Lion's mane mushrooms are fuzzy, large, and neutral flavored. The typical Lion's mane mushroom is about the size of your fist, although they can get larger and weigh up to 5 pounds.
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Taste
They taste slightly sweet, nutty, and earthy. While some people describe them as have a lobster or crab flavor, popular opinion seems to disagree.
In my opinion, their seafood comparison is due to their neutral taste. They don't have that classic earthy mushroom flavor. They end up tasting quite neutral, not unlike the neutral flavor of fresh crab or lobster that's missing the classic fishy flavor.
Texture
Their texture does actually resemble cooked shellfish. Lion's mane mushrooms have a firm, meaty texture that persists through cooking. The consistency can be slightly chewy and they are often more watery than other mushrooms.
They also tear and shred like string cheese when raw. Lion's mane mushrooms, like king oyster, can also be shredded to mimic pulled pork or chicken.
Where to buy
Lion's mane mushrooms grow in cooler regions in the Northern Hemisphere, preferring 55-70F weather. They grow on dead or decaying hardwood trees and fallen logs like beech, oaks, and maple.
Lion's mane mushrooms are typically foraged or harvested in fall, which is when you'll find them at farmers markets. Some specialty grocery stores might also carry them.
Cultivated mushrooms, often grown in greenhouses, are available year-round. Otherwise, you can buy them online from Forage.com.
Selection & storage
Buy lion's mane mushrooms that are white. If they are yellowed and brown they end up with a mushy texture. A brown spot here or there is fine, as long as you use it quickly.
Look for mushrooms that are fluffy and dry, but not dried out. Store them in a paper bag in the fridge where they should last 5-7 days.
Clean them by gently brushing off the dirt. Do not run them under water because they will soak it up and become soggy.
If you plan to forage for lion's mane mushrooms, check out the guide from Grow Forage Cook Ferment. And good luck!
How to cook lions mane mushrooms
There are several popular ways to make use of their size and meaty texture. They hold up well to high heat cooking methods, including roasting, pan-frying, and grilling. Here are some interesting ways to use them:
- As a meat substitute
- As a seafood substitute (crab cakes, Crab Louie salad, etc).
- Grilled directly on the grate which brings out their nuttier flavor
- Used as a meat alternative for fish tacos
Recipes
Sauteed
If you've never cooked lion's mane mushrooms before, a simple saute is a proper introduction. It's a good way to gauge their cooked texture and flavor absorption.
- Sauteed lions mane mushrooms with garlic, butter, and herbs - At The Immigrant's Table
Lions mane mushroom steaks
One of the most popular uses for lions mane mushrooms is steaks. They are thick, meaty, and absorb a lot of flavor. They won't fool anyone who wants a ribeye, but if you like cauliflower or butternut squash "steaks," then you should try these.
Most steak recipes also press down to flatten the mushrooms to increase their density. This blackened lions mane mushroom steak recipe by Trimazing puts a cast iron dutch oven on top of the mushrooms to flatten them. Give it a shot!
Here are some other lions mane mushroom steak recipes to try out:
- Mushroom steaks with chimichurri by Justine Cooks Vegan
- BBQ seasoned mushroom steaks, pan seared then oven roasted - by Wicked Kitchen
- Blackened lion's mane steaks - by Trimazing
- Mushroom steaks with tomato-herb salad - by Forager Chef
- Mushroom steaks with garlic, butter, and wine - by California Grown
- Steak-seasoned, pan seared lion's mane steaks - by Babaganosh
Seafood alternative
There are two types of mushrooms that make excellent seafood substitutes: oyster mushrooms (including king oyster) and lion's mane. Both types have a pretty neutral flavor without the typical mushroom earthiness.
Lion's mane mushrooms and king oyster mushrooms both have a crab-meat like texture too, especially when cooked. Here are some recipes to try with lions mane mushrooms:
- Lion's mane crab cakes - by Forager Chef
- Maryland style lions mane crab cakes - by My Life in an Apron
- "Crab" linguini - by The Intrepid Eater
- Lion's mane gumbo - by Field & Forest
- "Crab" Louie salad - by the Mushroom Council
- Lion's mane fish & chips - by Very Vegan Val
- Lion's mane lobster roll sandwiches - by RI Mushroom
Chicken alternative
Chicken has a pretty neutral flavor - so replacing it with lions manes mushrooms isn't too big of a stretch. If you're trying to eat less meat or want some vegetarian alternatives, try out some of these recipes.
Make some vegetarian chicken nuggets with this healthier baked recipe from Food, Pleasure, and Health. They are savory with a similar texture.
Korean "fried" chicken is a believable alternative thanks to a similar texture. The bold, flavorful sauce is what you're after, anyway! This recipe from Brown Girl Vegan is a winner.
The classic chicken parmigiana enjoys all sorts of vegetable alternatives. I've tried it with eggplant, zucchini, and cauliflower. This recipe from Wicked Kitchen uses lions mane mushrooms, which benefits from the mushrooms natural umami flavors that the other veggies don't have in such abundance.
Spicy cumin mushroom skewers
Most lions mane mushroom recipes suggest sauteeing, searing, or roasting the mushrooms, letting the water evaporate so the mushrooms can caramelize. However, there's another option: simmer them in water then squeeze dry.
These spicy cumin skewers use that approach, which you can follow along with this recipe from Woon Heng. It's inspired by cumin lamb skewers.
Tacos
Take advantage of the unique texture of lions manes mushrooms since they shred like string cheese, even in raw form. That makes them perfect for tacos - they are tender but the edges crisp up like really good taco meat.
- Lion's mane fajitas from Cinnamon Snail (pictured above)
- Lion's mane tacos (with options for other mushrooms) - by Healthy Simple Yum
More resources
If you're wondering what else is currently in season, check out my calendars to see what produce is in season each month (and coming up soon).
Mushroom Guy says
Loved this post — the explanation around the recipe is wonderful. I’ve been exploring how Lion’s Mane affects ADHD symptoms personally and write about it over on my blog too. Here - https://lionsmaneadhd.com/lions-mane-for-beginners-guide/
Appreciate your work, keep it coming!
– (lionsmaneadhd.com)