Magic Mushroom Powder – Umami In A Jar!
According to Michelle Tam of Nom Nom Paleo, “if fish sauce is liquid umami in a bottle, this is powdered umami in a jar, and an indispensable tool in your kitchen arsenal.”
Well, let me tell you… she’s ABSOLUTELY right!
While I haven’t exactly tasted Michelle’s original spice mix, I can tell you one thing: I will NEVER be without this magical condiment EVER again. Now that I got to try this, I just have to sprinkle it on everything!
EVERYTHING! It now pretty much replaces my habitual salt and pepper…
Unfortunately, I couldn’t get my hands on the dried porcini that Michelle’s recipe calls for, as they didn’t have any at my favorite local Asian market. I went for the next best thing, in my humble opinion: shiitake!
They might not be quite AS pungent as the porcinis, but they still pack quite a healthy dose of flavor, so I thought they would make a more than suitable replacement. And indeed, I believe they did!
Likewise, I didn’t have any dried thyme on hand, so I used oregano instead. Truth is, I don’t care for dried thyme all that much anyway. I think it’s been forced down my throat in too strong doses and a little bit too often in the past, so I now tend to pass on it as much as I can.
Again, I think oregano was a very acceptable substitution.
While Michelle’s original recipe has you powder the mushrooms alone and mix them with the rest of the spices afterwards, I elected to add all of my ingredients directly into the bowl of my trusty food processor and turn everything into a fine powder.
After a couple of minutes of stop and go grinding / pulsing / processing action, a fine powder is exactly what I got!
So fine indeed that this powder will be trying to escape through any crack it can find, so make sure you don’t leave the chimney of your food processor uncovered.
Can you appreciate the fumes that are escaping through the chimney on the picture above? And that was quite a few seconds after the motor had stopped running. Just make sure you leave that pusher in place or cover that hole with your hand, else you might find yourself sneezing uncontrollably for a good half hour or so…
Just check out all the “dust” that accumulated on the cover! Yep… this is pretty volatile stuff!
Transfer your Magic Mushroom Powder right into an airtight glass jar. This will keep in the cupboards for several months, but I bet you’ll never be able to keep it for that long.
You’ll want to sprinkle this over your panfried eggs, toss some in your scrambled, dust some over your avocados, put some in your favorite salad, include it your favorite meat recipes…
I’m telling you, you’re going to want to use this EVERYWHERE, and ALL THE TIME!
Heck, I came this close to putting some in my last batch of muffins.
Now I really need to work on finding some dried porcini locally so I can try the real thing. And if I can’t get my hands on ’em, I’ll have to get some online. Judging on how incredibly tasty this is with shiitake, I can’t even start to imagine how intoxicating it will be when made using porcini.
I think I’m drooling already…
Magic Mushroom Powder
Ingredients
- 1.5 ounces dried shiitake mushrooms
- 2/3 cup himalayan salt
- 1 tablespoon chili pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a clean spice grinder or food processor and pulse/process until they’re ground into a fine powder.
- Store in an airtight container, where it will keep for several months.
Notes
Nutrition
If you’ve tried this recipe, please take a minute to rate the recipe and let me know how things went for you in the comments below. It’s always such a pleasure to hear from you!
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76 Comments on “Magic Mushroom Powder – Umami In A Jar!”
Your photography is gorgeous! May I ask what program you are using to insert the text?
Thank you Vanessa! I use photoshop to add text.
Is this magic mushroom powder going to send me on a mushroom trip? Like that it’s going to open my mind and expend my perceptions? 😉
Kidding!
I agree with you (and Michelle) mushroom powder is an indispensable tool in your kitchen arsenal. It can turn MEH food into YEAH food!
HAHAHA! So you too are a regular magic mushroom powder consumer, Mike? It does make everything so much YEAH-ER, doesn’t it?
This sounds amazing, and like something that I would use every day! I bet I could even get it into a few recipes without my husband noticing (he has a deep fear & resentment of mushrooms).
Off to my asian supermarket to get some good dried mushrooms STAT!
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Hi Sonia!
This sounds great but for measurements, how much would you use in a recipe, that says……… maybe 1/2 cup of mushrooms?
