Name: Easy Enoki Mushroom Recipe
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 5 min
Cuisine: Mushrooms
Ingredients: 8 ounces enoki mushrooms (about 2 bunches); 2 tablespoons sesame oil (standard, not toasted); 2 medium garlic cloves; 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce; For the garnish: thinly sliced chives or green onion tops

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This enoki mushroom recipe cooks in just 2 minutes into a savory, umami-packed side dish. Here’s my easy method for sautéing these delicate noodle-like mushrooms!

I’m an unabashed mushroom lover, so whenever I see enoki mushrooms at the store I try to pick some up! This type of mushroom is common in Japanese and Chinese cuisine, but it only recently started to be easy to find at non-specialty American grocery stores.

This enoki mushroom recipe is incredibly delicious: this is my way to sauté up a bunch as an incredible side dish or added to noodle or rice bowls. You can also add them to a bowl of ramen or hot pot. After Alex and I took these photos, I kept sneaking back to the pan and ended up eating them all before he could dig in: they’re that good! Here’s why you should grab some enoki mushrooms when you see them!

5 Star Reader Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I made these but used oyster sauce instead of soy sauce, added some chili oil and olive oil too (I ran out of sesame), some green onion whites, and made an egg and some rice. Let me tell you, 10/10!!” — C.K.

What Are Enoki Mushrooms?

You may have seen enoki mushrooms in photographs of ramen or hot pot: it looks like long, white noodles. Here’s what you need to know:

The enoki mushroom is an edible mushroom that looks like long strings; almost like noodles! Enoki mushrooms are common in Japanese cuisine, where they’re known as enokitake, and Chinese cuisine where they’re known as golden needle or lily mushrooms.
Where to find it? You can find this type of mushroom at some grocery stores, health food stores, or Asian grocery stores. You can also find it at farmer’s markets.
What does an enoki mushroom taste like? This mushroom has a delicate, savory flavor and a crunch from the thin strands. You can eat it sauteed or raw in salads, or throw it raw into ramen and hot pot and it cooks up right in the broth.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For this recipe, you’ll need the following:

Enoki mushrooms: Look for firm, bright white clusters with no sliminess or browning (obviously!).
Sesame oil: I like using standard (light) sesame oil for sautéing, not toasted (toasted sesame oil is for finishing in small amounts and will burn over high heat).
Garlic: It adds fragrant base note.
Tamari or soy sauce: This adds salty, savory depth; use tamari for gluten-free.
Chives or green onion tops: Optional: just for a garnish! But I like the green color it adds.

How to Cook Enoki Mushrooms

This sauteed enoki mushroom recipe makes a pan of ultra savory, umami-packed mushrooms that are absolutely irresistible. Even better, this delicate type of mushroom takes only 2 minutes to cook! Here’s what you’ll do (or skip to the recipe below):

Slice off the root at the bottom of the bunch. You’ll notice the enoki mushrooms are connected into a bunch with a bottom root. Cut that off before you use them!
Cook 1 minutes over medium heat. We like using sesame oil for sautéing here: the standard kind, not toasted (which is used in small quantities for adding flavor).
Add garlic and cook 30 seconds, then add soy sauce. This type of mushroom is so delicate, it’s almost done! Just another 30 seconds and it’s done. Add tamari or soy sauce, and they’re ready to eat!

Eat these enoki mushrooms as a side dish, with a stir fry, or throw them into noodles like sesame soba noodles. Keep reading for other ways to serve them…

Storing and Cleaning Enoki Mushrooms

Once you get your enoki mushrooms, what’s the best way to keep them fresh? And how to clean them before cooking them?

Store the mushrooms in a paper bag in the refrigerator (not produce drawer). The best way to store mushrooms is in a paper bag, which allows them to breathe. Leave them in the main part of the refrigerator to get good airflow, not the produce drawer.
Clean them with a quick rinse. Give the mushrooms a quick rinse to get off any dirt (don’t soak them or they can become soggy).

Ways To Serve Enoki Mushrooms

Don’t want to make sauteed enoki mushrooms? There are lots of other ideas where you don’t even need to cook them separately. Here’s what to do:

Ramen: Throw into ramen broth in the last few minutes cooking. Try Easy Vegetarian Ramen, Vegan Mushroom Ramen, Tofu Ramen, or Miso Ramen.
Hot pot: Try them in a hot pot and drop them right in.
Salad: Try them raw in a Golden Needle Mushroom Salad.

Dietary Notes

This enoki mushroom recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.