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They are delicious, nutritious, and among the most sustainable foods we can eat.
If ever a food deserved an Oscar for Lifetime Achievement, it’s the humble mushroom. Gently tucked into soups, pastas, risottos, and omelets, mushrooms rarely steal the spotlight. Yet these remarkable fungi may be among nature’s greatest gifts to our health and to the planet.
The more I learn about them, the more enthused I become. They are delicious, endlessly versatile, packed with nutrients, and among the most sustainable foods we can eat.
Fungi for the Planet
Scientists estimate there are nearly 14,000 known varieties of mushrooms, roughly 2,200 are considered safe and edible, and only 650 species have been cultivated and eaten. Who knew? All of those uneaten mushrooms are busy nurturing the planet, decomposing organic matter and releasing carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus back into the soil.
Mushrooms are quiet heroes, humble, unassuming, and miraculous. They nourish us and help sustain the ecosystems around us.
Mushrooms may have one of the lightest environmental footprints of any food we grow. They grow relatively quickly (in just a few weeks), and they need very little space to do so. Growers can produce one million pounds of mushrooms on just one acre of land. That’s 7.1 pounds of food per square foot — no vast farmland or deforestation required. This is because they grow vertically, with beds stacked high in compact spaces.
But the amount of space they take up isn’t the only tiny thing about mushrooms: They’re also among the foods with the smallest environmental footprints. As they grow, mushrooms produce just 0.7 pounds of carbon-equivalent emissions per pound — significantly less than animal proteins. And while many foods demand hundreds of gallons of water, mushrooms need just 1.8 gallons to produce a full pound.
Even more remarkable: Mushrooms thrive in soil made from composted materials that would otherwise be waste. Corn cobs, sawdust, coffee grounds, and spent grain from local breweries can all become growing mediums. Once harvested, the remaining soil is recycled again. (Read about one farm growing shiitakes on logs in a Hudson Valley pine forest.)
Thanks to their humble needs, mushrooms can be grown year-round almost anywhere. That means fresher food, fewer transportation emissions, and an easier path to supporting local farms.
Even still, mushrooms have more to offer. Spent mushroom substrate, the leftover soil after they’re harvested, is made into potting soil for houseplants, but it can also be returned to the earth to enrich the soil, improve water retention, add organic matter, and reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers, and has promising potential to be used in even more ways. Beyond food, their remarkable root system is being used to create biodegradable packaging, textiles (even Stella McCartney), and building insulation. Mushrooms have also been used to fight fires.
Look for mushrooms at your local farmers market, and know every one you eat is a small climate win. You might even find wild, edible mushrooms right in your own backyard! Just be doubly sure you can eat it. (Here’s The New York Times’ guide on how to safely forage mushrooms.)
Why Mushrooms Are So Good for Us
Mushrooms are nutritional powerhouses. They are naturally low in calories, and rich in vitamins and minerals, such as B vitamins that support energy and brain function as well as the vital electrolyte potassium — one portobello has more potassium than a medium-sized banana. They’re also packed with antioxidants that help reduce inflammation, slow cellular aging, and protect against chronic disease.
Here’s one of my favorite facts: Mushrooms are one of the very few plant-based sources of vitamin D, which supports bone health and immune regulation. Like humans, who synthesize vitamin D from sunshine, mushrooms can do the same. Since growing conditions are often dark, farmers who expose their crop to UV light are helping mushrooms become a significant source of vitamin D. Look for packaging that says “UV-treated” or “rich in vitamin D.”
No wonder cultures around the world have revered mushrooms for centuries, not only for their culinary appeal, but for their remarkable healing properties.
Meet a Few Favorite Mushrooms
Shiitake: Rich, smoky, and deeply savory, shiitakes bring incredible depth to soups, stir-fries, grain bowls, and sauces. Try the Mushroom Soup below.
Portobello: With their dense, meaty texture and earthy flavor, portobellos can easily become the centerpiece of a meal. Try one in place of a burger or cook it like a steak.
Cremini: Earthier and more flavorful than traditional button mushrooms, creminis are an everyday kitchen favorite. Try the Mushroom Soup below.
Button: Mild and approachable, they become wonderfully rich when sautéed until golden. Try them raw in salads or for stuffed mushrooms.
Procini: A wild mushroom classic, prized for their nutty, woodsy flavor and especially delicious in risottos and pastas.
