Sautéed Morel Mushrooms Recipe (2024)

Why It Works

Sautéing in oil over high heat, instead of butter, allows mushrooms to brown without the risk of burning.
A generous pat of butter added toward the end of cooking helps emulsify the stock or water into a rich, creamy sauce.
Soy sauce adds umami depth, while lemon juice brightens the dish up.

Mushrooms, for the most part, make me think of autumn. Except the morel. Likeasparagus,peas,ramps, and fiddleheads, morels are a harbinger of spring, and a welcome earthy counterpoint to the fresh, grassy flavors of those other vernal ingredients. Morels are also easy to prepare and cook, as long as you know a few key pieces of information.

Choosing and Cleaning Morels

As you'll find with a lot of mushrooms, the biggest risk with morels is that they soften and rot. Seek out morels that are fresh, firm, and dry—avoid ones that are either desiccated and shriveled or soft, wet, and spongy.

Large morels are more prone to sponginess, since they're often older and already starting to break down. Smaller morels, as you can see in the photo above, are generally a safer bet, though if you do find beautiful big ones, by all means, grab 'em.

Be sure to check your morels for critters like worms, which often set up residence in the little frilly nooks in the mushrooms' caps—the silky threads they excrete may look like white mold, but it's actually a sign you have some unwanted dinner guests. Morels are wild mushrooms, so it's common to find bugs on or in them. There's no reason to avoid morels with worms (though heavily infested mushrooms might be more trouble than they're worth), as long as you take the time to pick those little visitors out.

You should also inspect the morels for dirt and debris, cleaning them off with a dry pastry brush.

Trimming Morels for Cooking

Start by slicing off the tough/dirty end portion of each stem.

Then slice the morels in half lengthwise. You'll notice that they're hollow inside. I usually leave them halved, though you're free to quarter them lengthwise, or divide them even more if they're particularly large.

Cooking Morels

To cook morels, start by searing them in oil over high heat to brown them, just as you would other mushrooms.

The morels will soften and brown. Some recipes have you cook morels from start to finish in butter, but we find that the butter will burn before the morels are sufficiently browned. It's better to brown the mushrooms first, saving the butter for the end.

Then add minced onion,shallots, and/or garlic, lowering the heat to prevent scorching. (If you add these before browning the mushrooms, you risk burning them as the mushrooms sear.)

Add a very generous pat of butter, which will melt and soak into all the little crevices in the morel caps.

I like to add a splash of soy sauce, which pumps up the umami depth, along with some lemon juice, to brighten the whole thing up. A littlestockor water helps emulsify the butter into a creamy, mushroom-y sauce that's just thick enough to both coatandsoak into the morels.

Some green herbs right at the end, like parsley, chervil, or minced chives, add a hit of freshness, and, of course, seasoning with salt and pepper is important. Just make sure to go easy on the salt and taste as you go if you've used soy sauce—it's already brought some saltiness to the mix.

Let's end it there, before I give in to the temptation to make a "morel of the story" joke.

May 2015

Recipe Details

Sautéed Morel Mushrooms

Cook10 mins

Active10 mins

Total10 mins

Serves4to 6 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon (15ml) vegetable or canola oil
8 ounces (225g) morel mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and split in half lengthwise
1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1 medium clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon; optional)
2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon (5ml) soy sauce
1 teaspoon (5ml) fresh juice from 1 lemon
1/4 cup (60ml)homemadeor store-bought low-sodium chicken stock, or water
1 tablespoon minced fresh herbs, such as chives, chervil, or parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Heat oil in a large cast iron or stainless steel skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring and tossing occasionally, until well browned, about 4 minutes total.
Reduce heat to medium-high and add shallot and garlic (if using). Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Add butter, soy sauce, lemon juice, and chicken stock or water and cook, swirling pan, until liquid reduces and morels are coated in a creamy sauce, about 1 minute. Stir in herbs, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

Special Equipment

Large cast iron or stainless steel skillet

Morel Mushroom
Spring Sides
Vegetarian Sides
Stovetop Vegetables
Vegetable Sides

FAQs

How do you know when morels are done? ›

Coat mushroom slices in egg first, then in the pretzel crumbs. From there, pan fry or deep fry morel mushrooms in hot oil (about 325–350 degrees) until done. Mushrooms are done once the coating is a nice golden brown, which should take about 5-10 minutes.

