Mushrooms provide a uniquely Earthy, unami flavor that is beloved by many. That said, there are plenty of people would rather omit them from their dishes for one reason or another. In this article we will discuss different ideas to substitute for mushrooms while cooking. So, let’s get started. Here are some easy substitutes:
Tofu
Tofu is made from soy beans and on its own has very minimal flavor. What it does share with mushrooms is a very similar texture. Where you are simply trying to recreate the texture of mushrooms in a dish, tofu can be used on its own. Where you are also hoping to maintain some of the flavors mushrooms bring to a dish you may want to also consider combining the mushrooms with some soy sauce to mimic some of mushrooms unique flavor.
Eggplant
Eggplants are a common vegetable that should be available at any grocer. The texture of eggplant mimics mushrooms both while raw and the way it softens with cooking. Both also share the quality of being almost sponge-like with their absorption of flavor from sauces, etc.
Zucchini
Much like eggplant, zucchini can be used as a substitute for mushrooms. Both share a somewhat similar texture. Zucchini also has a savory flavor when cooked that can be somewhat reminiscent of mushrooms.
Soy Sauce
Where you are hoping to replicate the mushroom flavoring but don’t necessarily need to include the same texture, a bit of soy sauce can help to replicate the overall flavoring that it provides to a dish.
Miso
Much like soy sauce, miso is a great substitute for mushrooms if your goal is more to replace some of the unami flavor that mushrooms bring to your recipe, but do not need to necessarily replicate the texture.
Nothing
That’s right, nothing. No, I don’t mean that mushrooms are irreplaceable, but rather that they may not need to be replaced. While there are some dishes that heavily rely on mushrooms for flavor, there are also plenty of times where they don’t play such a critical role. In those instances, simply omit the mushrooms and cook the dish as otherwise directed.