Thanks
Charlie
It was probably more like a full cup, Charlie…
Oh Sonia! Those shrooms look so goooood! (I feel like a hippie saying that lol)
But seriously. I have been eyeing that recipe of Nom Noms for awhile and I am firmly convince that I MUST make it. Tonight.
I see no reason to not sprinkle this on some muffins.. sprinkle away, girl, sprinkle away..
LOL! Not sure the shroom/buttered pecan combo would work all that great. I think I’ll hold off on this one…
Then again, I could be surprised. Hmmm… I have one muffin left. I wonder if perhaps… maybe I *should* try it after all. 😉
And YES! You really MUST make this. The sooner the better! 😀
Could you provide a few examples of dishes where you could use this ground powder?
I see where I can use it in various soups…..
Anywhere you use salt and pepper, you can use this! Simple as that!
Oh, wow! I will definitely make this! I’m fortunate to be able to get dried porcinis so I’ll use them. Thanks so much for this great tip! Pinned!
Thank goodness, I already found a way on how am I going to get rid of my shuttakis at home. And It’s pretty great to see that it can actually be made as a flavor enhancer. I wonder how my dish is going to taste? Oh well, how would I know if I don’t give it a try. Thanks for sharing this!
Sonia, this sounds so intriguing! I love dried mushrooms, and would be happy to incorporate in my meals on a more frequent basis. This method saves the soaking part (which often takes around an hour for shitake mushrooms). The thing I am wondering about is the part where I have always been told to filter the soaking liquid before use. Would this mean that possible sand and dirt could end up in the ground mixture? Or would you say it is not noticeable due to the kitchen machine work?
On another topic, what is your thought on the origin of the dried shitake mushrooms? I have come across a few articles that described large amounts of toxins and lead on those coming from China.
Thanks a lot for your always inspiring ideas 🙂
To be honest, Eline, if there were sand and or dirt on the mushrooms, it sure would get pulverized in the food processor! I didn’t have an issue so far… As for the origin of the mushrooms, I’ve never heard of these things you mentioned… maybe I oughta research that a bit!
I was wondering if 2/3 cup is way to much salt, for no more than a little over a 1/4 cup mushrooms.
Not really, Pat, seeing as how this is basically a flavored salt…
Just wondering how spicy this is? Have young kids that may find it too spicy. Is it best to omit of just a pinch?
It’s not spicy at all, but feel free to add less pepper flakes or omit if you prefer…
I love this too. I made it a couple of weeks ago and now use it on everything. Especially good on chicken wings and BBQ whole chicken. I can’t have nightshade vegetables, so I omitted the red pepper and added onion and garlic powder. Umami!
I know what you mean about not liking certain herbs. While I love thyme, I have an aversion to dill and tarragon. I’m not really sure why I don’t like tarragon, I think it is the smell, as I actually don’t mind the taste. Mentally though, I find myself avoiding any recipe that contains it.
Dill is a different story, I used to work in restaurants during the dill era (there was a time that almost everything contained or featured dill) and I had to make those recipes every day. Subconsciously, I grew to really dislike dill. Now that I have a blog of my own, I think it is time to get over it. Thanks Sonia.
Can regular or kosher salt be used instead?
Absolutely!
I found both dried shiitake and porcini at my local grocery store (Kroger) in the produce dept! Melissa’s brand. Going to make a batch this weekend and start trying it in everything! My husband and I are interested to see how it will taste on pot roast and homemade cream of tomato soup.
Make sure you let me know how you like it! 🙂
I lost your email address! Wanted you to know I’m making pot roast in crockpot. I used 2# chuck roast, can of condensed tomato soup, 2 Tbs soy sauce, 2 tsp Magic Mushroom powder, 1 cup mirepoix, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp thyme. I will let you know how it comes out later and try to include photo if you can resend me an email!
Sounds divine, Sandy! Would love to see a photo. You can find my email on my contact page.
I have only just bought a food processor so I am unsure of it’s capabilities. I made the mushroom powder tonight and it seemed to take a very long time to make. I don’t know where I went wrong? I used whole dried shiitake mushrooms, should I have used sliced? Should I leave the food processor going until all the ingredients are a fine powder? When I started the process all the mushrooms stayed at the top of the mixture and I only seemed to make progress by pouring everything in a sieve, letting the powder go through, then putting the big bits back in the processor and blitzing again. I just kept repeating this process. Do you think I was too impatient and just need to let the processor do it’s thing? Sorry if my questions or comments seem stupid but as I said it’s my first time using a food processor. Thanks for any help offered or suggested.
