Pan-Fried King Oyster Mushrooms - Zestful Kitchen

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We can think of few things more delicious and mouth-watering than buttery pan-seared King Oyster Mushrooms (aka this King Trumpet Mushrooms recipe). A few simple ingredients transform meaty king oyster mushrooms into a side dish that’s loaded with savoriness and umami.

I first honed my mushroom cooking skills while interning at America’s Test Kitchen. When I was there, we were in deep in the development of The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook and many of the recipes featured mushrooms.

Mushrooms took center stage in many of the recipes while others utilized dried mushrooms for deep, meaty flavor. Through the testing of those many mushroom recipes, I learned quite a bit about cooking with mushrooms, and some of those tips and techniques can be found in this recipe!

Table of Contents

• What are King Oyster Mushrooms?
• Why We Love This King Oyster Mushroom Recipe
• Ingredients Needed
• How to Cook King Oyster Mushrooms (Trumpet Mushrooms)
• King Oyster Mushroom Recipe Tips
• King Trumpet Mushroom Variations
• More Mushroom Recipes to Try
• More From Zestful Kitchen
• Pan-Fried King Oyster Mushrooms Recipe

What are King Oyster Mushrooms?

There are so many different types of mushrooms with a variety of textures, flavors and appearances. The King Oyster mushroom, also called the King Trumpet mushroom, is a favorite of mine.

Largely sought after for their meaty stems, King Oyster mushrooms have thick white stems and stout brown caps. In their raw form they have little flavor, but once cooked they take on a savory, slightly sweet taste and meaty texture.

Cook King Trumpets like you would a good piece of meat—roasted, grilled or sautéed. They’re also great thrown into stir fries. If you aren’t sure how to prep, wash or cook mushrooms, we’ve got a whole guide on how to cook mushrooms.

Try this Vegan Scallop recipe, or whip up this Teriyaki King Trumpet recipe and serve over rice.

Why We Love This King Oyster Mushroom Recipe

It’s hard to put into words, but this recipe just sings. The flavors of this side dish come together seamlessly and create a dish you can’t help but say “wow” about.

Aside from it being a true *flavor bomb* this king trumpet mushroom recipe is also incredibly easy to make and only requires a handful of ingredients. Plus, the fresh parsley added at the end adds brightness but also gets slightly fried.

Heaven!

The savoriness of this dish makes it a perfect pair with a simple pasta, pan-seared chicken or alongside a simple grilled top sirloin steak (with our Mushroom Sauce for Steak)!

Ingredients Needed

• King Oyster Mushrooms, also called King Trumpet Mushrooms: you can find these mushrooms sold loose, in refrigerated produce bins, or in plastic containers wrapped in plastic wrap at the grocery store. Check out my buying guide for mushrooms.
• Ground nutmeg: We like to use a microplane to freshly grate nutmeg, but pre-ground will also work. Nutmeg pairs beautifully with mushrooms.
• Garlic: thin slices of garlic crisp up in the butter and add tons of dimension to this dish.
• Parsley: a handful of fresh herbs brightens up this dish wonderfully. We also love how a few of the leaves get lightly fried.
• Lemon: a bit of lemon zest adds brightness and tang without adding excess moisture like lemon juice or vinegar would do.
• Olive oil and butter: using a combination achieves the best of both worlds—crispy fried texture and savory butter flavor.

How to Cook King Oyster Mushrooms (Trumpet Mushrooms)

This recipe is all about pan-frying king oyster mushrooms. But you can also shred, roast, and sear this type of mushroom. You can even make king oyster mushroom vegan scallops! Here’s a rundown of how to make this recipe:

1. Preheat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high for 5 minutes.
2. Slice the large mushrooms in half lengthwise and leave smaller mushrooms whole.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and add a splash of oil; swirl to coat the pan. Arrange the mushrooms in an even layer, as best you can, cut side down. Cook, without moving, for 3 minutes.

4. Season mushrooms with ¼ teaspoon each kosher salt and pepper then toss and continue cooking until golden brown all over, about 5 minutes.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low, add butter, garlic, and nutmeg and cook 2–3 minutes until garlic is toasted.

6. Remove skillet from heat and add parsley leaves and ½ teaspoon of lemon zest.

7. Stir to combine then season with additional salt, pepper and lemon zest to taste.

King Oyster Mushroom Recipe Tips

• This side dish will serve about 3 people, depending on what you serve it with. It doesn’t make a lot in volume, but it’s so savory and decadent-tasting, that you only need a small serving to feel satisfied. If the main dish is light or if you’re a mushroom fanatic, consider doubling the recipe. If you do, sear the mushrooms in two batches in oil before adding all of them back into the pan with the butter.
• Use the largest cast-iron skillet you have. If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, use a stainless steel pan. The larger the skillet, the better because the mushrooms have enough space to sear, not steam.
• Slice the mushrooms in half lengthwise if they’re really big. Any small mushrooms can be left whole.
• Store raw King Oyster mushrooms in a brown paper bag loosely folded. Use within 3 days.

