There are many different types of mushrooms in the world.
Although they are technically a type of fungus, mushrooms are commonly categorized as a vegetable for culinary purposes.
From common and affordable mushrooms to exotic varieties from abroad, there is a broad range of options.
This article presents a list of edible mushrooms with their main taste characteristics, nutritional values, pictures, how to use them, and more.
Note: unless otherwise stated, all nutritional values are forraw weight and courtesy of the USDA FoodData Central database.
1. Cremini Mushrooms
Scientific name: Agaricus bisporus
Alternate names: Baby bella, brown mushroom, chestnut mushroom, crimini
Growing regions: Grassy areas of Europe and North America (1)
How to cook: pan-frying, roasting, sauteing, soups/stews, stir-fries
Cremini mushrooms are a variety of mushroom that belongs to the white button mushroom family. The species name is Agaricus bisporus, and this family of mushrooms also includes portobello (2).
These three mushrooms—cremini, portobello, and white button—are the three most commonly consumed mushrooms globally (3).
That being said, these three mushrooms are actually the same mushroom. Although they look different, the variations in appearance just depend on age.
White button mushrooms are the freshest and youngest, then cremini, and portobellos have been left to mature for the longest time. Compared to white buttons, cremini mushrooms have a browner color, a meatier texture, and a deeper flavor.
Nutritionally, 3.5 oz (100 grams) of cremini mushrooms provide (4):
Key Point: Cremini mushrooms are fairly nutritious and very tasty. They belong to the Agaricus Biporus family, and they are slightly further in maturation than white button mushrooms.
2. Morel Mushrooms
Scientific name: Morchella esculenta
Alternate names: Common morel, true morel
Growing regions: East Asia, Europe, North America, West Asia
How to cook: pan-frying, roasting, sauteing, soups/stews, stir-fries
These are certainly some of the most unique, unusual, and mysterious mushrooms in terms of their appearance.
Morel mushrooms (Morchellaesculenta) look like honeycomb on a stick, and they taste as unique as they look. If you have tried shiitake mushrooms before, then you’ll understand the “meaty” taste they have.
These are like that, only more intense, and they have a kind of nutty flavor too. In short, if you like shiitake, you’ll probably love Morels.
Unfortunately, it’s hard to cultivate morel mushrooms on a large scale, so it is rare to find them in a store. However, they are available in some areas, and dried morel mushrooms are more widely available.
Growing kits to make your own are available too, and they can safely grow in the garden (disclosure: affiliate link).
The basic nutritional profile for morel mushrooms per 3.5 oz (100 grams) is as follows (5):
Key Point: Morel mushrooms are unique in both taste and appearance. Unfortunately, they are almost impossible to buy, but we can easily pick or grow them ourselves.
3. Shiitake Mushrooms
Scientific name: Lentinula edodes
Alternate names: Black mushroom, golden oak mushroom, oakwood mushroom
Growing regions: Mainly East Asia (but available worldwide)
How to cook: pan-frying, sauteing, soups/stews, stir-fries, stuffed with ingredients
Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) is one of the most popular types of mushrooms, and for a good reason: they taste delicious.
With a meaty, chewy taste, they go well with almost everything, and they are now the third most cultivated mushrooms in the world (6).
These mushrooms are often claimed to have health benefits too. While some of these claims are exaggerated, a randomized trial featuring 52 healthy men and women found that shiitake mushroom intake led to slightly lower CRP levels. CRP is a marker of inflammation, and the dosage in this study was at a level that is realistic of general daily consumption (7).
Per 3.5 oz (100-gram) portion, shiitake mushrooms provide the following nutritional values (8):
Calories: 34 kcal
Carbohydrate: 6.79
Fiber: 2.5 g
Sugars: 2.38 g
Fat: 0.49 g
Protein: 2.24 g
Shiitake mushrooms are available in dried form too, which have deeper and more concentrated flavor and higher nutritional value (disclosure: affiliate link).
How to cook: Grilling, pan-frying, roasting, sauteing, soups/stews, stir-fries
As shown above, king oyster mushrooms are one of the biggest types of edible mushrooms. They have a striking appearance and are very thick in shape, giving them an extremely chewy and spongy texture, similar to foods like squid.
