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Korean Stir-Fried Mushrooms

Korean Stir-Fried Mushrooms

By Courtney HillDecember 16, 2021

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    25 minutes
  • Rating

On the Korean table, meals typically feature several banchan, or small plates. Garlicky, umami-rich stir-fried or sautéed mushrooms, called buh-sut bokkeum, are a common banchan. For our version, we like to mix mushroom varieties for textural and visual appeal, and we accentuate their meaty flavor with soy sauce plus both sesame oil and seeds. Fresh chili adds a little heat, while rice vinegar brightens the mushrooms’ earthiness. Korean chili flakes (gochugaru) or chili threads (silgochu) are a nice finishing touch for the mushrooms, or you could snip a few sheets of roasted seaweed snacks into thin strips for sprinkling on just before serving. But even without any garnish, the mushrooms are delicious and a great side to just about any type of seared, grilled or roasted meat or poultry. Or offer them in a small portion as a banchan as part of a Korean-inspired meal.

Tip

Don’t forget to remove the stems if using shiitake mushrooms. Unlike other mushroom varieties, shiitakes have tough, fibrous stems that don’t become tender with cooking.

Ingredients
  • 2

    tablespoons soy sauce

  • 3

    teaspoons sesame oil, divided

  • 2

    teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 3

    tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil, divided

  • 1

    pound mixed mushrooms, such as oyster, cremini, shiitake (stemmed) or maitake, sliced into ½-inch pieces

  • 3

    medium garlic cloves, minced

  • 1

    Fresno or serrano chili, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced

  • 2

    scallions, thinly sliced, whites and greens reserved separately

  • 2

    teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted

  • Korean chili flakes or chili threads (optional; see headnote)

Step 1

In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of the sesame oil, the vinegar, ¼ cup water and ½ teaspoon pepper; set aside.

Step 2

In a 12-inch skillet over high, heat 2 tablespoons of the neutral oil until barely smoking. Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid released by the mushrooms has evaporated and the mushrooms are well browned, 4 to 7 minutes.

Reduce to medium-high and add the remaining 1 tablespoon neutral oil followed by the garlic, chili and scallion whites; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the soy-sesame mixture and cook, stirring, until the pan is dry, 1 to 3 minutes.

Step 3

Off heat, stir in the sesame seeds and scallion greens. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish, then drizzle with the remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Sprinkle with the chili flakes (if using).

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