Substitute for Mushrooms

So what is the best mushroom substitute? This is a tricky one seeing that not much of anything has the same flavor and texture that you get from a mushroom.

I would say the closest that you can come to a mushroom is eggplant.

These substitutes will be great for button mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, wild, shitake, and any others that you love.

Best Substitutes For Mushrooms

I am not really sure why you would want to substitute mushrooms in any recipe. Mushrooms bring so much of their own flavor and texture that is not really possible to duplicate but we are going to try.

Nothing is really the same as that natural earthy flavor that you get from mushrooms. There really is not anything quite like them.

When mushrooms are cooked you can lose some of the flavors of specific species like white button mushrooms and baby-bella.

Because of this most likely you are going for texture and I am going to try to recommend with texture and not so much taste in mind.

I have seen some of the other posts in search and a lot of them do not make sense to me such as potatoes or sun-dried tomatoes. I am not sure if they were trying to fill out a blog post.

You should also check out my substitutes for creole mustard.

1. Eggplant

This has a very unique taste and when cooked it really brings out the flavor that is introduced to it. I think mushrooms do a lot of the same. Eggplant might be the best mushroom substitute.

It has a lot of the same texture as a mushroom, almost a squeaky feel when you touch it raw. You can not get the same look of mushrooms but I think cooked you will accomplish the texture.

Eggplants are a nightshade and can be bothersome to some people that have a sensitivity to lectins in their diet. Also, one thing to know is that it’s a fruit and not a vegetable.

They do say that they are a great source of vitamins and minerals and can also prevent cancer. Give them a try in your next recipe. I also cover how to cut an eggplant.

You might want to consider extracting some of the moisture out of the eggplant to get a similar texture.

2. Tofu

Talk about an entirely different side of the spectrum we look into tofu as a mushroom substitute. Tofu is bean curd by coagulating soy milk. It comes from the good old soybean. This is a favorite among vegans.

Again just like the eggplant, I think the play here is the texture. You can accomplish a lot of the same feel of the mushroom. You can also cut the same way as you would cut a mushroom.

With tofu, you are going to get a lot more protein than the mushroom and this could be a good thing if that’s what you’re looking for.

3. Chickpeas

Chickpeas are also known as garbanzo beans. When cooked, they become soft and creamy inside while maintaining a crispy skin outside. They don’t have much flavor of their own so the spices and other ingredients in the dish will flavor them.

The largest producer of chickpeas is India, where they are called “chana”. They are also grown extensively in Pakistan and China.

These legumes are great to act as a substitute for those of you who aren’t in the mood to cook with mushrooms.

They have a bit of crunch and a shredded texture reminiscent of mushroom, but if you use them as a direct substitution. Try using chickpeas instead of whole mushrooms