One of the hottest food trends is lion’s mane mushrooms. As an adaptogenic mushroom, they not only taste great but have some healthy benefits as well. They have become a popular supplement providing support for many health issues. One unique thing about lion’s mane mushrooms is the texture. They’re meaty, hearty and chewy making them a great stand alone feature in a dish and an excellent replacement for meat. Manu people think they have a seafood taste similar to crab.
What is the best way to eat lion’s mane mushrooms?
Some of the more popular ways to eat these mushrooms include:
- Using as a sandwich garnish or as the main ingredient for a meatless sandwich.
- Swap out regular button mushrooms in stir fries.
- Make them the side dish to any chicken, fish, pork or steak dinner.
Recipe # 1
Sautéed Lion’s Mane Mushroom
Ingredients:
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 medium shallot (sliced into rings)
- 8 oz lion’s mane mushroom ( cleaned and sliced into steaks 1/2-inch thick)
- 1/2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tsp wild chives
Directions:
- Melt 2 tsp of butter in a heavy-based saucepan on medium heat. Add the sliced shallot and sauté until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the sliced lion’s mane and sauté about 4 minutes per side. Then stir, add butter and sauté for additional 2 minutes, for a total of 10 minutes.
- Add lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Toss with wild chives.
- Serve on toast, as a hearty sandwich, with rice, or as a side dish.
Recipe # 2
Lion’s Mane Mushroom Mac and Cheese
Ingredients 
- 1 pound shell pasta
- 7 Tbsp butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- About 10 ounces lion’s mane, pulled apart like shredded chicken
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ⅔ cup whole milk
- 1 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 cup grated mozzarella
- ½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
Directions:
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in just enough salt to make the water as salty as the ocean, and then add the pasta. Stir, return the water to a boil, and cook the pasta, uncovered, until al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta and transfer it back to the pot, tossing it with 1 Tbsp of the butter to keep it from sticking. Cover and set aside.
- Melt 2 Tbsp of the butter in a medium sauté pan over medium-height heat. Once melted, lower the heat to medium and add the minced garlic and lion’s mane mushrooms, sautéing until the mushrooms are browned, 3-5 minutes. Season with 1/2 tsp of salt. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
- In a small pot, melt the remaining 4 Tbsp of butter over medium-high.
- Once melted, lower the heat to medium and add the flour, whisking until smooth and continuing to whisk occasionally for two minutes until you smell a nutty aroma.
- Slowly add the milk, whisking continually as you pour until the milk is incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
- Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the cheese and use a wooden spoon to stir until the cheese sauce is melted and smooth. The Parmesan will make the sauce salty but taste a bit (blowing first!) to see if it needs more. Season with the remaining salt.
- Pour the sauce over the pasta and mix thoroughly. Stir in the lion’s mane mushrooms, distributing evenly.
- Serve warm, garnished with parsley if desired.
- Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of milk.
One added note. Lion’s mane mushrooms do not and cannot get you high as they do not contain psilocybin, the psychotropic compound in “magic mushrooms” that causes hallucination. But they do taste great!
