Freezing Mushrooms: A Simple Guide to Prep Ahead

Want to know how to freeze mushrooms like a pro? This guide walks you through simple steps for prepping and freezing mushrooms so you always have them on hand. Freezing sautéed mushrooms saves time and makes it easier to whip up tasty meals fast!

Reasons you might want to learn how to freeze mushrooms.

I’ve been cooking for many years, but until recently I never gave much thought to the benefits of freezing mushrooms. I’ve long loved cooking freezer meals, and I just decided to plan a cooking day and stock the freezer with meals.

After about 4 hours of work, I was pleased to end up with 25 freezer dinners for 2. Then, when I opened the fridge, I found a container of sliced mushrooms I’d forgotten to add to one of the recipes!

I didn’t want them to go to waste in the fridge, so I looked into how hard it would be to freeze them. I discovered it’s simple.

Here are some of the reasons you might want to freeze mushrooms:

• It saves meal prep time – Having sautéed mushrooms ready to go in the freezer makes it easy to toss them into a dish while you’re cooking.
• It keeps them from going to waste in the fridge – I always feel bad tossing produce I didn’t use in time, and that’s an extra challenge now that there are only 2 of us at home.
• It adds delicious flavor to dishes – Sautéing mushrooms before freezing gives recipes a rich, tasty flavor.

Step-by-step guide to freezing mushrooms

Although mushrooms can be frozen raw, it’s recommended to sauté them first. This keeps them from turning slimy or rubbery once thawed and used.

Here is the easy process for freezing sautéed mushrooms:

1. If your mushrooms are whole, clean them well, trim and discard the bottom of the stems, and slice them.
2. If you’d like to sauté onions with your mushrooms (as I did), dice one as well.
3. Heat a medium skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once it’s hot, add the onions and sauté them for about 2 minutes.
4. Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and leave them alone for about 4 minutes. Stir after 4 minutes, cover with a lid, and cook for about 4 more minutes. Mushrooms release a lot of liquid, so there should be a fair amount in the bottom of the pan by now. Remove the lid, stir again, and keep cooking until nearly all of the water has evaporated.
5. Spread the sautéed mushrooms on a paper towel–lined cooling rack set over a flat baking sheet. The rack lets air circulate underneath, so the mushrooms cool faster. Let them cool completely, then gently pat the tops with a paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible.
6. Transfer the cooled mushrooms to a parchment-lined pan and flash freeze them for about 2 hours.
7. Once frozen, break the mushrooms apart and place them in a resealable freezer bag, pressing out as much air as possible.
8. Frozen mushrooms will keep for up to 6 months.

How to use frozen mushrooms

It’s not recommended to thaw mushrooms before using them. They can go straight from the freezer into the pot. Here are some ideas:

• Soups, gravies, and pasta sauce – Toss them straight into the hot pan with the other ingredients and let them heat through. Remember, they’re already cooked!
• Pizza – Scatter the frozen sautéed mushrooms over the top as an extra flavorful topping, then bake as usual.
• Omelets – Add them to a hot pan with eggs for a tasty omelet or fancy scrambled eggs. They warm up fast in the heat.
• As an addition to burgers – Thaw just enough to chop them finely, then mix them into raw burger meat when making something like turkey burgers.

Other helpful kitchen how-to posts:

• How to ice cupcakes with a piping bag
• The best way to freeze cake (It makes frosting it so much easier!)
• How to freeze avocados (It’s so convenient and cuts down on waste!)
• How to sift flour without a sifter
• Tips for rolling out dough (like sugar cookie dough, bread dough, or pizza dough!)
• The safe way to boil water in the microwave.

For more recipes, crafts & ideas for your home all year round, become a VIP!

Join as a VIP newsletter subscriber to get instant access to our library of free printables, including wall art, gift tags, and more! Click here or use the button below to sign up today.