For this reason, roasting king oysters in the oven works well and leaves you with a deep, rich flavor. Just add a bit of butter/oil and salt beforehand to enhance the taste.
The mushroom goes by the scientific name of Pleurotus eryngii and it is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, but different varieties can be found around the world (12).
The basic nutritional profile for king oyster mushrooms per 3.5 oz (100 grams) is as follows:
Similar to morel mushrooms, the lion’s mane mushroom has an unusual appearance.
These mushrooms grow in the wild throughout Europe, North America, and Asia. Although relatively rare in Western dishes, it plays a larger role in Chinese cuisine.
The mushroom has also become popular in the health and supplement industry, and various products are available. These include extracts, tablets, and even coffee-mix drinks.
It can be difficult to find lion’s mane mushrooms for sale in their fresh form. However, it may be possible to buy them if you hunt around in some Asian grocery stores.
Lion’s mane mushrooms taste good: they are quite juicy and have an intense meaty flavor.
Per 3.5 oz (100-gram) serving, according to MyFitnessPal, here is the basic nutritional profile for lion’s mane mushrooms (13):
Calories: 24 kcal
Carbohydrate: 3.0 g
Fat: 0 g
Protein: 2.0 g
Key Point: Lion’s mane mushrooms are chewy, flavorful, and odd-looking but delicious.
7. Enoki Mushrooms
Scientific name: Flammulina velutipes
Alternate names: Enokitake, golden needle, lily mushrooms, string mushrooms,
Enoki mushrooms (enokitake) are long and thin white mushrooms that resemble a piece of string. Again, they are among the more unique looking mushroom varieties.
Enoki mushrooms taste great, and they are also relatively simple to grow and cheap to buy.
In certain Asian and Italian dishes, they can act as an alternate “replacement” for noodles due to their chewy texture and noodle-like appearance.
For the same reason, tossing some into a stir-fry has great results.
Here are the basic nutritional values for enoki mushrooms per 3.5 oz (100 gram) serving (14):
Key Point: Enoki mushrooms work well in soups or stir-fries, and they make surprisingly good low carb noodles.
8. White Button Mushrooms
Scientific name: Agaricus bisporus
Alternate names: Button mushrooms, champignon, white mushrooms
Growing regions: Grassy areas of Europe and North America (1)
How to cook: pan-frying, pizza topping, roasting, sauteing, soups/stews, stir-fries
Button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) are the baby version of shiitake and cremini. These mushrooms are fresh and at an early-life stage.
Despite their basic white appearance, button mushrooms have an enjoyable and very flavorful taste when cooked. The mushrooms are also good at absorbing different flavors from foods they’re cooked alongside.
White button mushrooms have the most significant commercial production of any mushroom in the world. In fact, they represent 90% of the edible mushrooms consumed in the United States (15).
Nutritionally, here is the basic nutrition profile for white button mushrooms per 3.5 oz (100-gram) serving (16):
Calories: 22 kcal
Carbohydrate: 3.26 g
Fiber: 1.0 g
Sugars: 1.98 g
Fat: 0.34 g
Protein: 3.09 g
Key Point: White button mushrooms are the most popular type of mushroom in the world. They’re good for you, taste great, and make a tasty addition to any dish.
9. Portobello Mushrooms
Scientific name: Agaricus bisporus
Alternate names: Button mushrooms, champignon, white mushrooms
Growing regions: Grassy areas of Europe and North America (1)
How to cook/use: Grilling, pan-frying, portobello burger, roasting, sauteing, soups/stews, stir-fries, stuffed with various ingredients
If button mushrooms are the babies, then portobello mushrooms are the grandparent. Portobello mushrooms are the same mushroom species as button and cremini mushrooms—Agaricus bisporus—but at a later, more mature stage of life.
Therefore, the mushrooms are much bigger and wider in diameter, as well as being deeper and richer in flavor.
Portobellos are one of the best-tasting types of mushrooms. Among the various cooking options, baked portobellos are delicious – especially when stuffed with some cheese and other ingredients.
The mushroom provides the following basic nutritional values per 3.5 oz (100-gram) serving (17):
Calories: 22 kcal
Carbohydrate: 3.87 g
Fiber: 1.3 g
Sugars: 2.5 g
Fat: 0.35 g
Protein: 2.11 g
Key Point: Portobello mushrooms are the mature version of white button mushrooms; they are very flavorful and delicious. Due to their large size, they can be stuffed with ingredients of your choice and baked.
