Smoked Portobello Mushrooms (Recipe + VIDEO!) (2024)

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5 from 3 votes

Learn how to smoke mushrooms in a smoker! This smoked portobello mushroom recipe uses a combination of slices and caps. Smoked mushrooms have a delicious, earthy flavor that is great with burgers, steak, sandwiches, and salads. Forget waiting for good grilling weather to use the Traeger. You’ll love how easy and inexpensive it is to make smoked mushrooms indoors with a stovetop smoker.

Smoked Portobello Mushrooms (Recipe + VIDEO!) (1)

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There’s fungus among us! Smoking mushrooms is a great solution for what to do with a lot of mushrooms. You can use them as an appetizer, side dish, condiment, or snack.

You can use an indoor smoker to give your mushrooms a smokiness and meatiness that both vegetarians and omnivores enjoy. Portabella slices turn out like a smoked mushroom jerky while portabella caps stay a bit juicy. So much yum!

You can leave your smoked mushroom caps plain for more versatility, or coat them with mustard and herbs for flavor. And if you don’t have big portobello caps, no worries, you can smoke baby bella mushrooms too!

Want crispy mushroom chips? Try slicing your mushrooms thinly before trying this recipe for smoky mushrooms. You won’t be able to resist how delicious dried smoked mushrooms are.

I’m totally sold on this method to get great grill flavors without leaving the house. Don’t let rainy or snowy days mess up your menu. Snag this recipe for smoked portobello mushrooms and enjoy them all year long!

Table of Contents
  • 📋 Calories, Net Carbs, Protein
  • ⭐ Smoked Portobello Mushrooms Benefits
  • 🥘 Smoked Portobello Mushrooms Ingredients
  • 🔪 How to Make Smoked Portobello Mushrooms
  • ️⏲ Smoking Time and Temperature
  • 🌡️ Leftovers
  • 🍄 How to Serve Smoked Portobello Mushrooms
  • FAQs
  • 👩🏻‍🍳 More Mushroom Recipes
  • 🔥 More Smoker Recipes
  • 📖 Recipe Card
  • 💭 Expert Tips from Dietitian Summer Yule
  • Mustard Herb Variation
  • 💬 Comments

📋 Calories, Net Carbs, Protein

Per Cronometer, one serving of Smoked Portobello Mushrooms has 20 calories, 2 grams net carbs, and 3 grams protein. The mustard herb variation provides 29 calories, 3.3 grams net carbs, and 3.1 grams protein per serving. Mushrooms are a low calorie and low carb food.

Are mushrooms protein? No, mushrooms are considered part of the vegetable group on the MyPlate. Three ounces of portobello mushrooms provides only 2-3 grams of protein. When replacing meat with mushrooms, you need to find another way to add more protein to your meal.

⭐ Smoked Portobello Mushrooms Benefits

What are the benefits of mushrooms? Here’s why you should make this smoked portobello caps and slices recipe:

  • Special diet friendly: This is a vegan recipe, gluten-free, low-carb, keto, dairy-free, Paleo, and low calorie. If you have dietary restrictions, you can probably still eat these mushrooms.
  • Nutritious: Cooked portobello mushrooms are good for you. They provide many of the essential B vitamins, including niacin (vitamin B3), riboflavin (vitamin B2), plus vitamins B5 and B6. Additionally, you're getting some minerals from portabella mushrooms, including phosphorus and potassium.
  • Helps increase your vegetable intake: As mentioned, mushrooms count as part of the vegetable group on the MyPlate. When you add more mushrooms to your diet, you are helping to increase your intake of veggies!
  • Super versatile: You can enjoy these tasty mushroom slices as a snack or incorporate them into a meal. Whatever floats your boat!
  • No need to brave the foul weather: If the weather is getting cold or rainy where you are, no worries! You don't have to go outdoors for this smoker recipe! Using an indoor smoker makes smoking foods super convenient.
  • Inexpensive way to smoke foods: Many outdoor smokers, such as the Green Egg, cost hundreds of dollars. Indoor smoking methods tend to be far less expensive and is a great alternative if you are on a tight budget! Stovetop smokers also tend to use a lot less fuel (wood) than outdoor smokers.
  • Delicious: Mushrooms are packed with umami flavor that adds something special to meals. If you like mushrooms, you need to see how smoking elevates them to another level. So tasty!