King Trumpet Mushroom Variations

• Add a splash of cream and toss the whole dish with some cooked angel hair pasta.
• Stir in a dollop of miso paste for even more umami and serve with cooked rice or rice noodles. A dash of soy sauce and some sesame seeds would also be tasty.
• Use thinly sliced shallots instead of garlic.

More Mushroom Recipes to Try

Soups, Stews & Chilis

Creamy Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Soups, Stews & Chilis

Slow-Cooker Turkey Wild Rice Soup

Sauces & Dressings

Creamy Mushroom Sauce for Steak

Pasta & Noodles

Zucchini Mushroom Pasta

• Our Mushroom Veggie Burgers are the perfect vegetarian dinner!
• Try our Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms for a healthy anytime appetizer.
• If you love soup season AND you love mushrooms, then you’ve gotta try out Hungarian Mushroom Soup. It’s creamy, cozy and so savory.
• If you’re looking for another appetizer, try these Mushroom & Apricot Goat Cheese Crostini.
• Our Creamy Turkey and Wild Rice Soup is loaded with golden-brown sautéed mushrooms. Soul-soothing goodness!
• Up the ante on steak dinner with our Creamy Mushroom Sauce for Steak. It’s luscious, decadent and so dang good.
• Mushrooms are a great vegan and vegetarian ingredient. Use them in our Sweet Potato Ravioli with Seared Mushrooms or try our summery Zucchini Mushroom Pasta.
• Enjoy pasta night with our Vegetarian Mushroom & Eggplant Pasta Bolognese. Hearty, cozy and loaded with flavor.

More From Zestful Kitchen

• Cornstarch Substitute
• Pozole Recipe
• Salmon Recipes
• Tacos Al Carbon
• Lemon Dill Salmon
• Mexican Coleslaw Recipe

• Chicken Souvlaki
• Pork Chop Brine
• Brisket Tacos
• Milk Punch
• Cauliflower Potato Salad
• Cherry Tomato Sauce

• Sides For Steak
• Korean Meatballs
• Salmon Caesar Salad
• Steak Frites
• Tikka Masala Recipe
• Flaky Pie Crust Recipe

How to cut oyster mushrooms?

There are a variety of ways you can cut them, I prefer to cut them in half, lengthwise. This creates a lot of ideal surface area for browning. Alternatively, you can slice the stem into rounds and cook them like scallops (check out these vegan scallops).

How long to cook oyster mushrooms?

All recipes are different, but on average, if sautéeing over medium heat, they will need to cook for about 10 minutes. If you’re grilling, they will need 8–10 minutes and if you’re roasting at 425ºF, I would plan for 15–25 minutes.

Can you eat king oyster mushrooms raw?

Yes, they are safe to eat raw. However, in their raw form they don’t have much flavor. Once cooked, they take on a savory, slightly sweet flavor.

What do king oyster mushrooms taste like?

Once cooked, they are meaty, savory and ever so slightly sweet. They readily absorb the flavors their cooked with, which make them very versatile.

Pan-Fried King Oyster Mushrooms

RATE Print Recipe Favorite Pin 4.94 from 30 votes Prep Time 5 minutes minsCook Time 10 minutes minsTotal Time 15 minutes minsYield 2 cups (3 servings) Category Side DishCuisine AmericanAuthor Lauren Grant

Description

A super-savory pan-fried mushroom side dish made with King Oyster mushrooms (also called King Trumpet mushrooms).

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Ingredients

• ▢ 8–12 ounces King Oyster mushrooms (also called King Trumpet mushrooms) *
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ kosher salt and black pepper
• ▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ 2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ▢ ½ cup parsley leaves
• ▢ 1 lemon, zested

Instructions

• Preheat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high for 5 minutes.
• Slice large mushrooms in half lengthwise, leave smaller mushrooms whole.
• Reduce heat to medium and add oil; swirl to coat pan. Arrange mushrooms in an even layer, as best you can, cut side down. Cook, without moving, for 3 minutes.
• Season mushrooms with ¼ teaspoon each kosher salt and pepper; toss and continue cooking until golden brown all over, about 5 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-low, add butter, garlic, and nutmeg and cook 2–3 minutes until garlic is toasted.
• Remove skillet from heat and add parsley leaves and ½ teaspoon lemon zest.
• Stir to combine then season with additional salt, pepper and lemon zest to taste.

Notes

*If you have a really large cast-iron skillet (like 12-inches) you can use 12 ounce mushrooms. More surface area means all of the mushrooms can sear in an even layer. If you’re using a 10-inch skillet or smaller, use 8 ounces of mushrooms. Or, sear the mushrooms in oil in batches before adding them all back to the skillet with the butter.

Nutrition

View Nutrition Info Serving: 2/3 cupCalories: 190kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 6gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 259mgFiber: 9g Like this? Leave a comment below!I love hearing from you and I want to hear how it went with this recipe! Leave a comment and rating below, then share on social media @zestfulkitchen and #zestfulkitchen!

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