10. Porcini Mushrooms
Scientific name: Boletus edulis
Alternate names: Boletus mushrooms, king bolete
Growing region: Nothern hemisphere parts of Asia, Europe, and North America
Porcini mushrooms (Boletus edulis) are one of the most popular mushroom varieties for culinary purposes.
Unfortunately, they are also one of the most expensive. This relative expense is due to the difficulties in cultivating the mushrooms on a large scale. Thus, small-scale operations tend to sell the mushrooms for high prices due to the effort involved.
Due to their expense, porcini mushrooms are popular targets for mushroom foragers.
Taste-wise, they have a deep and intense flavor with an earthy taste and somewhat nutty notes.
Unfortunately, there are currently no published nutritional values for porcini mushrooms in any major nutritional database.
Key Point: Porcini is one of the most famous wild edible mushrooms. However, they are difficult to cultivate and their price reflects this.
11. Maitake Mushrooms
Scientific name: Grifola frondosa
Alternate names: Dancing mushroom, hen of the woods, king of mushrooms
Matsutake mushrooms are said to be the best-tasting edible mushroom. Those who have tried the mushrooms describe the aroma as “nearly impossible to describe” (20).
Having never tried the mushroom personally, it is described as being fruity, spicy, intense, pungent, and unique (21, 22).
On the negative side, matsutake mushrooms have never been commercially cultivated, and they are difficult to find. As a result, the mushroom commands a premium price that can unbelievably cost more than $1000 for a pound of matsutake mushrooms (23).
In Japan, these mushrooms are often gifted in lavish gift boxes to individuals of importance in the business world (24).
Perhaps understandably, matsutake mushrooms are a top target for mushroom foragers.
Once again, due to their relative rarity, there are no published nutritional values for matsutake mushrooms.
Key Point: Matsutake mushrooms are a legendary mushroom, and they are particularly popular in East Asia. However, these mushrooms are hard to find and extremely expensive.
13. Reishi Mushrooms
Scientific name: Ganoderma lingzhi
Alternate names: Lingzhi mushrooms, varnish shelf
Cultivation origin: Parts of Europe and East Asia (rare) (25)
Uses: Mushroom tea, supplements
Reishi mushrooms have a unique and attractive appearance, with a tough and glossy exterior. For this reason, they have the nickname of ‘varnish shelf mushrooms.’
These mushrooms mainly grow in China and other East Asian countries like Korea. Although they are edible types of mushrooms, they are too hard and tough to be enjoyed in this manner.
Reishi mushrooms are usually thought of as a so-called ‘medicinal mushroom’ and feature numerous supplements. The mushrooms are also often boiled to make tea (26).
However, it is probably better to be wary about over-hyped ‘medicinal’ claims from mushroom supplementation.
While there are many claims of health benefits, a recent randomized controlled trial involving 84 human participants found no statistically significant effects on blood sugar, blood lipids, blood pressure, or other noteworthy markers of health (27).
Key Point: Reishi mushrooms are often thought of as ‘medicinal mushrooms.’ While they are edible, they are mainly used for supplements and tea drinks due to their texture and taste.
14. Giant Puffball Mushrooms
Scientific name: Calvatia gigantea
Alternate names: True puffballs
Cultivation origin: Worldwide in temperate climates
Uses: Deep-frying, pan-frying, roasting
Looking more like a big white ball than a mushroom, giant puffball mushrooms have a unique size and appearance.
Giant puffball mushrooms typically grow in grassy fields, but they can be hard to find.
These mushrooms are generally cut into large slices and fried in oil, and they have a relatively mild taste.
Although the small-scale commercial sale of giant puffballs takes place, they are rare to see in stores.
Key Point: Giant puffball mushrooms are large ball-shaped mushrooms with a unique appearance. However, they are relatively hard to find and have a mild flavor.
