A super quick and easy oyster mushroom stir fry that creates a hearty side dish in 15 minutes. The mushrooms are cooked with a dash of soy sauce and garlic to bring out the delightful flavor of the ingredients.
If you like mushrooms and just happen to have a big batch of oyster mushrooms, you can’t miss this simple dish. This quick oyster mushroom stir fry is a dish that my mom used to cook on repeat as a weekday dinner when I was growing up. She would heat up her cast iron wok super hot, brown the mushrooms and season them with very light ingredients and some aromatics. The finished dish is simple yet satisfying. I would happily enjoy a big plate of the mushrooms with steamed rice all by myself.
What is oyster mushroom
Oyster mushrooms are some of the most popular mushrooms in Chinese cooking. They have a mild flavor with a subtle earthy and nutty flavor. They brown very well over high heat, creating crispy edges while maintaining a tender texture. They also absorb the flavor of seasonings and sauces well.
There are different types of oyster mushrooms, such as king oyster mushrooms, that behave quite differently in cooking. When not mentioned specifically, oyster mushrooms often means pearl oyster mushrooms. It’s the most common variety, with a light grey and beige color.
Where to buy oyster mushrooms
Living in the US, I found that most grocery stores only carry a limited selection of mushrooms. And even though I can find the other varieties, they are usually quite pricey.
If you happen to live close to an Asian grocery store, you may find many varieties of mushrooms at a cheaper price. Your best bet is a Chinese market such as Ranch 99, a Korean market such as H Mart, or a Japanese grocery store. The other option is a farmer’s market, although they might have different varieties depending on the season.
Ingredients for oyster mushrooms stir fry
You only need a few simple ingredients. And when you’re ready to cook, everything should be measured out and cut.
- Oyster mushrooms: torn to large bite-size pieces.
- Light soy sauce: adds a nice umami to the dish without adding much color.
- Sugar: the sugar balances out the saltiness of the dish to bring out the flavor of the mushrooms. It won’t make the dish too sweet.
- Garlic
- Salt
- Green onion: For garnish, but it also adds a nice taste.
How to make the oyster mushroom stir fry
1- Sear the mushrooms lightly, then add the garlic. Once fragrant, add the sugar and cook until the mushrooms are blistered.
2- Pour in the light soy sauce and cook until fully absorbed and the mushrooms have softened.
3- Add the green onion and mix everything together.
Eat more mushrooms
A wide range of mushrooms is commonly used in Chinese cooking for the multitude of delicious flavors, as well as to add interesting texture to a dish and for their nutritional value. Mushrooms are rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber. They also have a meaty texture, which can make them a fun meat replacement. They are low in calories and fat, which make them a great diet food.
To explore more mushrooms recipes, check out:
- Steamed Enoki Mushrooms (蒜蓉金针菇)
- King Oyster Mushroom Stir Fry (手撕杏鲍菇)
- Mushroom Fried Rice (蘑菇炒饭)
- Asparagus Salad with Mushroom and Eggs
- Bok Choy and Mushroom Stir Fry
- Chinese Braised Chicken with Mushroom (小鸡炖蘑菇)
Easy Oyster Mushroom Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 12 oz (340 g) oyster mushrooms , tough ends removed and cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1/8 teaspoon sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
- Green onions for garnish , sliced (Optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add mushrooms, let sear, stirring frequently for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle sugar and salt on top. Cook and stir until slightly charred, 2 minutes or so.
- Pour soy sauce over mushrooms. Quickly stir for another minute, until the soy sauce is absorbed evenly and the mushrooms have softened. Add the green onion if using, stir a few times to mix well. Taste the mushrooms and adjust seasoning by adding more salt if needed. Turn off the heat and transfer the mushrooms to a plate. Serve hot as a side dish.
Notes
- Gluten-Free Adaptation: To make the dish gluten-free, use tamari to replace light soy sauce.
This is my first time pay a visit at here and i am actually
pleassant to read everthing at one place.
Would it be possible to refrigerate this and serve it as a cold dish? Very recently, my girlfriend and I had a small cold Oyster Mushroom dish at a restaurant and it was really good! I think it had a bit of ginger and tiny red peppers, too. It may also have had some dark vinegar in the sauce as well, but I’m not sure.
Hi Luke, for the dish in this recipe, I usually serve warm. It’s a personal habit that I always warm it up a bit in microwave after refrigerated, so the mushrooms will have a softer texture. But it’s possible to serve it as a cold dish and its flavor will be very nice too.
The cold dish you mentioned is really interesting! It sounds like the mushrooms are blanched and then served with a dressing, instead of stir-fry (a wild guess). Next time I’ll try adding some ginger and vinegar to the dish and see how it goes. Thanks so much for sharing and hope you have a great day! 🙂
And thank you for the very nice response! 😀
By the way, I just made this 5 minutes ago (with no additions to the recipe). It turned out really well!
You’re so fast! I’m so glad it turned out great! Did you try to eat them after cooling down? Anyhow, very happy to hear it worked out 🙂
Yeah, I nibbled on them a bit after they cooled down, but with this recipe I think they taste better hot. I stumbled across a recipe for king oyster mushrooms (杏鮑菇, I think) and also cooked them tonight and they were great! It uses some Japanese ingredients, but I replaced them with Chinese versions.
https://vegeyum.wordpress.com/2013/12/12/king-oyster-mushrooms/
(sorry for the double post above).
I just check out the link and the king oyster mushrooms look delicious! Yep, it is 杏鮑菇. I cook them sometimes with a similar sauce, but I add sugar instead of mirin, probably just like you did 😉
I haven’t cooked king oyster mushrooms for a while and will get a batch this weekend! Thanks for sharing the recipe 🙂
(No prob I just helped deleting the repeated post)
Hi Luke, just want to let you know that I cooked this recipe you mentioned and loved it! I wrote about it this week (here => http://104.236.198.25/recipes/teriyaki-king-oyster-mushroom). Thanks so much for sending me this one. It’s and awesome recipe and so glad I found a new way to cook king oyster mushrooms!
😀 I’m really happy you posted it on your blog!
Very simple yet an amazing outcome, thank you for the recipe.
You’re the most welcome! I’m so glad you like the recipe Rubina! Have a great day 🙂
Thanks Maggie, I can’t wait to try the other reason recipes as well.
God bless.
Oops! Didn’t know how got in there.. 🙂
No problem Rubina! Let me know how the dishes turn out if you tried other recipes 🙂
Cannot wait to try some of these yummy sounding recipes
Happy cooking Robyn! Hope the dish turns out great 🙂
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