Yikes! This really shouldn’t be so complicated to make, Amanda. What kind of food processor did you buy, if I may ask?
Hi Sonia,
I have a Magimix 3200XL. I started in the main bowl then went to the mini bowl. Though I realised after looking at your pictures that I made the mistake of using unground Himalayan rock salt. Feel free to roll your eyes at my stupidity.
Not sure that it should’ve made that much of a difference, Amanda… and it looks like your food processor is plenty powerful… really, I don’t know what to say, I am stumped. Perhaps you just didn’t let it run long enough, like you said. Maybe next time start with the mushrooms alone, process until they turn into a fine powder, then add the rest of the ingredients and use fine salt instead of coarse. Hopefully it’ll yield better results!
this sounds amazing! Have you used with Maitake mushrooms….sounds like a wonderful kick it up a notch go to for the BBQ!
Thank you
Sounds lovely! I’ll have to keep them in mind! 🙂
Ohhh I can’t wait to try this! Wonder if I can dehydrate the mushrooms myself? I’ve done it with plain button mushrooms…and because I couldn’t be sure the dehydrator removed allll the water…threw the slices in the freezer. I was surprised at how well the texture held up..not mushy at all! A bit chewy, I suppose…compared to fresh. Seems I can never get them used up before they turn yucky, and was pleasantly surprised at the results! Now, if I can just convince myself they’re truly dry enough to leave in the cupboard..lol. Thanks for all your hard work, and sharing these WONDERFUL ideas! 🙂
Oooof. I’m not sure I would go through the trouble of dehydrating mushrooms myself, Kate, especially since fresh mushrooms tend to cost more than dehydrated… and I love mushrooms so much, I never have an issue with them going bad on me. 😉
Besides, I’m not sure that button mushrooms would be pungent enough for this condiment…
Thank you for your kind words, Kate. I greatly appreciate them!
I love this mushroom powder. I threw away my chicken powder and mainly use this mushroom powder for my soups and it is so flavorful. Thanks for this great recipe
Thanks for such a great recipe! I actually used the original ‘shrooms (porchini) and Thyme. I’m so excited to try it on my burgers and eggs! Oh, and your right, the dust is deadly! I sneezed my head off! (okay, not really, but you know what I mean 😉 )
Hahaha! I know exactly what you mean! That dust can be pretty brutal! 🙂
Yes Yes Yes! for shiitake mushroom powder!!
I am rural and found fresh shiitake mushrooms and dried them myself, no dried ones to be found anywhere, lol and didn’t want to wait to order some. So I measured what I thought wa 1 1/2 oz dried and it made at least a whole cup of powder, is this too much mushroom powder for the recipe, thinking my scale was wrong… do you have any idea how much mushroom powder this recipe would call for? thanks! I had purchased a mushroom spice mix and have totally loved it but couldn’t get any more so this made me so excited to find!
You’re supposed to measure 1-1/2 oz of dried whole mushrooms, Tammy. Did you weigh it in a powder form?
thanks for the reply, I measured 1.5 oz of sliced dried mushrooms, and that made about 1 cup when powdered, just wondered how much powder your batch made? I also have some already powdered porcini mushrooms so was trying to figure out how to measure that for this recipe. thanks
I would say I get around a cup and a half of the finished product, Tammy.
As for the mushroom powder you already have, weighing it is the way to go. You’ll still need 50g or 1-1/2 ounce.
oh thanks for the reply, and now I feel totally stupid, lol of course the WEIGHT would be the same hahaha, thanks for pointing that out so nicely. 🙂
total brain fog there.
Hey, don’t be so hard on yourself! You got me thinking, too! 😉
Hi there – what an awesome way to add extra flavors to your cooking. If you’re pressed on time and can’t make it the powder yourself, try Takii Umami Powder. It’s made from shiitake mushrooms, and will make your dish extra delicious.
I tried that but the sodium in it is horrendous for my husband who has to watch his blood pressure.
Looks like a great, tasty recipe.