Chanterelle: Golden, delicate, and slightly fruity, chanterelles add elegance to sauces, eggs, and seasonal dishes. Try the Wild Mushroom Sandwich below.
Perhaps surprisingly, mushrooms provide all nine amino acids, so they are a complete protein, but since they are 90% water, they aren’t high in protein. But mushrooms bring a satisfying texture and deep umami flavor to meals. I especially love blending finely chopped mushrooms into burgers, meatballs, and sauces. You get richer flavor, better nutrition, and a smaller carbon footprint.
So why aren’t we eating mushrooms every day?
Maybe we simply need more inspiration.
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Wild Mushroom Sandwich
- Yield: Serves 2
Description
Mushrooms find their way into several of the recipes in Pascale Beale’s many cookbooks, which I rely on for elegant doable meals. Her combinations are lovely, surprising, partnering fresh fruits and vegetables in delicious ways. She grew up in France in a mountainous region, and her memories of chanterelle-gathering season are vivid and happy. She writes:
“We know we’re in for a treat a few weeks after the first rains of the winter season, as this is when chanterelles first appear at the farmers market. Local foragers rush into the hills and mountains around the city, hiking to the elusive hideouts of these golden tubers to harvest baskets of them. During the drought years, we would be lucky to have chanterelles at all, but the past two winters have brought abundant rain, and the mushrooms have flourished, much to my delight; they are one of my favorite mushrooms. As chanterelles are expensive, you can make this sandwich with cremini, shiitake, or little button mushrooms. However, if you want an extra-luxurious sandwich, try it at least once with chanterelles.”
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp butter
- 1/4 lb chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- Coarse sea salt
- Black pepper
- Cilantro pesto (recipe follows, or use your pesto of choice)
- 4 pieces toasted ciabatta
- Large handful of mâche salad greens or arugula
- 2 oz goat cheese
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet placed over medium heat. When the butter is sizzling, add the chanterelles, a pinch of salt, and 3 to 4 grinds of pepper, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until golden brown.
- Spread the pesto over two pieces of toast. Spoon the mushrooms on each piece of pesto-covered toast and mound the mâche or arugula leaves on top.
- Spread the goat cheese on the remaining pieces of toast and assemble the sandwiches. Cut each sandwich in half and serve.
Cilantro Pesto
Ingredients
- 3 cups chopped cilantro
- 4 green onions, finely chopped
- 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 6 grinds of black pepper
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Place the cilantro, green onions, shallots, pine nuts, salt, pepper, and lemon zest in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Blitz to a chunky paste using repeated 3- to 4-second pulses.
- Slowly drizzle in the lemon juice and olive oil with the motor running to create a thick, bright green, fragrant pesto. Store in a glass jar or covered container. Refrigerate. Best used within 3 to 4 days.
Mushroom Soup
- Yield: Serves 4
Description
This basic earthy mushroom soup shines for simplicity and elegance. Deglazing the pan with sherry adds a rich, savory depth. I sometimes recommend cream to thicken the soup, but I also love it pure and simple. It’s a perfect weeknight meal or dinner-party starter, especially when paired with crusty bread or a winter salad.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsps olive oil or butter
- 3 shallots, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb mixed mushrooms, sliced (cremini and shiitake recommended)
- 1 tsp fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
- Plenty of salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup dry sherry (or Marsala)
- 4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 1/2 cup half-and-half or cream (optional)
- Lemon wedge (optional)
- Parsley or chives, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the oil or butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until softened and lightly caramelized, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add the mushrooms, thyme, a pinch of salt, and pepper to the pot. Sauté until the mushrooms release their moisture and begin to brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Pour in the sherry and scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Simmer for 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol.
- Add the broth and bring it to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes to deepen flavors.
- Using an immersion blender or food processor, blend to a fine purée, or leave the mixture slightly chunky, as you wish.
- Stir in cream if using, and season to taste. A squeeze of lemon adds brightness.
- Garnish with chopped herbs or a few mushrooms sautéed with a little soy sauce.
Notes
- Choose a variety of mushrooms — many are grown year-round using minimal land and water.
- If possible, buy from local mushroom farms (they often compost spent substrate back into the soil).
- Vegetable stock keeps this plant-forward and lower-carbon.
- For a vegan version, skip dairy and finish with a swirl of unsweetened cashew cream.
- Freeze leftovers in single-portion jars for easy winter meals.
