Do mushrooms get enough respect? Maybe they are now. Mushrooms are “having a moment” and are becoming the new “superfood du jour.” With some help from my BFF (ChatGPT), let’s dive into the mushroom patch.

Find me on Bloglovin’

Hi, Again, Dear Readers:

It’s been a minute, and I apologize again. Things got away from me, as they often do here, and ten days went by. Now it’s the week of Thanksgiving: are you still making plans? Have you decided what to make yet? In our little neck of the woods, I was thrilled when the Lodge Cast Iron posted this one-pan Thanksgiving dinner on Instagram the other day. It’s greatly appreciated, and so far, it’s just James and me, anyway. (I think.) And it’s good for any time of year, too.

One thing that’s going to make it to our Turkey Day dinner is mushrooms, and I’ll share that recipe in this blog post with a printable version for you, too.

Are Mushroom-Based Foods the New Cauliflower? What to Try Now

Move over, cauliflower—there’s a new shapeshifter in town. And no, it’s not another vegetable trying to pretend it’s a pizza crust. It’s mushrooms. Yes, the humble fungi that used to be the sad, rubbery afterthought on a questionable slice of delivery or frozen pizza have reinvented themselves. Mushrooms are having a glow-up, a moment, a cultural reawakening, whatever you want to call it. And honestly? They deserve it, too.

Source: Google Images

If you’re into low-carb, keto, gluten-free, or just “please-don’t-make-me-eat-a-bowl-of-pasta” cooking, mushroom-based foods are about to feel like someone tossed you a culinary life raft. They’ve quietly crept into everything from faux noodles to snack chips, and people are searching for them like crazy. So let’s dig into why mushrooms are suddenly the new cauliflower, and which products and recipes are actually worth your time.

Why Mushrooms, and Why Now?

Cauliflower had its moment (several, actually). Rice, pizza crust, nachos, tortillas, mac and cheese—we owed a lot to that pale, unassuming hero. I like cauliflower, but for many people, there is one giant downside: it always tastes like cauliflower, no matter how much cheese you bury it under.

Mushrooms? Whole different story.

Source: Google Images

They’ve got:

• Natural umami
• A chewy, satisfying bite
• Shockingly good versatility
• Almost no carbs
• No gluten, no dairy, no fuss
• The ability to disappear into the background or be the star, depending on how you treat them

Plus, mushroom-based products aren’t pretending to be healthy food. They are a healthy food. Low-calorie, nutrient-dense, fiber-rich. They basically walk into the room wearing a quiet “I’m good for you” confidence without lecturing anyone.

The Rise of Mushroom-Based Alternatives

Here’s where the fun starts. Food companies have realized mushrooms can be turned into, well, almost anything.

And for those of us who want low-carb recipes that don’t taste like punishment, this is extremely good news.

1. Mushroom-Based Noodles

In my last post, I discussed shirataki noodles (which are sometimes blended with mushrooms now), but pure mushroom-based noodles are showing up everywhere. These aren’t mushy. They’re not spongy. They’re pleasantly chewy, neutral in flavor, and ready to soak up whatever sauce you throw at them.

They work beautifully in:

• Casseroles
• Keto pasta salads
• Pad Thai riffs
• Soups (they don’t disintegrate!)
• Stir-fries

The magic, of course, is that mushrooms don’t have a strong flavor of their own. They act like little sponges (in the best possible way), soaking up garlic butter, tomato sauce, pesto, or Thai curry. Much like the hearts of palm and shirataki pastas, your sauce becomes the star. The noodles just show up and do their job without drama.

2. Mushroom “Rice.”

This isn’t quite as common yet as cauliflower rice, but give it a year. It’s already popping up in the low-carb world.

Mushroom rice has:

• A firmer bite
• A deeper savory flavor
• Better performance with meals that need more texture (think jambalaya or burrito bowls)

Use it anywhere you’d use cauliflower rice, but especially in dishes where cauliflower’s water content has betrayed you one too many times. (Looking at you, cauliflower fried rice.)

3. Mushroom Snack Chips

I haven’t tried these yet, but I’m informed that these are dangerously good.

Where kale chips crumble if you look at them wrong, mushroom chips hold together, crisp beautifully, and still feel like a real snack. And they’re low-carb, which feels like a miracle, because some keto snacks taste like someone dared a food scientist to see how much erythritol a human can tolerate.

Try them:

• With dip
• Crushed over salads
• Straight out of the bag while pretending you’re “just having a few.”

Now that I’ve discovered they exist, I’ll be on the lookout for them.

4. Mushroom-Based Meat Alternatives

You don’t have to be vegetarian or vegan to appreciate these. Mushrooms make a fantastic stand-in for meat because they actually chew like something substantial. Companies are starting to use them in crumbles, burgers, and even jerky. They work great for:

• Low-carb tacos
• High-protein salads
• Quick throw-into-a-skillet weeknight dinners
• Replacing ground meat in casseroles

Bonus: no soy (or soy overload), no mystery ingredients, no weird aftertaste. Will only try when James is not around, even though he likes mushrooms. If I unleash this on him without trying it myself first, much like the overnight oats incident, I’ll never hear the end of it.

