural qualities and elevates them to a whole new level, which will make them worthy of becoming a centerpiece at your holiday dinner. —Carolina Gelen

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • 2 poundsoyster mushrooms
  • 1/2 teaspoonto 1 teaspoon kosher salt, per your taste
  • 1/2 teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoonsweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoonsmoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoontomato paste
  • 1 teaspoonDijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoonsoy sauce
  • 2 teaspoonschopped fresh rosemary
  • 2 tablespoonslight brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoonswater
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cupextra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling on top
  • 2 to 3 medium yellow onions
  • 5 sprigsfresh rosemary
Directions
  1. Heat the oven to 375°F or 190°C.
  2. Using a damp paper or kitchen towel, gently clean the oyster mushrooms, then tear them apart from the main stem.
  3. Prepare the marinade: Whisk all the remaining ingredients together in a large bowl.
  4. Add the oyster mushrooms to the bowl and gently toss them using your hands, making sure all of them are well coated.
  5. Place 3 long wooden or metal skewers on your work surface, connecting their non-pointed tip at one end (you can secure this with a piece of twine as you are building the skewers). Alternately thread mushrooms on each of the skewers until you've used just about all of them up. (Any pieces too small for the skewers can be stuck in between the skewers once you've arranged them in the baking dish.)
  6. Place the onions cut in half and the rosemary sprigs in a deep rectangular baking dish. Place two skewers parallel to the shorter length of the baking dish, a few inches from each edge of the baking dish.
  7. Arrange the three skewers on top of the onion and rosemary in the baking dish. Use the two supporting skewers to help prop up the mushrooms. Make sure the skewered mushrooms are arranged so they are slightly overlapping; you want it to look like a robust and uniformly thick roast.
  8. Bake everything for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, remove the baking dish from the oven, brush the mushrooms with more olive oil, and pop it back in the oven for 20 more minutes. If you are not using a convection oven, you might want to rotate the mushroom roast from time to time, to make sure it’s evenly roasting. You will know it is ready to be served once the mushroom shawarma is a deep, dark brown color and very caramelized on top.
  9. Once the roast is out of the oven, let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then serve immediately.

Tags:

  • American
  • Thanksgiving
  • Dinner

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Ivette Antonia Ruiz Ortega

  • Carolina Gelen

  • Madison Rae

Recipe by: Carolina Gelen

Carolina is a resident at Food52. She's also one of the hosts of Choose Your Own Recipe Adventure, our YouTube show where our Food52 readers pick the ingredients and techniques for a brand new recipe. Carolina recently immigrated to the U.S. from Transylvania, a place she spent most of her life. She continues to get inspired by the classic Romanian and Hungarian foods she was raised on, creating approachable, colorful, and fun recipes. For more cooking ideas and candid moments, check out her Instagram @carolinagelen.

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3 Reviews

Madison R. April 11, 2021

Made this last night and it was fantastic... totally genius. My bf walked in while it was in the oven and it was like watching a Loony Toons character floating on a scent cloud - he said it smelled just like roast pork. I will definitely be making it again for future gatherings to impress!

Ivette A. November 25, 2020

can you do this ahead of time? I don't think my mushrooms will last longer than today lol ... I'll roast them to day and maybe a second roast tomorrow?

Carolina G. November 25, 2020

You could definitely do that, maybe brush some more oil on top when you roast it for the second time to prevent it from drying up too fast.

Herbed Oyster Mushroom Roast Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What is the bitterness of oyster mushroom? ›

The substrate in which they grew could be contaminated with pesticides and harmful microorganisms. Fungi that grow near landfills or highways may also absorb radioactive or chemical substances. Other causes of bitterness in oyster mushrooms include old fruiting bodies and improperly washed fruiting bodies.

Why is oyster mushroom expensive? ›

If oyster mushrooms are so easy to grow, why are they so pricey? Turns out, mushroom cultivation (AKA fungiculture) is actually pretty difficult. ... They also require high humidity and their substrate might need to be sterilized, which can get expensive (via Mushroom Company).

What is the tastiest oyster mushroom? ›

The Joys of Golden Oyster Mushrooms

These oyster mushrooms have a distinctly aromatic scent that can add a surprising amount of flavor and fragrance to a dish. They will brown up when cooked, but they retain some of their golden hue.

What happens if you eat too much oyster mushroom? ›

Additionally, do not consume an excessive amount of oyster mushrooms as it may cause an upset stomach and nausea. Sometimes, they may cause gas buildup in the intestines as some carbohydrates are difficult to digest. The recommended daily value of oyster mushrooms is one cup.

Who should not eat oyster mushroom? ›

If you know you have a mushroom allergy or are sensitive to them, you should avoid oyster mushrooms altogether. Oyster mushrooms are sometimes thought to cause mild stomach aches or nausea, so making sure you take a safe dose is important.

How healthy is oyster mushroom? ›

In addition to being highly nutritious, they may promote heart and immune system health, encourage healthy blood sugar control, and provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Try adding these versatile mushrooms to your diet by using them in dishes like pasta, stews, and omelets.

What is the most expensive mushroom to eat? ›

Matsutake, one of the most expensive mushrooms, can cost up to $1,000 per kilogram. The Italian White Alba Truffle is the world's most expensive mushroom, with a price of $330 per gram. In Japan, people pay up to $600 for a single Matsutake mushroom. Morel mushrooms can cost approximately $254 per kilogram.

Is oyster mushroom a superfood? ›

Hiratake oyster mushrooms are a great source of antioxidants, including ergothioneine, which is uniquely found in fungi and unlike other antioxidants, is not destroyed by heat during the cooking process. They also contain beta-glucans which may also have an antioxidant effect.

What is the tastiest mushroom in the world? ›

Black trumpet mushrooms (Craterellus fallax, cornucopioides and others) are undeniably one of the best tasting mushrooms in the world. Their rich, earthy flavor becomes bitter when concentrated or pureed, so newcomers to this mushroom will enjoy them most lightly sauteed or incorporated into a cream sauce for pasta.

What is the generic name for oyster mushroom? ›

Pleurotus spp. is generally referred as the oyster mushroom because the pileus or cap is shell-like, spatulate and the stipe is eccentric or lateral. Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.: Fr.) Kummer is one of the best known species among the oyster mushrooms. Other commonly cultivated species include P.

What does a bitter oyster look like? ›

Pale tan, crowded, forked and usually with strong cross veins giving a reticulate (mesh-like) appearance. In some parts of North America they are reported to be luminescent (glowing greenish in the dark), but Bitter Oysterlings found in Britain and other parts of Europe are not known to glow in the dark..

Is Oyster Sauce bitter? ›

It has a slightly bitter and earthy flavor and will keep that fresh crunch even after being cooked. Oyster sauce has enough sweet and salty to complement the natural flavors of Chinese broccoli without overpowering it or getting lost.

Can oyster mushroom be eaten raw? ›

All types of oyster mushrooms can be eaten raw, but they are generally better when cooked. Raw oyster mushrooms have a spongy texture and a slight metallic taste that is eliminated when cooked. King oyster mushrooms are technically edible raw, but their dense and chewy texture makes them less enjoyable.

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