This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Savory, umami-rich Mushroom Stock! You’ll never believe how easy it is to make with food scraps or fresh mushrooms and how flavorful it is, too. It’s a surefire way to add flavor and nutrition to soups, stews, gravy, sauces, and more!
Vegetable-based stocks are high on my list of nutritious and easy ways to add delicious flavor to plant-based recipes, and this mushroom stock is no exception! With bold and savory umami, it can be used in any recipe calling for vegetable broth or stock. It even makes a great swap for beef or chicken broth, helping to make vegan variations of traditional dishes.
Best of all, this recipe is a great way to use up food scraps! Mushrooms can be pricey, so I’m extra intentional about using every centimeter of this nutrient-dense food. In fact, It is my go-to recipe to give my food scraps a second life after making recipes like King Oyster Mushroom Scallops or Pan-Fried Oyster Mushrooms.
Don’t have food scraps? No problem! It can easily be made with fresh or dried mushrooms, too. Clean the mushrooms well before simmering, and add my optional seasoning variations if desired!
If you’re looking for another vegetable-based stock, check out my Vegetable Stock Recipe.
Ingredients
Mushrooms: I usually make this mushroom stock recipe with cleaned mushroom bottoms to use up food scraps, but you can also make it with fresh mushrooms. The best varieties for this recipe are full-flavored mushrooms, such as porcini, cremini, oyster, or portobello, though you can mix in white button mushrooms, too.
Dulse Seaweed Flakes: Not only do dulse flakes add nutrition to the homemade mushroom broth, but it adds extra layers of savory umami flavor. You can find dulse flakes at well-stocked grocery stores, Whole Foods, specialty food stores, and Amazon.
Wakame Seaweed: Another type of algae rich in nutrients and savoriness. You may know of this variety because you’ve seen it in seaweed salad in Japanese restaurants. I recommend using wild wakame for the most flavorful and nutritious results, but you can also use farmed if needed. I recommend using 1 tablespoon of dried wakame, OR 2 sheets of alaria (another wild variety). Though you will strain the finished mushroom broth, you can save and eat the hydrated seaweed.
Water: If possible, use filtered water. It gives the mushroom soup broth the best flavor.
How to Make Mushroom Stock
- Combine Ingredients. Add all the ingredients to a large pot and bring it to a boil over high heat.
- Simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low or low and let the mixture come to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook the mushroom stock for 30 minutes.
- Strain. Cool the vegetable stock in the pot before straining it into glass jars or storage containers.
Recipe Pro-Tips
- Clean the mushrooms well. Fungi tend to capture dirt and residue, which can cloud up or add unpleasant flavor to the stock. Clean them well with a damp cloth or mushroom brush before using.
- Season with salt (or soy sauce)! If desired, add 1-2 teaspoons of fine sea salt to taste or a few tablespoons of soy sauce or tamari to make seasoned mushroom broth.
- Storing food scraps. Add the mushroom stalks to a container in the freezer as you cook throughout the week; once it’s full, boil the mushroom pieces for broth! Simple, cost-effective, and sustainable!
Recipe Variations
This flavorful and balanced mushroom concentrate is just the beginning! Make your own variation by making any of the following adaptations.
- Herbs and Seasonings: Add an herbaceous twist to the mushroom broth recipe by swapping a large handful of fresh herbs for the wakame seaweed. I recommend rosemary, thyme, or flat-leaf parsley. Black peppercorns and dried bay leaves are also delicious additions.
- Singular Mushrooms: Use just one mushroom variety to make single-noted stock, such as porcini or shiitake.
- Dried Mushrooms: Substitute up to 1 cup of the fresh mushroom pieces with 1/2 cup of dried mushrooms. Any variety, such as porcini or shiitake work great.
- Veggies: Stir in halved or sliced onions, onion peels, shallots, leeks, or green onions for a naturally sweeter, more veggie-forward broth.
- Flavor Boosters: A halved fresh garlic clove and slices of fresh ginger add sweet, nutty, and zesty notes, perfect for using in Asian-inspired recipes. For added dimension, stir in soy sauce or tamari.
How to Use Mushroom Stock
There are so many ways to enjoy mushroom stock, such as:
- Soups and Stews: Swap it for veggie broth or stock for a more umami-forward recipe.
- Risotto: Adds flavor to your favorite dish while keeping it plant-based!
- Savory Recipes: Add a splash of this umami stock concentrate to stir-fries, sauces, or soul food recipes (such as Vegan Hoppin’ John or Vegan Black Eyed Peas) for layers of savoriness!
Storage Directions
- Refrigeration: Cool the broth completely to room temperature before transferring it to glass bottles and refrigerating for up to 1 week.
- Freezing: For extended storage time, freeze it in freezer-safe containers or a zip-top bag for up to 6 months. For easy single-use access, you can also freeze the broth in ice cube trays before moving the frozen cubes to the freezer-safe bag.
- Reheating: Reheat broth from refrigerated or frozen on the stovetop over low or medium-low heat until your desired temperature. It also can be warmed in the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you certainly can make stock with dried mushrooms. Swap up to 1 cup of the fresh mushroom bottoms or pieces with 1/2 cup of dried.
Mushroom stock is simmered for longer and traditionally not seasoned with salt, making it more versatile for recipes. Mushroom broth, on the other hand, is seasoned and simmered for a shorter period. Despite these differences, many (myself included!) refer to broth and stock interchangeably!
Yes, similar to bone broth, you can drink mushroom stock. It isn’t seasoned with salt, so it is enjoyable sipped as a savory tea!
More Mushroom-Based Recipes
- Elegant Mushroom Wellington
- Vegan Mushroom Gravy
- Mushroom Carnitas Tacos
- Mushroom Alfredo Pasta
- Mushroom Etouffée
Recipe Card
Mushroom Stock
Ingredients
- 2 cups mushroom bottoms or pieces, try to use more flavorful mushrooms like maitake, shiitake, porcini, or oyster
- 1 tbsp dulse seaweed flakes, or 1 piece of whole dulse
- 1 tbsp wakame seaweed, or 2 sheets of wild Atlantic wakame called alaria
- 8 cups water
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a large pot and bring it to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce the heat to low or medium-low and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Cool the vegetable stock in the pot before straining it into glass jars or storage containers.
Notes
- Refrigeration: Cool the broth completely to room temperature before transferring it to glass bottles and refrigerating for up to 1 week.
- Freezing: For extended storage time, freeze it in freezer-safe containers or a zip-top bag for up to 6 months. For easy single-use access, you can also freeze the broth in ice cube trays before moving the frozen cubes to the freezer-safe bag.
- Reheating: Reheat broth from refrigerated or frozen on the stovetop over low or medium-low heat until your desired temperature. It also can be warmed in the microwave.
- Clean the mushrooms well. These fungi tend to capture dirt and residue, which can cloud up or add unpleasant flavor to the stock. Clean them well with a damp cloth or mushroom brush before using.
- Season with salt (or soy sauce)! If desired, add 1-2 teaspoons of fine sea salt to taste or a few tablespoons of soy sauce or tamari to make seasoned mushroom broth.
- Save on waste. Though you can make this recipe with fresh mushrooms, it’s also a great way to use up food scraps! Add the mushroom stalks to a container in the freezer as you cook throughout the week; once it’s full, boil the mushroom pieces for broth!
Definitely trying this !
Hope you enjoy it!