Can You Freeze Mushrooms?  Here’s How You Should Do It.

Whether you find a great deal or just buy too many fresh mushrooms at the store, you can freeze mushrooms to use for later. It’s a great way to extend their shelf life and still enjoy their umami flavor for weeks to come.

Later you can tuck them into Brie and Bacon Panini, stir them into Mushroom and Onion Gravy or fold them into Creamy Mushroom Pilaf. There’s no end to the goodness you can cook up when you’ve got extra mushrooms in the freezer.

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If you’re a mushroom lover then you know how delicious they are – stuffed, sauteed or tossed on a pizza, the best mushrooms bring flavor, fiber, and a handful of vitamins to the party. Their earthy flavor brings yumminess to a variety of dishes. 

And thankfully, they’re very freezer-friendly, allowing you to stock up when you find a sale and store mushrooms for weeks to come.

You can freeze raw mushrooms or if you’ve sautéed mushrooms for a recipe, you can freeze those, too. Either way, you’ll save a great amount of time having them washed and prepped for later use.

Why Do This

It helps you avoid food waste. If you’ll use it eventually but can’t just right now, freezing mushrooms to use later is the best way to buy yourself some time. No wants to open the fridge and find baby Bella or button mushrooms with dark spots, an unpleasant odor, and a slimy texture. There’s a better way!

It will save you money. Wasting food is akin to wasting money. The bigger the package of mushrooms you buy, the lower the unit price (typically). Freeze the leftover mushrooms and pay less all the way around.

It can be more convenient. Frozen chopped or sliced, uncooked or cooked mushrooms are often more convenient than fresh ones as they are ready for your favorite mushroom recipes.

Ingredients

mushrooms – All you need are mushrooms! This method works best with button or brown mushrooms, typically the more affordable mushrooms you can buy.

You can freeze different types of mushrooms, just be sure to experiment with small amounts first. There will be some texture changes after freezing, so confirm that this method works for you and the wild mushrooms you might want to enjoy. Some people prefer to dehydrate or dry mushrooms for longer storage.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s how you can freeze mushrooms easily:

You’ll want to wash them first. Rinse them under cool water and wipe off any visible dirt with a paper towel. Trim the ends of the stems and discard stems that have gone woody or mushy.

There are several ways you can freeze mushrooms: uncooked or cooked. 

Freezing uncooked mushrooms is a good option when you want some flexibility in how you use them later. Maybe you’re not sure what recipes you want them for. They’ll have better texture in your recipe if you freeze before cooking mushrooms.

To freeze uncooked sliced mushrooms

Slice the washed mushrooms thinly and place them in a single layer on a lined tray or cookie sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer. Freeze until firm and then transfer the mushrooms to a ziptop freezer bag or plastic container with a lid. Immediately store in the freezer. Be sure to label the package with the date so you know how soon to use them up.

If you don’t want to go through the process to open freeze or “flash freeze” the mushrooms, you can immediately package them up. But, the best option is to package them in small portions as you’ll have to thaw the entire package to use them. 

To freeze uncooked chopped mushrooms

If you use a lot of chopped mushrooms in your recipes, it can be super handy to have them chopped in smaller pieces and ready to go in your recipes.

After rinsing in cold water, dry the mushrooms well, and chop them. Measure them out to what you normally use in recipes and place in ziptop freezer bags. 

If you’re not sure what quantities you’ll use, you can lay them out on a lined tray like the sliced mushrooms and freeze. Once frozen, transfer them to a ziptop freezer-safe bags or airtight container.

To freeze whole mushrooms

You can freeze whole uncooked mushrooms, but know that they will be hard to slice after thawing. For best results, freeze whole mushrooms only if you intend to serve them whole after thawing and cooking. This is best done with smaller mushrooms.

You can save even more time if you freeze mushrooms already cooked. Then all you need to do is thaw and reheat. To avoid freezer burn, be sure to chill sautéed mushrooms or other mushrooms that you cook prior to placing them in the freezer.

To freeze cooked mushrooms

Cook the mushrooms according to your favorite recipe or simply saute them in a frying pan with olive oil or butter and perhaps a teaspoon lemon juice. Place them in airtight plastic containers and chill them completely. Label with the date and contents and store in the freezer.

To Use Frozen Mushrooms

When you’re ready to use the mushrooms, you can cook them from frozen. Pull out the bag and add to your recipe. 

You can thaw them prior to use, but due to their high moisture content, they will exude a lot of water and get soggy. If need be, you can blot the excess moisture on a paper towel before adding them 

Frozen mushrooms will be safe indefinitely if kept at below zero degrees, but after ten months, their quality will start to diminish. Since home freezers are not as consistent and reliable as commercial freezers, try to use your frozen mushrooms within a couple months. Use mushrooms in sautés, soups, sauces, and stir-fries.

FAQs

Great Mushroom Recipes

This post was originally published July 8, 2021. It has been updated for content and clarity.