Pan-Fried King Oyster Mushrooms

We can think of few things more delicious and mouth-watering than buttery pan-seared King Oyster Mushrooms (aka this King Trumpet Mushrooms recipe). A few simple ingredients transform meaty king oyster mushrooms into a side dish that’s loaded with savoriness and umami. 

I first honed my mushroom cooking skills while interning at America’s Test Kitchen. When I was there, we were in deep in the development of The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook and many of the recipes featured mushrooms.

Mushrooms took center stage in many of the recipes while others utilized dried mushrooms for deep, meaty flavor. Through the testing of those many mushroom recipes, I learned quite a bit about cooking with mushrooms, and some of those tips and techniques can be found in this recipe!

Why We Love This King Oyster Mushroom Recipe

It’s hard to put into words, but this recipe just sings. The flavors of this side dish come together seamlessly and create a dish you can’t help but say “wow” about.

Aside from it being a true *flavor bomb* this king trumpet mushroom recipe is also incredibly easy to make and only requires a handful of ingredients. Plus, the fresh parsley added at the end adds brightness but also gets slightly fried.

Heaven!

The savoriness of this dish makes it a perfect pair with a simple pasta, pan-seared chicken or alongside a simple grilled top sirloin steak (with our Mushroom Sauce for Steak)!

What are King Oyster Mushrooms?

There are so many different types of mushrooms with a variety of textures, flavors and appearances. The King Oyster mushroom, also called the King Trumpet mushroom, is a favorite of mine.

Largely sought after for their meaty stems, King Oyster mushrooms have thick white stems and stout brown caps. In their raw form they have little flavor, but once cooked they take on a savory, slightly sweet taste and meaty texture.

Cook King Trumpets like you would a good piece of meat—roasted, grilled or sautéed. They’re also great thrown into stir fries. If you aren’t sure how to prep, wash or cook mushrooms, we’ve got a whole guide on how to cook mushrooms.

Try this Vegan Scallop recipe, or whip up this Teriyaki King Trumpet recipe and serve over rice.

Ingredients Needed

• King Oyster Mushrooms, also called King Trumpet Mushrooms: you can find these mushrooms sold loose, in refrigerated produce bins, or in plastic containers wrapped in plastic wrap at the grocery store. Check out my buying guide for mushrooms.
• Ground nutmeg: We like to use a microplane to freshly grate nutmeg, but pre-ground will also work. Nutmeg pairs beautifully with mushrooms. 
• Garlic: thin slices of garlic crisp up in the butter and add tons of dimension to this dish.
• Parsley: a handful of fresh herbs brightens up this dish wonderfully. We also love how a few of the leaves get lightly fried. 
• Lemon: a bit of lemon zest adds brightness and tang without adding excess moisture like lemon juice or vinegar would do.
• Olive oil and butter: using a combination achieves the best of both worlds—crispy fried texture and savory butter flavor.

How to Cook King Oyster/Trumpet Mushrooms

This recipe is all about pan-frying king oyster mushrooms. But you can also shred, roast, and sear this type of mushroom. You can even make king oyster mushroom vegan scallops! Here’s a rundown of how to make this recipe:

1. Preheat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high for 5 minutes.
2. Slice the large mushrooms in half lengthwise and leave smaller mushrooms whole.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and add a splash of oil; swirl to coat the pan. Arrange the mushrooms in an even layer, as best you can, cut side down. Cook, without moving, for 3 minutes.

4. Season mushrooms with ¼ teaspoon each kosher salt and pepper then toss and continue cooking until golden brown all over, about 5 minutes.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low, add butter, garlic, and nutmeg and cook 2–3 minutes until garlic is toasted.

6. Remove skillet from heat and add parsley leaves and ½ teaspoon of lemon zest.

7. Stir to combine then season with additional salt, pepper and lemon zest to taste.

Variations

• Add a splash of cream and toss the whole dish with some cooked angel hair pasta.
• Stir in a dollop of miso paste for even more umami and serve with cooked rice or rice noodles. A dash of soy sauce and some sesame seeds would also be tasty.
• Use thinly sliced shallots instead of garlic.

More Mushroom Recipes to Try

Soups, Stews & Chilis

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Soups, Stews & Chilis

Slow-Cooker Turkey Wild Rice Soup

Sauces & Dressings

Creamy Mushroom Sauce for Steak

Pasta & Noodles

Zucchini Mushroom Pasta

• Our Mushroom Veggie Burgers are the perfect vegetarian dinner!
• Try our Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms for a healthy anytime appetizer.
• If you love soup season AND you love mushrooms, then you’ve gotta try out Hungarian Mushroom Soup. It’s creamy, cozy and so savory.
• If you’re looking for another appetizer, try these Mushroom & Apricot Goat Cheese Crostini.
• Our Creamy Turkey and Wild Rice Soup is loaded with golden-brown sautéed mushrooms. Soul-soothing goodness!
• Up the ante on steak dinner with our Creamy Mushroom Sauce for Steak. It’s luscious, decadent and so dang good.
• Mushrooms are a great vegan and vegetarian ingredient. Use them in our Sweet Potato Ravioli with Seared Mushrooms or try our summery Zucchini Mushroom Pasta.
• Enjoy pasta night with our Vegetarian Mushroom & Eggplant Pasta Bolognese. Hearty, cozy and loaded with flavor.