Maitake Mushroom

The intensely flavored soffrito is the foundation of this rich pasta; double the ingredients and freeze half for next time.

Selling skeptics on the idea of a vegetarian dinner is easy when it's in pie form. Maitake mushrooms add heft.

The buckwheat in soba is nutritious and a good source of fiber (and it's flavorful, too).

Chef Richard Landau entices carnivores at his vegan spot by making a statement with dramatic, crispy mushrooms. Find maitakes at specialty and farmers' markets.

This is not your basic antipasti. Serving a beautiful platter of wood-roasted seasonal vegetables, cured meats, hand-crafted cheeses, home-cured olives, and smoke-kissed crusty bread to family and friends as a prelude to dinner is an artful way to honor guests. This is just what chef Chris Bianco does at his restaurant, Pizzeria Bianco, in Phoenix, Arizona. Chris’s wood-fired pizzas are now legendary, but his wood-roasted antipasti platter sings. I hope you will enjoy my version, and create many versions of your own.

Hen of the woods, also known as maitake, are my favorite mushroom. They’re as meaty and rich as steak and they make a great side dish. You can also try this technique with oyster mushrooms in clusters or even shiitakes, both of which will cook more quickly. The seasonings couldn’t be simpler, but the unusual combination of sesame, parsley, and lime is utterly delicious.

Start this recipe the night before serving so that the mushrooms can marinate overnight. Widely known as “hens of the woods” because of their richness and dense texture, maitakes can look intimidating, like a strange piece of brown coral. But they’re delicious, meaty, and easy to work with. If you’ve never tried maitakes, I encourage you to experiment with them. Portobellos, shiitakes, or any mushroom big enough to grill may also be used.

Any variety of mushroom will love this glossy, tangy sauce.

Giving mushrooms the au poivre treatment transforms the humble shrooms into a showstopping main fit for the fanciest of bistros.

Cozy, rich but not heavy, and it doesn’t require a box of broth. Is this your dream soup?

Inspired by irresistible pollo a la brasa (Peruvian rotisserie chicken), this dish uses spiced mushrooms as a vegetarian swap—an ideal topping for herby rice.

Umami lovers rejoice. This savory vegetarian mushroom galette recipe features mushrooms two ways: in a rich duxelles-style spread and scattered over the top.

Make this your go-to portable meal this summer. The meaty-without-meat sandwich is great enjoyed right away or after its flavors have had a chance to develop.

Our (semi-homemade, vegetarian) homage to California Pizza Kitchen's best pie.

No broth? No problem. Miso creates a nearly-instant stock that brings richness and flavor to this creamy risotto.

This weeknight-friendly recipe for vegetarian mushroom ragù turns out a rich tomatoey sauce that tastes like it simmered for hours.

Oyster and maitake mushrooms are a textural delight, taking on the texture of braised, shredded meat when cooked.

Briny, puckery, and buttery, piccata is too delicious to reserve for chicken.

This vegan cacio e pepe is everything we know and love about cheesy pasta (minus the cheese!): delicious, a little fancy, and deceptively simple to make.

If you love instant Japanese curry from a box, a bowl of this soul-warming homemade version packed with seared mushrooms and sweet winter squash will deliver instant nostalgia.