🥘 Smoked Portobello Mushrooms Ingredients

You only need two ingredients for basic smoked mushrooms. Here they are:

  • Portobello mushroom caps and slices
  • Cooking oil spray
Smoked Portobello Mushrooms (Recipe + VIDEO!) (2)

Sturdy mushrooms hold up better in the smoker. I prefer portabella mushrooms to white button mushrooms in this recipe because they shrink less with cooking.

That said, portabellas (brown mushrooms) are simply a more mature white mushroom. They’re actually the same variety of mushroom, and can be used interchangeably in this recipe.

I used portabella caps, but there’s no reason you couldn’t use cremini mushrooms (baby bella mushrooms) instead. You could experiment with whole mushrooms, or try cutting them in halves, quarters, or slices.

If you don’t like portobellos, try shiitake, oyster mushrooms, chanterelles, maitake, morels, or porcini instead. You may want to decrease the smoking time for smaller mushroom pieces.

To make the delish mustard variation, you’ll also need to have these on hand:

  • Grainy mustard
  • Dried sage
  • Dried thyme
  • Garlic powder
  • Lemon zest
  • Salt and pepper

🍽 Equipment

In addition to a cast iron skillet, there are a few pieces of special kitchen equipment that you need to make smoked mushrooms on the stovetop. These items can be ordered on Amazon:

I love using mesquite wood chips for smoking mushrooms because they provide a deep, smoky flavor. Hickory is another great wood to smoke with for strong smoked flavor.

If you do a lot of smoking, I recommend trying different types of chips to find your favorites! Make sure to only use wood chips that were intended for smoking foods.

Here are some options if you prefer a milder smoky flavor:

  • Alder chips
  • Apple chips
  • Cherry chips

Note: the wood chips used in many indoor smokers are not the same as the wood pellets for outdoor smokers. Indoor smoking wood chips are much smaller, closer in size to wood shavings.

🔪 How to Make Smoked Portobello Mushrooms

Smoked Portobello Mushrooms (Recipe + VIDEO!) (3)

Get your assortment of whole portobello caps and slices together. Rinse them well with cool water to remove any dirt and pat them dry with a paper towel.

You can eat the gills of portobello mushrooms, so I never bother removing them. If your caps have small bits of stem attached, I would remove those. You can save the mushroom stems to use in other recipes.

The first time I tried smoking mushrooms, I smoked them right after cleaning the raw mushrooms. I felt the smoke did not adhere to the mushrooms as much as I would have liked. Luckily, I found a much better way to smoke mushrooms after that.

What you need to do is dry saute your mushrooms in a cast iron skillet prior to smoking them. Cook them in batches if the mushrooms don’t fit in a single layer in the skillet.

Use medium heat and flip them occasionally as they dry. No soggy mushrooms for us!

It took 5-10 minutes for most of the liquid to evaporate from the mushroom slices. The mushroom caps took about 15 minutes. They will shrink quite a bit as they lose moisture.

Put the mushrooms in a single layer on a plate and let them rest in the fridge overnight. This will give them a chance to dry out even more.

See the notes in the recipe card if you want to make the mustard herb variation!

Smoked Portobello Mushrooms (Recipe + VIDEO!) (4)

️⏲ Smoking Time and Temperature

How long to smoke mushrooms? What temp to make smoked mushrooms in a stovetop smoker? Smoke mushrooms for a total of 20-25 minutes at 190-210F (88-99C). The smoker needs to stay in this temperature range for the entire smoking period.

Set up your Nordic Ware or other kettle smoker with 2 tablespoons of shredded wood chips. Lightly mist the smoking tray with cooking oil spray and put the drip pan and smoking tray in the smoker. Place the mushrooms in a single layer on the tray (gills down for the caps).

Put the lid on the smoker. Ensure the thermometer is attached properly, and the lid vent is closed. Turn your stovetop vent fan on.

Put the smoker on a stovetop burner and turn the heat to medium-low. Allow the smoker's thermometer to come to 190 degrees Fahrenheit (88C). Sometimes I turn the heat to medium if the smoker is coming to temp too slowly.

Once the temperature comes to 190 degrees (88C), turn the stovetop to low, and set a timer to dry smoke the mushrooms for 30 minutes. Make sure that the smoker stays within 190-210 degrees Fahrenheit (88-99C) for the entire smoking period.

You may need to adjust the stovetop's heat or open the vent on the lid to keep things in the optimal temperature range. Check it fairly often!

If the heat on the smoker is going up too fast, try lifting the lid briefly. This should help you bring the temperature back down, giving you more time to adjust the heat.