Trouble is, it broke my mini food processor, which looks similar to the one in the photo above…
I’m really sorry to hear, Mark… the food processor in the photos however is not mini. It’s a powerful 12 cup KitchenAid food processor, very similar to the one I linked to in the post.
Hi Sonia, thanks for the recipe. May I know do you have to wash the mushrooms and dried them first before milling?
You must use dry mushrooms.
Just wanted to verify the 2/3 CUP of Himalayan Salt? Is it to be used in the place of regular salt in cooking? Thanks so much : )
That’s exactly right, Sandra!
Oh my gosh – how delicious is this? Have you tried any other mushrooms besides Shitake or Porcini?
No I haven’t… but now you got me wanting to! 😉
i saw this article yesterday and today i bought the mushrooms and made it……wow! wat an awesome idea. and im lucky i got some VERY cheap shittake mushrooms and now im gonna bulk up and make a whole mess of this powder that’ll last me for months. thanks
You are very welcome, cluclu. Enjoy! 🙂
I have been saving all the dried up criminology mushrooms from my fridge. Once dry I keep them in an open Mason jar in the cupboard. After what felt like ages I threw them in my magic bullet and they were down to a fine powder in seconds (cue the sneezing 🤧). Since I didn’t actually dehydrate them with a dehydrator, do you think there will be an issue? Going to try adding the spices for your recipe!! Thanks!
In regards to the concerns over the mushrooms being cleaned. You can soak the dried mushrooms and wash the dirt off and then place in an oven to dry out. Some people said you can also microwave them but I donot own a microwave. After they dry out more you can place them into the food processor and proceed to make it into a powder.
Woah. Himalayan salt. Good call. I can see why it’s so addictive. You can use 100% shitake powder as a base for a quick stock in vegetarian recipes. 2 TBS powder to 1 cup boiling water with 1 TSP White Miso — stand for 5-10 mins to rehydrate all the mushroom and stir before use. You can also use straight mushroom powder in any recipe that requires flavour enhancement, such as a stew or pie — especially if you are looking to reduce salt in your diet.
I love this! This proves that mushroom is another and indeed
a magical plant. Now something to spice up our dishes.
Amazing!
Somewhere in the comments it is mentioned that this is actually a flavoured salt. I didn’t really realize that was what this was so keep that in mind when deciding to make it.
Amazing! Thank you for sharing. I will surely try this because making them into powder gives them more versatility. We can bring them anywhere and add to almost anything we want to eat and drink. Longer shelf life too. Thank you for the wonderful idea.
I added the mushroom powder to my dumpling filling and it was awesome. Definitely brought out the umami!
Thanks for this recipe! It makes a great stock base for my homemade ramen cups!
I put thin rice noodles in a mason jar with some of this powder. In another smaller container I have peas and carrots (whatever cooked vegis I have on hand). At lunch time, I simply pour scalding hot water over the noodles, put the lid on and let it sit 15 minutes. Then I add the vegetables and some hot sauce. It’s a great easy hot lunch, and your mushroom powder makes a fantastic broth! I use very little salt however, to keep the sodium down. Thanks so much – this is a nice alternative to chicken bouillon.
Awesome idea! Thanks for sharing, Katherine! 🙂
Will this work with other types of mushrooms? I found a bunch of giant puffballs, dehydrated them and ended up with more than 6 pints of powder!Â
I really wouldn’t see why not, Betty!
Do you have to rinse the dried mushrooms first?
Just as a passer by, that is going to pin this recipe, magic mushrooms imply that there is Psilocybin in these mushrooms. If you dehydrated those they are just gross tasting even in powder form. To be honest I thought this was a recipe to cure them if I hadn’t continued reading. As a writer (you) if you don’t support psilocybin I would change the name.
I will try it and let you know how…, thanks a lot
This is the most incredible stuff I put it on everything it just kicks it up a notchÂ
One year ago in New York‘s I had it included in a potent hot cocoa drink.
There was even some on top of the milk foam.
I felled a sizzeling sensation, while drinking.
While I found your recipe right there that day in Williamsburg, I saved it and just today I made my very own and I am just having it with cocoa for breakfast.
Thank you!
The place in New York was called butcher’s and daughters in Williamsburg.
Hello. For your information raw Shiitake is toxic. You have to be careful with mushrooms.