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It’s fast and easy to make mushroom broth at home with just 15 minutes of simmering! This easy recipe uses fresh and dried mushrooms for rich, umami flavor.
Need mushroom broth? Sure, you can buy it at the store but it’s way more flavorful if you make it at home! In just 15 minutes of simmering time, fresh and dried mushrooms make a super savory, earthy flavor.
My easy recipe for mushroom broth makes 2 quarts of broth, just enough for my Mushroom Risotto or Vegetarian Ramen. It’s also perfect for mushroom barley soup, or any soup where you want to add depth in flavor. Here are my tips for how to make it!
Featured Reader Review
“Love this, I make this a lot! It’s excellent for recipes, and you can use the mushrooms or freeze them for later use.” -Cynthia
Ingredients You’ll Need
Mushroom broth may sound like something you’ll have to simmer for hours. But this recipe is done in just 15 minutes! All you have to do is roughly chop some veggies, add water and simmer. Here are the ingredients that make it happen:
- Fresh mushrooms: Best bet is to use baby bella or cremini for their robust, meaty flavor. You can also use white button mushrooms, or other types.
- Dried mushrooms: The dried variety add lots of flavor here, so don’t omit them! We like to use dried porcini mushrooms, but you can use whatever variety you can find. See below.
- Carrot and celery: Traditional broth ingredients that infuse aromatic flavor
Tips for the Most Flavorful Mushroom Broth
I’ve made this broth dozens of times now, and a few small moves make a noticeable difference:
- Simmer, don’t boil. A hard boil makes the broth evaporate faster, so you come out with more concentrated flavor but less liquid.
- Add the dried mushrooms right at the start, straight into the pot: no pre-soaking needed. They rehydrate as the broth simmers.
- Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Dried mushrooms sometimes are gritty, so straining is important.
- Want it even bolder? Toss in half an onion and a smashed garlic clove. Adding a splash of soy sauce or a strip of kombu at the end makes it even more savory.
About Dried Mushrooms
If you’ve never worked with dried mushrooms, they can seem daunting. But they’re a wonderful trick for adding big flavor! Here’s what to know:
- Dried mushrooms are just that: mushrooms that have been dried out so that they’re pantry stable. Their flavor is more concentrated than a fresh mushroom, so they’re great for adding to broths and soups.
- How long do they last? Dried mushrooms last for about 1 year if you store them in a cool, dark place.
- How to use them? You can throw them right into this broth! To rehydrate them if you’re not making broth: soak them in warm water for 20 to 30 minutes, then rinse.
- What type to use in this recipe? We like dried porcini mushrooms for their intense savory flavor. Dried shiitakes would also work well.
Ways to Use Mushroom Broth
Once you’ve made up a batch of mushroom broth, there are lots of ways to use it:
- Mushroom Risotto: Use any type of mushroom in this irresistibly creamy risotto, flavored with wine and Parmesan cheese.
- Wild Rice Mushroom Soup or Mushroom Barley Soup: Make these soups taste even better with a tasty mushroom broth.
- Tomato Sage Chickpea Soup: This soup also uses dried porcini mushrooms for the broth and in the soup! You can adapt this broth for use there.
- Vegan Mushroom Ramen: This makes a super savory broth.
- Farro with Mushrooms and Parmesan: Cook the grain in broth instead of water.
How to Store Mushroom Broth
How long can you store homemade mushroom broth? Here are a few notes on storage if you’re not ready to use the broth right away:
- Homemade broth lasts 1 week refrigerated. It’s best to use within the first few days, but you can store it up to 1 week.
- Freeze for up to 6 months for long term storage. Place it in a freezer safe container and freeze up to 6 months.
Dietary Notes
This mushroom broth recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Deeply savory and earthy, with a rounder, meatier quality than vegetable broth. The dried mushrooms are what give it that umami flavor.
Yes, in a 1:1 swap. It’s the closest vegetarian substitute for chicken broth in soups, risottos, grains, and gravies.
You can. Use about 1 ounce of dried mushrooms to 8 cups of water and simmer 20 to 25 minutes.
Yes, up to 6 months in a freezer-safe container. Freeze it in recipe-sized portions so you can thaw only what you need.
Quick Mushroom Broth
It’s fast and easy to make mushroom broth at home with just 15 minutes of simmering! This easy recipe uses fresh and dried mushrooms for rich, umami flavor.
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 18 minutes
- Yield: 2 quarts 1x
- Category: Broth
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegan
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 pound baby bella (aka cremini) or white button mushrooms
- 0.5 ounces dried mushrooms (like porcini)
- 1 celery rib
- 1 medium carrot
- 8 cups water
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
- Slice the baby bella mushrooms. Chop the carrot and celery.
- Add the fresh and dried mushrooms, carrot, celery, water, and salt to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Strain out the vegetables. You can save the fresh mushrooms and eat them; just add salt or sauté them in butter! Use immediately, refrigerate for 1 week or freeze in a freezer safe container for up to 6 months.
Love this ,I make this a lot! excellent for recipes , and use the mushrooms or freeze them for later use.
So glad you love it!! It’s a favorite here too!
I needed the shroom broth recipe to make Mushroom Bourguinon.
Since I didn’t have this in time I substituted chicken broth. The recipes in the oven, so we’ll see.
If I am making the mushroom risotto, can I make the broth then use the mushrooms from this process in the risotto? I’ve never tried mushroom broth before, and this sounds wonderful :)
That should work!
Thanks for this apparently awesome recipe, I am preparing this for an especial lunch with friends, no doubt they’ll be delisted and impressed
When do you put in the dried mushrooms?
They go in with the fresh mushrooms! We updated the instructions to clarify. Thank you!
when do you add the water in this recipe? it’s not stated – i suppose after you add the veggies to the pot, when it says “simmer for 15”? but do you let the vege cook before adding the water?
This is a typo: great catch! We’ve updated the recipe to state to simmer the vegetables and water. Thank you!
To make fresh pasta and mushrooms.
Where do I find dry mushrooms? Do you have a source you recommend, or do you just use Amazon?
You can buy them at most major grocery stores: Kroger, Meijer, Whole Foods, etc!