After the 20-25 minutes is up, turn off the stovetop and remove the mushrooms from the smoker. Extinguish the spent wood mesquite chips by soaking them in water. Let the mushrooms cool down, and enjoy!

Smoked Portobello Mushrooms (Recipe + VIDEO!) (5)

🌡️ Leftovers

Smoked mushrooms can be stored in a covered container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can reheat them for a couple minutes in the microwave or in an oil-sprayed pan on the stovetop. You can vacuum seal and freeze smoked mushrooms, but the texture will change a bit when you thaw them.

🍄 How to Serve Smoked Portobello Mushrooms

As I mentioned above, smoked mushroom slices turn out like portobello jerky. Very thin slices turn into crisp mushroom chips. They are great to snack on by themselves!

Try mixing a little melted butter or olive oil and garlic together. Drizzle your garlic butter over the smoked mushrooms to add some decadence to your day.

If you're hungry for a meal, quite a few entrees would be excellent with a mushroom topping. Here are some main dishes that go with mushrooms:

  • Air Fryer Bone In Ribeye Steak
  • Frozen Burgers in Air Fryer
  • Spelt Flour Pizza Dough Recipe
  • Keto Big Mac Salad Bowl

You could also add these mushrooms to your favorite soup or sandwich. So good!

FAQs

How to make cold smoked mushrooms?

To cold smoke mushrooms, I recommend getting a cold smoking gun. They are available at a variety of price points on Amazon. Smoking guns can be used for cheeses, co*cktails, meats, veggies, and sauces in addition to mushrooms.

Are mushrooms keto?

Mushrooms are a very low carb food, and thus keto friendly. Three ounces of portobello mushrooms have only about 2 grams of net carbohydrates. They’re Whole30 and Paleo compliant as well.

Are mushrooms vegan?

Vegan diets exclude all animal-based sources of food. Since mushrooms are fungi, neither plant nor animal, they are considered vegan. (Mushrooms are also compatible with plant-based diets, though they are not technically plants.)

Do mushrooms have vitamin B12?

Mushrooms may contain trace amounts of vitamin B12, but should not be counted on as a reliable source of this vitamin. If you are vegan, you should get vitamin B12 from supplements and/or fortified foods. It’s better to play it safe than risk a serious nutrient deficiency.

Do portobello mushrooms have vitamin D?

Mushrooms provide variable amounts of vitamin D and should not be counted on as a source of this vitamin. Some mushrooms have been treated with UV light to increase the amount of vitamin D that they provide. However, information about whether mushrooms have been UV-treated is typically not available on product packaging.

Is it spelled “portobello” or “portabella”?

Both portobello and portabella are accepted spellings in Merriam-Webster. You may also see baby bella mushrooms sold under the name "cremini."

👩🏻‍🍳 More Mushroom Recipes

Want more recipes using mushrooms? Here are some dishes to try next:

  • High Calorie Pasta for Weight Gain (Pasta with Mushrooms)
  • Air Fryer Breaded Mushrooms
  • Air Fryer Sausage Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms (Imagine making smoked stuffed mushrooms with these. YUM!)

🔥 More Smoker Recipes

Looking for more indoor smoker recipes? I've got you! Check these out:

  • How to Smoke Salmon at 200
  • Smoked Tofu
  • Smoked Mac and Cheese with Gouda

📖 Recipe Card

Watch How to Make It!

Smoked Portobello Mushrooms (Recipe + VIDEO!) (6)

Smoked Portobello Mushrooms

Summer Yule

Learn how to smoke mushrooms in a smoker! This smoked portobello mushroom recipe uses a combo of slices and caps. Low carb, keto, and vegan!

5 from 3 votes

Rate Recipe Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Slow Food DIY

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 20 kcal

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces portobello mushrooms (340 grams; use a mixture of whole and sliced caps)
  • cooking oil spray of choice

Don't be a stranger! 😊If you love this recipe, please come back and leave a rating. This helps readers and I'd love to hear from you. Thank you ❤️

Instructions

  • Note: Start this recipe the night before you want your mushrooms.

  • Rinse your mushrooms well with cool water to remove any dirt and pat them dry with a paper towel. You do not have to remove the gills of your mushrooms. Do remove any stem pieces from the mushroom caps, and save them to use in other recipes.

