Best and Worst Oyster Mushroom Substitutes For Cooking

What are oyster mushrooms?

Oyster mushrooms are medium to large in size, these mushrooms have short or nearly absent stems, white gills that extend onto their stems, and spore prints that range from white to lilac-gray.

They often have a faint aroma reminiscent of anise or black licorice and are prized in Asian cuisines for their chewy, nutty texture and savory, bittersweet flavor, making them popular as vegan meat substitutes.

Among the seven main types of oyster mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms stand out for their large size, umami-rich flavor, and scallop-like texture, ideal for gourmet dishes.

Pearl oyster mushrooms, another common variety, are favored for their nutty, sweet taste but have tougher stalks, making them particularly suitable for stir-fries, soups, stews, and salads.

Why would you need a substitution? If you are wondering where to buy oyster mushrooms, then you are not alone. As tasty as they are, oyster mushrooms are seasonal and tend to be a tad more expensive than regular button mushrooms. But here are the best 13 substitutes if you can’t find it or are too expensive.

Abalone mushrooms

Abalone mushrooms, named after the shellfish abalone, are often confused with pearl oyster mushrooms. That’s no surprise considering that this ivory-colored mushroom variety is in fact very closely related to oyster mushroom. What sets it apart, however, is its silkier texture and rich, buttery flavor. It is also these characteristics that make it a popular ingredient in Asian stir-fries and sauces.

Lion’s mane mushrooms

True to their name, lion’s mane mushrooms (or yamabushitake) are shaggy looking with dangling white teeth that resemble the mane of a lion. Its sweet and rich meat tastes a lot like seafood, almost like crab or lobster, and its meaty texture might remind you of pearl oyster mushrooms.

Porcini mushrooms

Porcini mushrooms are a great replacement for the fleshy king oyster mushroom because of their meaty texture. While the smell can take some getting used to, nothing beats its great taste and ability to hold its shape when cooked! Both dried and fresh porcini have been used as oyster mushroom alternatives for quite some time in both Italy and France. 

Baby bella, button or cremini mushrooms

With the meaty taste of the king oyster mushroom and the delicate look of pearl mushrooms, the baby bella mushroom might just be the most perfect replacement for you. Also known as white button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms, these mushrooms are coveted for their meaty flesh, which is the reason why they are commercially produced on such a wide scale. 

What’s more, is that they don’t have that pungent smell that is characteristic of most mushrooms. This versatility allows them to be cooked in several different ways. Just remember to take off the fibrous portion of the stem before you do.

Portobello mushrooms

Portobello mushrooms are actually crimini mushrooms that have matured to obtain a diameter measuring more than 4″. They come sporting a smooth cap with an even brown color and are renowned for their deep and earthy flavor. Their overall effect in a dish can be likened to that of the pearl oyster mushroom. 

Since they are seasonal from December to March, it is pretty easy to run into them at your local store. If you are looking to cook with these delectable beauties, you might want to check out our portobello mushroom recipes like this one below.

Chanterelle mushrooms

Chanterelle mushrooms might look like oyster mushrooms with their bright hue and wide cap, but the good news is they’re not quite as expensive! These mushrooms are characterized by their nutty, meaty, and almost peppery undertones, making them great for sauces.

Shiitake mushrooms

Out of all the king oyster mushroom substitutes we have listed, this mushroom from Asia is probably the most popular. Shiitake mushrooms are also much less expensive than oyster mushrooms and can be used as the perfect replacement.

Shittake mushrooms come in a range of brown hues and have umbrella-shaped wide caps. And while the caps themselves don’t look very appetizing, the bold flavor and fleshy texture more than make up for it. Some even say that it resembles a well-done piece of steak when cooked well! We have many recipes using shiitake mushrooms like this one:

Matsutake mushrooms

Matsutake, being a versatile oyster mushroom substitute, can be consumed both raw and fried, but tends to taste most delicious when added fried to soups and sauces. They hardly need any additional seasoning and are best consumed with their natural, earthy flavor.

Matsutake mushrooms are quite the star ingredient in many Asian cuisines, especially Japanese, and are particularly popular for their aromatic smell and unique taste that is reminiscent of truffles! 

However, it should be mentioned that these mushrooms are a little expensive, so if you want to stick with oyster mushrooms or portobello mushrooms. You could probably even make do with replacing them for fresh shiitake – trust us, none would be the wiser!

Morel mushrooms

Morel mushrooms are characterized by a shriveled, brown body that does not appeal to the eye at first sight. And while they are found aplenty in the woods, they also have a poisonous lookalike, so it’s best and safest to just buy this type of mushroom from a store. 

When it comes to taste, morel’s are simply divine – meaty, nutty, and quite like oyster mushrooms. Unfortunately, these are seasonal and priced higher than oyster mushrooms. So, it’s more likely you will find yourself substituting oyster mushrooms for morel mushrooms than the other way around, but both ways work just fine. If you’ve got some lying around, go for it!  

Eggplant

This might come as a surprise, but you can substitute eggplant for oyster mushrooms! Both have a surprisingly spongy texture that soaks up juicy marinades easily. Plus, eggplant is relatively neutral in taste as well, making it perfect for adding your favorite seasonings to make it taste as close to oyster mushrooms as possible.

You can use eggplant instead of mushrooms to make meatballs, or to add it to stir-fries, to top your pasta or risotto with it.

Tofu

Tofu and oyster mushrooms or even mushrooms, in general, have a common characteristic that makes them perfect replacements for each other. And that is their spongy texture which soaks up marinades, sauces, and juices easily. Both have a quite neutral taste that with the proper seasoning you can easily overpower.

If you have a recipe that calls for shredded mushrooms, you can think of tofu as well. We used shredded oyster mushroom in Hoisin sauce to make rice paper dumplings, and shredded tofu in Hoisin sauce to make crispy rice paper rolls.

Tempeh

Tempeh is made of fermented soybeans and used as a vegetarian protein or meat substitute. Their aroma is considered to be very mushroom-like, nutty, and earthy due to the fermentation. It has a much stronger aroma than tofu. So you would need a marinade or strong seasoning to make them taste nice.

If your recipe calls for oyster mushrooms, especially in pasta dishes, salad bowls, or stir-fries, you can substitute tempeh for it and use the spices that were recommended for the mushroom.

The worst oyster mushroom substitutes

If you are searching the internet for substitutes, you may come across other alternatives, but let me tell you why they are our least favorite ones:

Wood ear mushrooms

Wood ear mushrooms have a very unique gummy texture, which is in no way similar to oyster mushrooms. Stores sell them dried. They need to be dehydrated and then cooked before you can use them. This cooking method makes them less gummy but still far from the texture you would be after.

Enoki mushrooms

They are more close to sprouts than oyster mushrooms. They are very thin with really small caps, which cannot really mimic the texture of oyster mushrooms. Also, it is limited on how you can prepare them as you usually use them as a whole.

Angel wings

The main difference is that while oyster mushrooms are edible, angel wings are poisonous. The first warnings came as early as 2004.

Nuts (walnut and pecan)

It is true that mushrooms have a nutty, earthy flavor and you would think that nuts are great substitutes. We do use them to enhance the mushroom flavor to make mushroom meatballs or the mushroom filling in vegan wellington, but they cannot mimic the texture and the taste on their own.

Sun-dried tomatoes

They may have a similar texture to dried mushrooms, their flavor is just so strong. There are not enough spices in the world you can use to turn them towards a nutty, earthy mushroom aroma.