15. Buna Shimeji Mushrooms
Scientific name: Hypsizygus tessellatus
Alternate names: Beech mushroom, brown beech mushroom, clamshell mushroom, white beech mushroom
Growing region: Temperate climates of Australia, Europe, and North America (28)
Uses: Pan-frying, roasting, sauteing, soups and stews, stir-frying
Shimeji mushrooms mainly grow in two varieties, which are white and brown in color respectively. The mushrooms are very popular and widely cultivated in areas where they grow (29).
The mushrooms have an earthy, mildly sweet, and nutty flavor.
Shimeji mushrooms are very prevalent in the areas (near beech trees) where they grow. Thus, they are relatively affordable compared to some of the other lesser-known mushrooms.
Key Point: Shimeji mushrooms are tasty and affordable mushrooms that grow around beech trees in temperate climates.
16. Pepeao (Jew’s Ear)
Scientific name: Auricularia auricula-judae
Alternate names: Jew’s ear, jelly ear, wood ear
Growing region: Worldwide
Uses: Pan-frying, sauteing, soups and stews, stir-frying
Pepeao grows on wood in nations throughout the world, and it has a unique ear-like shape and appearance.
These ear-shaped mushrooms are also rather tasty, and they have a mildly chewy texture that absorbs flavors well.
Nutritionally, 3.5 oz (100 grams) of pepeao provides the following basic values (30):
Calories: 25 kcal
Carbohydrate: 6.75 g
Fat: 0.04 g
Protein: 0.48 g
Key Point: Pepeao (Jew’s ear) mushrooms are unique in appearance and have a pleasant chewy texture. The mushrooms grow around the world.
17. Straw Mushrooms
Scientific name: Volvariella colvacea
Alternate names: Paddy straw mushroom
Growing region: Primarily Asia
Uses: Pan-frying, sauteing, soups and stews, stir-frying
Straw mushrooms mainly grow in East Asia and other localized parts of Asia.
These mushrooms often feature in Asian stews and stir-fries, and they contribute a pleasant mild flavor and a chewy texture.
Although straw mushrooms have a relatively mild flavor, they absorb other flavors from dishes well.
It is extremely rare to find straw mushrooms for sale fresh outside the areas where they grow. However, canned straw mushrooms are sold around the world and are relatively easy to find.
On a nutritional basis, a typical 3.5 oz (100-gram) portion of straw mushrooms will offer (31):
Calories: 32 kcal
Carbohydrate: 3.83 g
Fiber: 2.5 g
Fat: 0.68 g
Protein: 3.83 g
Key Point: Straw mushrooms are difficult to find fresh outside of regions where they grow in Asia. However, these tasty mushrooms are available in cans around the world.
18. Chanterelle Mushrooms
Scientific name: Cantharellus cibarius
Alternate names: Golden chanterelle
Growing region: Worldwide
Uses: Pan-frying, roasting, sauteing, soups and stews, stir-frying
Chanterelle mushrooms have a unique uniform yellow color, and they are among the most popular types of edible wild mushrooms.
The mushrooms grow in regions worldwide, and they can be found across Africa, Europe, and North America (32).
In a culinary sense, chanterelle mushrooms are thought of as being one of the best-tasting edible mushrooms. This is because they have a rich depth of flavor and contribute numerous flavors to dishes in which they feature.
However, due to the lack of commercial cultivation, they tend to be quite expensive at around $20 to $30 per pound (33).
Per 3.5 oz (100 grams), chanterelles have the following basic nutrition profile (34):
Calories: 32 kcal
Carbohydrate: 6.86 g
Fiber: 3.8 g
Sugars: 1.16 g
Fat: 0.53 g
Protein: 1.49 g
Key Point: Chanterelle mushrooms have a striking yellow appearance. These mushrooms are widely regarded as being among the tastiest edible mushroom varieties.
Important Note On Foraging For Wild Edible Mushrooms
Just a final note: always be extremely careful if foraging for mushrooms in the wild. It must be remembered that many non-edible mushrooms contain potent toxins.
The golden rule is never to pick and eat a mushroom if you are not 100% sure. Doing so without positively identifying the species is potentially very dangerous. For this reason, foraging should be left to those with expert knowledge of identifying mushrooms.
Cooking Mushrooms
For some tips on how to get mushrooms right the first time, every time, see here:
Michael works as a nutritionist in a community setting and holds a Master's Degree in Clinical Nutrition. He is a Registered Associate Nutritionist with the Association for Nutrition.