  • Dry saute your mushrooms in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, flipping occasionally. You may have to cook them in batches. It will take about 5-10 minutes for most of the liquid to evaporate from the mushroom slices, and 15 minutes for the mushroom caps.

  • Let your mushrooms rest on a plate in the fridge overnight before smoking. Put them in a single layer. This will allow them time to dry out even more.

  • The next day: Set up your Nordic Ware or another kettle smoker with 2 tablespoons of shredded woodchips. I used mesquite chips. The chips you use should be meant for smoking foods.

  • Lightly mist the smoking tray with cooking oil spray and put the drip pan and smoking tray in the smoker. Place the mushrooms in a single layer on the tray (I prefer to lay the caps gills down).

  • Put the lid on the smoker. Ensure the thermometer is attached properly, and the lid vent is closed. Turn your stovetop vent fan on.

  • Put the smoker on a stovetop burner and turn the heat to medium-low. Allow the smoker's thermometer to come to 190°F (88°C). (Sometimes I kick the heat up to medium if the temperature is rising too slowly.)

  • Once the temperature comes to 190°F (88°C), turn the stovetop to low, and set a timer to dry smoke the mushrooms for 20-25 minutes. Make sure that the smoker stays within 190°F-210°F (88°C-99°C) for the entire smoking period.

  • You may need to adjust the stovetop's heat or open the vent on the lid to keep things in the optimal temperature range. Keep a close eye on things!

  • If the heat on the smoker is going up too fast, try lifting the lid briefly. This should help you bring the temperature back down, giving you more time to adjust the heat.

  • After the 20-25 minutes is up, turn off the stovetop and remove the mushrooms from the smoker. Extinguish the spent wood mesquite chips by soaking them in water. Let the mushrooms cool down, and enjoy!

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Notes

💭 Expert Tips from Dietitian Summer Yule

This is a level 1 recipe (may help support fat loss).If you are looking for weight loss, mushrooms are a fantastic way to add lots of volume to meals for very few calories. An entire 8-ounce package of portobello mushrooms is only around50 calories. Additionally, they are delicious (one of the most important things when talking about any recipe, IMVHO).

I thinkit'snice to try smoking both mushroom slices and whole caps the first time you try this recipe. The slices become chewy and dry,almost likea mushroom jerky. The smoke flavoris able topermeatethe slices more than the caps since the slices have a greater proportion of surface area.

On the other hand, the capsremaina little juicy. They are excellent sliced and piled on burgers, salads, or anywhere that could use a lift of umami.

If your whole smoked mushroom caps are sturdy enough, they could be used as a low carb burger bun. There are endless possibilities for using these smoked mushrooms in recipes. Feel free to get creative!

Mustard Herb Variation

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoonsgrainymustard
  • ½ teaspoondried sage
  • ½ teaspoondried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoongarlic powder
  • ½ teaspoonlemon zest
  • ¼ teaspoonblack pepper
  • ¼ teaspoonsalt

After dry sauteing the mushrooms, stir together the mustard, lemon zest, herbs, and spices. I would not add oil to this mixture, as it may make it more difficult for the smoke to penetrate.

Evenly spread this mustard mixture over the tops of your sauteed mushroom slices and caps. Spread the mustard on the tops of the caps only, not the gills.

Let your mustard-covered mushrooms rest on a plate in the fridge overnight before smoking. Continue with the recipe as directed above. I like to smoke mustard herb mushrooms for 30 minutes instead of the 20-25 minutes for plain mushrooms.

Video for mushroom variation: https://youtu.be/i5Vi2M9Jd04

Nutrition information is for one serving of plain smoked mushrooms.The mustard herb variationprovides29 calories, 3.3 grams net carbs, and 3.1 grams protein per serving.

nutrition info disclaimer

All recipes on this website may or may not be appropriate for you, depending on your medical needs and personal preferences. Consult with a registered dietitian or your physician if you need help determining the dietary pattern that may be best for you.

The nutrition information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. It will differ depending on the specific brands and ingredients that you use. Calorie information on food labels may be inaccurate, so please don't sweat the numbers too much.

