Chef Karl Holl’s Favorite Ways to Prep Mushrooms

We asked chef and mushroom enthusiast Karl Holl to share his favorite ways to prep mushrooms. His answers might surprise you! 

“The diversity in mushroom cooking lends itself to a wide variety of preparations and I tend to weave mushrooms into most of my meals, one way or another. Whether it be pickled, roasted, grilled, soups, or even dried in spice rubs to create those extra layers of umami, it is hard for me to pick a favorite!”

Pickle It

Chef Holl loves adding pickled mushrooms to salads as they provide such a meaty component while layering in a good amount of acid. 

Get Roasting 

Holl is a fan of roasted mushrooms since they create such a deep layer of richness when added to a cream-based pasta sauce. Try our Herb Roasted Mushrooms to see for yourself! 

Grill On 

You truly can’t beat grilling mushrooms as they add some great smoke and really fortify the umami notes in a dish. Add these Grilled Portabella Burgers with Garlic Mayo to your next grill out! 

Good Soup 

Mushrooms are the perfect way to add meatiness to meatless soup options, which can be done by simply adding a couple of pieces of dried shiitake to a broth. Try it out with our Easy Mushroom Soup recipe! 

Flavorful Rubs & Seasonings 

Unexpectedly, Chef Holl enjoys creating dried mushroom powders which make a great addition to steak rubs to again add that powerful layer of umami. 

More Maitakes 

And Chef Holl’s all-time favorite way to prepare a mushroom is to brine maitakes and then grill them. The whole process creates a smoky-sweet umami flavor, that is very specific to that mushroom, and creates this almost meat-like, unforgettable taste. Make your own maitake masterpiece with this Wild Rice Salad recipe!