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Do you cook the stems of morel mushrooms? ›

It is best to cut the morel with a knife an inch or less of the stem. The stem is totally edible and delicious, it is simply not industry standard to have a very long stem and the longer you go the more likely it will be dirty, sandy, gritty. If you pluck, your mushroom will be dirty and frayed.

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How long should morel mushrooms be cooked? ›

For the best results, cook small batches (only in a single layer) in a dry skillet for five minutes, and turn them a few times until they're golden brown and tender. Remove one batch, then replace with the next until you have all the morels tender. Season as desired.

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Do you have to dry morel mushrooms before cooking? ›

The salt water soak should last for about five minutes, but feel free to add a few more minutes to the soaking time if the mushrooms are really dirty. "This helps to get rid of tiny bugs that are usually on morel mushrooms. They are harmless," he shares. Then, dry the mushrooms off and start cooking.

Should you refrigerate morels after picking? ›

Fresh morels will smell slightly funky and "woodsy." If foraging, simply pluck the mushrooms from the ground by pinching at the base of the stem and twisting gently. They should come right out of the earth. Store your morels loose, in the refrigerator, in a container with plenty of ventilation.

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How long to soak morels before eating? ›

Soak the Morels in the hot salt water for about 4 minutes. Everyone will tell you that you need to soak them overnight, but don't believe them. This step is intended to kill and remove the bugs from the mushrooms. There are no forest bugs that can survive under hot salt water for 4 minutes.

Can you drink after eating morels? ›

Are morels poisonous with alcohol? Most people can safely eat properly cooked morels with alcohol without adverse reactions. Nearly all morel poisonings are related to personal sensitivities, or eating raw/undercooked morels.

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Should I soak morels in salt water? ›

If the stem isn't hollow, the mushroom you're holding is not a morel and you should discard it. Next, quickly soak the morels in a bath of lightly salted water. One tablespoon per quart of water is plenty. Any more salt than that, and you'll risk altering the taste of the mushrooms.

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How do you prepare morels for cooking? ›

The first thing you want to do to prep morel mushrooms is to trim any dry or rubbery bits off of them. After that, use a brush or paper towel to remove any dirt from the morels. If they are covered in a lot of dirt, you can dunk them in cool water and agitate them. Gently pat them dry afterward!

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Do you leave the stems on morels? ›

Hunting for morels

When harvesting wild mushrooms, it is recommended that you pinch or cut the stem just above the soil to leave the base of the mushroom in the soil. Use an onion bag to collect the mushrooms. Prepare for a walk in the woods by wearing proper clothes and boots.

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How long will morel mushrooms last in the refrigerator? ›

Resist the urge to hoard your morels; they are best eaten within four days of picking them. 4. Keep them fresh in a brown bag or a bowl with a damp paper towel over them in the fridge—if you don't use them in five days, they're history.

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Can you eat raw morel mushrooms? ›

"Morels should be cooked thoroughly before consumption because cooking is likely to reduce toxin levels present in the mushrooms," the report's authors said. After addressing its health code violations, the Bozeman restaurant reopened last May, although it "elected to stop serving morels."

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Are dried morels as good as fresh? ›

Regardless of how you decide to consume, dried morels can taste pretty darn close to fresh ones after frying. If you are cooking something like venison stew, soup, or Bolognese or anything that requires simmering for a while, don't worry about a pre-cook soak. They will rehydrate in the cooking liquid.

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How big should morels be when you pick them? ›

The morels are ready when they are ready. There is no magical "size" that means they are ready to be picked. Since they die and dry up at their full size, you should probably pick the ones you find when you find them -- even if they are on the smallish size.

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Can you eat early morels? ›

True morels are normally edible but if a large amount is eaten, or they are undercooked or eaten raw or eaten with alcoholic beverages, one may become ill. One can become sensitized to the mushroom over time; you might have eaten them without problems in the past, but now they make you ill.

Do morels grow back in the same spot? ›

If you're lucky enough to find morels, remember your location. They'll often come back in the same spot next year, though again, no guarantee here!

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