"To taste" means to your preferences, which may have to be visual to follow food safety rules. Please don't eat undercooked food x

Nutrition

Calories: 20kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 3gSodium: 15mgFiber: 1gVitamin C: 2% DVIron: 2% DV

Keywords how to smoke mushrooms, smoke mushrooms, smoked mushroom recipe, smoked mushrooms, smoked portabella mushrooms, smoked portabellas, smoked portobello mushrooms, smoked portobellos, smoker mushrooms, smoking mushrooms

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Summer Yule

Hello! I'm Summer, a registered dietitian and home chef who loves to cook, eat, and create high quality content for you! Every recipe on this site has been tested by me to help ensure your success in the kitchen. All eaters are welcome here 🙂

summeryule.com/about/

Smoked Portobello Mushrooms (Recipe + VIDEO!) (2024)

FAQs

Why can't you eat the gills of a portobello mushroom? ›

Mushroom gills are completely edible, but not everyone is jazzed about including them in their dish. While some people claim that they give dishes a distractingly earthy or bitter flavor, I've never noticed a significant difference, at least not with my tongue. Appearance is another matter entirely.

What are the side effects of portabella mushrooms? ›

8 Negative Effects of Portobello Mushrooms
  • Digestive Discomfort. Causes. ...
  • Allergic Reactions. Identifying Allergies. ...
  • Medication Interactions. Common Interactions. ...
  • Toxin Accumulation Risks. ...
  • Contamination Concerns. ...
  • Blood Sugar and Thyroid Effects. ...
  • Purine Content and Weight Gain. ...
  • Mineral Absorption and Toxicity Issues.
Mar 28, 2024

Should I rinse portobello mushrooms before cooking? ›

Use a damp paper towel to gently wipe any dirt or debris from the portobello. A damp paper towel should easily clean your mushrooms without the loss of flavor that occurs when mushrooms are cleaned in running water.

What is the portobello mushroom scandal? ›

The Portobello Mushroom Controversy: A Summary

– 2017: Joe Rogan, during the same podcast episode, made a controversial assertion that consuming undercooked Portobello mushrooms can potentially lead to cancer. This statement sparked widespread debate and raised concerns among mushroom lovers.

What is the black thing inside a mushroom? ›

It is black because the mushroom's spores have dissolved into it. If water is leeching out of your mushrooms as you cook them either your pan wasn't hot enough or you are cooking too many at once. Mushrooms should be seared in a very hot pan with a little oil.

Are you supposed to eat the stems of portobello mushrooms? ›

The stems of large portabella, while technically edible, can be woody and fibrous and are usually discarded (or used to flavor stock). Likewise, the dark black gills can be eaten, but they'll turn your food a nasty, murky, scuzzy brown, so it's best to scrape'em out.

How long do portobello mushrooms last in the refrigerator? ›

Keep in mind that even the freshest mushrooms will spoil relatively quickly, so make sure to cook your portobellos soon after purchasing them—ideally within four to seven days.

Are portabella mushrooms good for you? ›

Portabella mushrooms contain non-nutritive compounds like polysaccharides, polyphenols, and carotenoids, which may have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. In animal studies, mushrooms have been shown to stimulate immune cells and stop the growth and spread of cancer cells.

What is the secret to portobello mushrooms? ›

The key to giving a portobello (or any mushroom) dense texture is to cook it slowly in oil so that most of its moisture is driven out.

Can you overcook portobello mushrooms? ›

When it comes to cooking, the most important thing to know is that chitin is very heat stable. That means when you cook mushrooms, they're not going to get soft and mushy.

Why should you cook portobello mushrooms at high heat? ›

Mushrooms, even common button mushrooms, contain traces of carcinogenic compounds in raw form. The same toxin, hydrazine, is also found in portobello mushrooms, and shiitake mushrooms contain a naturally occurring formaldehyde. Both chemicals are heat-sensitive and abolished upon exposure to heat.

What are the gills on the underside of a mushroom used for? ›

Gilled mushrooms typically have a stem and a cap with plate-like gills on the underside. These gills are responsible for the storage and disposal of reproductive spores.

How important are gills to a mushroom? ›

The gills of mushrooms produce spores which help in the process of reproduction. The gills of Musa mushrooms are the linear structures present on the underside of a mushroom's cap which allow the spores to fall in a downward direction into the air.

What are the gills under a mushroom cap? ›

In mycology, a lamella ( pl. : lamellae), or gill, is a papery hymenophore rib under the cap of some mushroom species, most often agarics. The gills are used by the mushrooms as a means of spore dispersal, and are important for species identification.

What is happening on the gills of a mushroom? ›

Mushroom spore dispersal is usually described as a two-phase process: active ejection of spores clear of the gill surface by surface tension catapults, followed by a passive phase in which the spores are carried by whatever winds are present beneath the mushroom cap.

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