Enoki Mushroom Recipe: How to Cook Enoki Mushrooms

Botanically identified as Flammulina velutipes, wild enoki mushrooms have tiny caps that typically grow in clusters on trees in East Asian countries, including China, Japan, and Korea.

Cultivated enoki mushrooms, also known as enokitake or Golden Needle mushrooms, grow in carbon dioxide–rich environments where their stems can grow white, thin, and long. Whether wild or cultivated, enoki mushrooms are versatile and have a shelf life of one week if stored in a paper bag in the refrigerator.

Enoki mushrooms have a pleasantly chewy texture, with a mild, fruity flavor that is slightly earthy. Enokis stand out from other types of mushrooms for their texture: The long, thin strands are reminiscent of noodles.

Add this thin, noodle-like fungus to various hot and cold foods from Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese cuisines. Here are some ways to try enoki mushrooms:

1. 1. In a Japanese hot pot: Shabu-shabu is a Japanese nabemono (hot pot dish) consisting of vegetables served in dashi with a platter of paper-thin slices of beef that diners cook by swishing them in the water with their chopsticks. Add enoki mushrooms for earthiness—or combine them with other mushrooms (such as shiitake and oyster mushrooms) and skip the meat for a vegan alternative to classic shabu-shabu.
2. 2. On their own: Simmer enoki mushrooms in soy sauce and mirin—a sweet Japanese rice wine—to create an appetizer or side dish alongside grains, proteins, or steamed vegetables. You can also sauté the mushrooms with sesame oil and salt; they’ll soften after about a minute. Keep the marinated enoki mushrooms in the refrigerator and add them to cold sesame noodles or crisp green salads.
3. 3. Stir-fried: Stir-fry dishes featuring sautéed enoki mushrooms make for a quick, vegetable-forward weeknight dinner. Cook the mushrooms and other vegetables in a wok on high heat and garnish with sesame seeds for a nutty crunch. Learn more about how to stir-fry vegetables.
4. 4. With noodles: Enoki mushrooms infuse noodle dishes, from soba noodles to ramen bowls, with umami flavor. Or, even use these slender mushrooms as gluten-free mock “noodles.”