Mushroom Salad

Easy warm mushroom salad recipe is a quick Italian recipe made with fresh ingredients. These marinated mushroom salad is made with simple ingredients, so they can be eaten anytime.

Do you like raw mushrooms?

Yeah, neither do I!!!

The original raw mushroom salad calls for using uncooked mushrooms, but I just couldn’t do that. My mushroom recipe is made using lightly cooked mushrooms and they are DELICIOUS!

Ingredients

Here is a quick look at a handful of ingredients. It is to understand why these specific ingredients were chosen. To get the full recipe, go to the bottom of this post.

Mushrooms – They are also classified as a superfood! Mushrooms are very good for your body because they are packed with so much nutrition. See below for all it’s amazing nutritional benefits.

Capers – There is a reason why Mediterranean diet recipes use capers. They are rich in antioxidants, fiber, and iron. They have Vitamins that help the heart and brain. Source: MedicalNewsToday.com and SFGate.com.

Garlic – Garlic has unbelievable benefits. They are good for the gut, skin, brain, veins and the heart. Eating garlic every day can be extremely beneficial. Source: ClevelandClinic.org, EverydayHealth.com, and WellAndGood.com.

Pink Salt – It’s the less refined salt and therefore, much better for the body. It also has 84 trace minerals. I use only a pinch of salt in this recipe.

Lime Juice – Lime juice is a great source of Vitamin C and it also helps the absorption of iron. I only recommend fresh lime juice because the store-bought lime juice is pasteurized. The heating process kills its Vitamin C benefits. Source: USCitrus.com, Greatist.com, and Dietician.com. Can sub with lemon juice.

Red Pepper Flakes – If you prefer, you can use freshly ground black pepper instead. The spice in pepper is very good for the gut and can also make digestion easier.

Avocado oil – It’s one of the best cooking oils out there. It has a high smoke point. This means that it won’t lose its nutritional properties during the cooking process unless you go above 520°F. The good fats in it help absorb proteins in the recipe. Source: BonAppetit.com.

Basil – Fresh basil has antimicrobial, analgesic, and antioxidant properties. It’s also great for protecting the liver. Source: DrAxe.com.

🍅 Nutritional Tip: Add nutritional yeast to the mushrooms and it will add more B Vitamins to the salad.

Instructions

Step 1: Make the mushroom marinade

Ideally, you want to make this marinade about 30 minutes before adding to the mushrooms.

1. In a small bowl, add the avocado oil, capers, grated garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon salt, lime juice, and red pepper flakes.
2. Chop the basil chiffonade style and add it to the bowl.
3. Mix well and set aside. You can use a food processor, but I prefer it hand-chopped. Ideally, you want to make this marinade about 30 minutes before adding to the mushrooms.

🍄 Mushroom Tip: Washing mushrooms thoroughly is just part of the process. For best results, dry them thoroughly because it will release the water during the cooking process.

Step 2: How to make an easy mushroom Salad

1. Make sure the mushrooms are washed and thoroughly dried. Do this the night before. Next day, remove the mushroom stem and cut the mushrooms into 4 pieces.
2. Use a wok or large skillet to cook the mushrooms. Make sure they are in a single layer in the wok. Heat it for 30 seconds and then add the avocado oil.
3. Heat on low for 20 seconds and then add the chopped mushrooms. The heat should always be low, never medium heat.
4. Saute them for 5-7 minutes. Your cook time will depend on your wok. These mushrooms are best when undercooked since they are going to be marinated.
5. Transfer mushrooms to a large bowl to cool down. If there is any liquid in the wok, discard it first.
6. After the mushrooms have cooled down, add the mushroom marinade and mix well. Bon appetit! They are ready to serve. Optional: top with sesame seed.

👩‍🍳 Cookware Tip: For this simple recipe, use a wok instead of a pan because woks will heat faster and cook ingredients quickly.

Benefits of Mushrooms

• Decrease your risk of getting cancer
• Support your immune system
• Good source of selenium, copper, zinc, and potassium.
• Your digestive system benefits greatly from mushrooms
• One of the best sources of Vitamin B6
• Pantothenic acid in mushrooms helps the skin

Source: UCLAHealth.org, MushroomCouncil.com, and FoodRevolution.org.

Answering Common Questions

👩‍🍳 Substitution tip: Any fresh herbs can be used in the marinade, not just basil. One or more combinations of Rosemary, thyme, oregano, and dill will be great in this recipe.

Making ahead and storing them

I prefer using these marinated mushrooms as soon as they are ready. But, the good news is that you can make them ahead of time too.

• Make them as described and then transfer to an airtight container like (Affiliate Link) this glass container with a lid.
• Then, refrigerate them immediately. This will retain their freshness and flavors.
• Use up these mushrooms within 2-4 days because cooked mushrooms do tend to go bad.
• To use, you don’t need to reheat them because they are marinated. This salad will taste delicious warm or cold.

How to use these mushrooms

They taste great just by themselves. That’s why I love them.

But, put them into any recipe and they will make that meal taste even better. Put them into arugula salad, kale salad, pasta, grilled cheese sandwiches, and quinoa soup. They also taste really good in a creamy mushroom risotto.

I served them as a holiday side dish in 2023 and it was a huge hit. They tasted great with pickled red onions.

Pair these mushrooms with a complete protein and it will help in nutrition absorption. Or, put them in a green salad, like a bed of arugula, to add more nutritional value to it.

The beauty of mushrooms is that they can be cooked a million ways. I like to stuff them, grill them and even make these easy mushroom pizza bites for a light lunch.

How do you like to eat your mushrooms?

Try these mushroom recipes

• Air fryer vegetables with miso
• Butternut squash risotto
• Roasted green beans and mushrooms
• Mushroom bruschetta

If you are a salad lover, I have a whole salad category devoted to the best salads like tomato salad, cucumber salad, and watermelon salad.

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