One of the most versatile ways to incorporate mushrooms into a meal is by using fried oyster mushrooms. They can be a main dish, a side dish, or added into any recipe that calls for mushrooms.
With a distinctive earthy flavor and smooth texture, they’re easy to love. They’re also accessible in the wild and in stores, relatively simple to grow, and have multiple health benefits.
Oyster mushrooms are also a nice change from the most accessible mushroom in the store, the white button mushroom. Although the white button is tasty, the oyster provides a different flavor. And fried oyster mushrooms are definitely better to add to any recipe than a bland-tasting can of mushrooms.
Whether you’re new to eating oyster mushrooms or you’ve always enjoyed them but want to learn more, let’s take a look at this common yet interesting fungus.
What is An Oyster Mushroom?
The name gives it away, as this mushroom’s cap resembles an oyster. It has a short stem and sometimes looks like it has no stem at all. Oysters can grow up to 10 inches across and they have a smooth skin.
Oysters also have gills that are attached to the stem and run most of the way down it, and the gills are often white. 
There are different colors of oyster mushrooms. For instance, golden oysters have multiple proven health benefits. There are other varieties, such as the pink oyster mushroom and the pearl oyster mushroom.
Where Do You Find Oyster Mushrooms?
Oysters can be found in the grocery store.
Those who like to forage can find them in the wild in the right situation, as they usually fruit in the fall. They often grow in clusters that are similar to a shelf, with the clusters overlapping. That means you find them in bunches and not usually alone.
Oysters are also commonly cultivated, and if you’re fortunate to find a commercial cultivator, they can be harvested year-round.
You can also grow your own oyster mushrooms. In fact, the oyster is the best choice for a beginner as a starting point, because they’re fairly easy to grow. Once you learn the process with oyster mushrooms, you can tackle more challenging varieties.
If you’re a true beginner, rather than try to start from scratch, you can also try a growing kit. These pre-packaged kits provide everything you need to grow your own mushrooms. Even with growing kits, the oyster is the best to try first, as they are easy to grow in a variety of conditions and they’re forgiving to the new cultivator.
A mushroom grow kit will provide you with an inoculated substrate, which is the material the mushroom grows in, placed inside of a grow bag. Being inoculated means it has been injected with mushroom spawn.
Here are some good kits to get you started. Check them out on Amazon:
>>Back to the Roots Organic Mushroom Growing Kit: With this simple kit-in-a-box, you mist it with water and you’ll have gourmet oyster mushrooms in 10 days.
>>Pink Oyster Mushroom Grow Kit by Forest Origins: This growing bag will develop the unique pink oyster mushrooms.
>>White Oyster Mushroom Grow Kit by Forest Origins: Another growing bag by Forest Origins, this one grows white oysters.
Why Do You Want to Eat Oyster Mushrooms?
It’s true that all edible mushrooms have been shown to have beneficial properties like high fiber, high protein, a variety of vitamins, while also being low in fat and cholesterol. But many varieties have additional advantages that promote well-being.
That’s the case with oysters. Researchers are particularly interested in the oyster because it’s one of the most cultivated edible mushrooms worldwide after the white button, and because it grows fast while also breaking down organic matter, supporting the environment.
Studies are also showing that the oyster provides various bioactive compounds that support cardiometabolic health, and it also has a high level of a form of dietary fiber that has a beneficial role in the prevention of insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and obesity.
Other studies made an interesting discovery that led them to conclude that oyster mushrooms are antibacterial. They found that while other mushrooms can be invaded by tiny worms that feed on them, oyster mushrooms don’t have that problem. That’s because they are “carnivorous” in that they exude toxins that stun the worms, and eventually kill them.
Finally, studies on the golden oyster specifically show that they have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anti-tumor effects.
How Do You Eat Oyster Mushrooms?
You can eat fried oyster mushrooms the same as many other mushrooms. Add them to a recipe, or enjoy their delicious flavor, sometimes described as cashew-like, in a dish that calls for mushrooms.
Here’s an easy recipe to start, courtesy of yours truly at Mushroom Health Guide. It’s important to follow the instructions and fry the mushrooms in a single layer, to ensure you don’t “crowd” the mushrooms. That will ensure they turn golden brown and get a bit crispy.
Fried Oyster Mushrooms by Mushroom Heath Guide
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 9 minutes
Ingredients
Serves 4
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon canned grated parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon seasoned salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 1 ¼ cups whole milk or your favorite vegan substitute
• 1 pound oyster mushrooms, rubbery ends trimmed and separated into equal-size strips
Directions
1. Add 1 ½ to 2 inches of oil to a deep, heavy-bottomed skillet and heat over medium-high.
2. Whisk the flour, cheese or nutritional yeast, baking powder, garlic salt, black pepper, seasoned salt, garlic powder, and onion powder together in a shallow bowl.
3. Pour the milk into a separate shallow bowl.
4. Dredge the mushrooms in flour, dip in milk, then return to the flour mixture until well coated.
5. Working in batches, fry the mushrooms for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to flip the mushrooms, so they fry evenly on both sides.
6. Transfer the fried mushrooms to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
7. Serve.
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You don’t have to eat them whole, however. Most mushrooms can be turned into tea by steeping them in hot water for several hours. You can steep dried mushrooms, or add mushroom powder to a cup of herbal tea.
A good option for oyster mushrooms that you can use for tea is this 16-ounce package premium dried oyster mushrooms.
Final Thoughts
There are many different varieties of mushrooms that provide taste, texture, and a nutritional boost that makes them worth adding to your dinner plate or tea cup.
The oyster mushroom is easy to find in the store, easy to grow, easy to add to tea, and a delight to add to any recipe. They also have their own unique and powerful health advantages.
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