How to Cook with Mushroom-Based Foods (Without Overthinking It)

Here’s the best part: mushrooms don’t ask for much. Give them heat, seasoning, and maybe a little fat, and they rise to the occasion. Portobellos, for instance, can be grilled like a burger:

Source: Google Images

When you’re using pre-made mushroom-based products, it gets even easier. A few no-fail tips:

1. Treat mushroom noodles like regular noodles. Heat them, sauce them, boom — done. No complicated prep. Just make sure your sauce is flavorful, because the noodles are basically blank slates.
2. Roast the mushroom rice for better flavor. Toss with oil, salt, and pepper; roast on a sheet pan at high heat. It brings out a nutty, almost toasty flavor you’ll love.
3. Season mushroom meat alternatives with a light touch. They’re tasty, but a dash of taco seasoning, garlic powder, or smoked paprika goes a long way. You can always add a little more if needed.
4. Don’t be afraid of browning. Color = flavor. Pale mushrooms are sad mushrooms. Cooking all the water out in just a little oil and/or butter really brings out the mushrooms’ flavor and character, and crisps them up if you cook them long enough.

Recipe: Mushroom Sausage Stuffing

With Thanksgiving this week, I decided to revisit this recipe from the late Suzanne Somers’ first book, Eat Great, Lose Weight, page 167. I haven’t made it in many years, and decided on it when I found fresh tarragon over the weekend in the Hammond Albertson’s. (James didn’t want to be seen buying mushrooms in our local Walmart.) It’s been years since I made it last, but it’s so good, and lots of tasty mushroom goodness.

Suzanne Somers

Mushroom Sausage Stuffing

A low-carb alternative to bread stuffing for your Thanksgiving dinner or anytime.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings: 6 cups

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 4 onions thinly sliced
• 2 to 4 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cups coarsely chopped shiitake and oyster mushrooms or regular white button mushrooms
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 pounds spicy turkey sausage meat, removed from casings can also use non-spicy
• 1 bunch fresh tarragon leaves no stems

Method

 

1. Saute' the onions in olive oil over medium-low heat until caramelized, about 30 minutes.
2. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the mushrooms. Saute' until the mushrooms are crisp around the edges, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Turn the heat to high and add the wine. Let the wine cook off for a couple of minutes, then lower the heat and simmer with the mushrooms for another 10 minutes. Stir in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time until combined. Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. In a large skillet, brown the sausage. When cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes, add the mushroom mixture along with the tarragon and combine thoroughly.

If you don’t want to use wine, a little chicken or turkey broth would work. This “stuffing” doesn’t need to be cooked inside the bird, either. You could make this the night before and reheat it for dinner. Just know that caramelizing the onions and frying up the mushrooms does take some time, so plan accordingly.

Are Mushrooms Really Replacing Cauliflower?

Honestly? In many ways, yes.

Source: Google Images

Cauliflower gave us options, but mushrooms give us confidence. They do the job without making the entire dish taste like a cruciferous fog. They’re friendlier to beginners, easier to cook, and—dare we say it—more satisfying.

Plus, cauliflower had a long run. It deserves a rest. Let it retire peacefully into your favorite roasted veggie medley.

Five Mushroom-Based Products Worth Trying This Week

If you want to dip your toe into the mushroom pool (and by pool, I mean skillet), you can start here:

1. Mushroom-based noodles: Any brand. They all behave politely.
2. Mushroom jerky: Surprisingly addictive and great for low-carb snackers.
3. Mushroom broth: Swap it into soups and sauces for a savory punch.
4. Mushroom meat crumbles: Great for tacos, chili, or quick stir-fries, or just trying out.
5. Mushroom chips: Just buy two bags.

I’m keeping my eyes open locally for some of these myself, but haven’t seen any yet. There is also mushroom coffee, and there are devotees, but I’m not brave enough to try that one.

The Fungi Have Earned Their Crown

So yes, mushrooms absolutely might be the new cauliflower. They’re versatile, they’re easy, they play well with low-carb and keto cooking, and they don’t hijack the flavor of every dish they touch.

Mushrooms can play a part in your Thanksgiving dinner as well as dinner any night of the week. Last week we had our regular spaghetti, and I drained two small cans of mushroom pieces, fried them until they were crispy, and added them into the pan after the meat was finished browning. Simple and easy, he liked it, and we’ll do that again. You can also fry them like this, raw or canned, and add them into an omelette or scrambled eggs, too. Just get ready for the spattering, which you can mitigate with a splatter screen. (I need to find mine, it disappeared.)

For carnivores and vegetarians alike, mushrooms are a nice little addition to your repertoire that can either sit in the background or play a starring role.

Happy Thanksgiving!