Mushrooms can be a wonderful, savory addition to many meals. Some mushrooms have a unique taste that can be hard to match, including Maitake mushrooms, which are known for their medicinal properties and umami taste.
However, there are nine substitutes worth looking into when it comes to Maitake mushrooms, and I have listed them below.
1. Shiitake Mushrooms
Shiitake mushrooms are one of the most highly recommended substitutes for Maitake mushrooms because of their wide availability and similar flavor profiles. Shiitake mushrooms are known for having a strong flavor and are used for a wide variety of dishes.
They also are a lighter texture, similar to Maitake mushrooms, which makes it easier for you to incorporate them into soups and salads that call for Maitake mushrooms.
The Shiitake mushroom is also known for pairing well with a lot of different kinds of foods and temperatures. Shiitake mushrooms are probably the best substitute for most mushrooms due to these factors.
They can also be cooked and prepared in the same way as Maitake mushrooms. These mushrooms can be found in most major grocery stores and markets, so Shiitake is the number one recommended substitute.
2. Oyster Mushrooms
Oyster mushrooms have an incredibly similar look and feel to Maitake mushrooms. Both of them have a bouquet-like appearance. Oyster mushrooms are known for having many health properties, like the Maitake.
They also have a unique flavor that is hard to replace. They are often described as having a more seafood-like taste than other mushrooms. This seafood taste can elevate dishes such as soups and pasta. For people who want to have that seafood flavor in a dish that normally calls for Maitake mushrooms, these would be the best option.
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3. Portobello Mushrooms
This may seem like an odd substitute for Maitake mushrooms, simply due to the size and purpose that Portobello mushrooms are typically used for. However, they make an excellent substitute for Maitake mushrooms because they are known for adding flavor but not being overly dominant in a dish. They are also not as firm as Shiitake mushrooms, so people might prefer a Portobello’s texture in certain dishes.
Portobellos are often used as a thicker meat substitute for dishes such as steaks and burgers. The size of Portobello mushrooms can make them a little trickier to work with, but dicing them up can make them a better substitute. Portobello mushrooms are also available at most grocery stores and markets, so they are much easier to find than Maitake mushrooms.
4. Chanterelles
Chanterelle mushrooms are a unique and hard-to-come-by mushroom. They are considered one of the highest quality mushrooms that France produces and thus are usually expensive. However, there are many reasons why Chanterelle mushrooms should be considered a good Maitake mushroom substitute. Chanterelle mushrooms have a sweet taste that is considered lighter than most mushrooms.
Visually, Chanterelle mushrooms also have a similar thin, ruffled edge to the Maitake. On a nutritional level, Chanterelle mushrooms pack a punch and beat out Maitake mushrooms in the amount and variety of minerals they contain. They can also be found year-round.
5. King Trumpet Mushrooms
King Trumpet mushrooms are another great substitution for Maitake mushrooms. King Trumpet mushrooms are known for being used in stews, stir-fries, and soups. Maitake mushrooms are often used in similar dishes.
King Trumpet mushrooms also have a wide variety of minerals and vitamins in them and have been connected to the improvement of people’s immune systems and can help people fight cancer, just like the Maitake mushroom. King Trumpet mushrooms also are connected to helping people with heart issues, which can be a nice additional bonus for those at risk of heart-related diseases.
6. Crimini Mushrooms
Crimini mushrooms have an incredibly similar flavor to Maitake mushrooms. They both are known for having a similar nutty taste. Beyond taste, this mushroom has the most similar texture as well. It is considered porous and crisp instead of the more common thick tofu-like texture that mushrooms generally have.
The cool part about the texture is that it makes it so cooks can treat them almost identically in a recipe instead of trying to alter the texture of the substitute. These mushrooms are also considered the most common mushroom used worldwide, so it is incredibly likely that a consumer could find them quite easily.
Related 8 Handy Substitutes for Cream of Mushroom Soup.
7. Shimeji Mushrooms
Shimeji mushrooms also have a distinct flavor and similar texture to Maitake mushrooms. They are a little harder to find, as they are native to East Asia. But it is worth looking for them for the health benefits.
These mushrooms are a small, white, and almost crunchy texture that makes them great for stir-fries and other dishes where you don’t want a soggy mushroom.
8. Enokitake Mushrooms
Enokitake mushrooms are probably the least similar substitute out of the mushrooms, but they have some benefits that make them worth considering as a Maitake mushroom substitute.
Enokitake mushrooms have a strong structure and texture like Maitake mushrooms, which makes them an excellent choice for recipes that need a crunch or a more structured element to them. They are a great choice for stir-fries and stews. They also have a similar flavor profile to Maitake mushrooms, but they aren’t as rich.
Another thing that makes Emokitaki mushrooms cool is that they cook faster than Maitake mushrooms. This can make life easier for a busy chef who wants to make a good meal in a relatively short amount of time.
9. Zucchini
Zucchini is a non-mushroom substitute that can be beneficial for people who don’t like the taste or texture of mushrooms but still want to make a mushroom-based dish. They can be cooked similarly and have a similar earthy taste. The texture is not similar to Maitake mushrooms, but that can be a bonus for someone who would rather have a less fibrous experience. Zucchini also can be found in any market.
With these nine substitutes handy, a true chef will know whether to go through all the effort to find a Maitake mushroom supplier or if one of these substitutes will work just as well. Maitake mushrooms are another wonderful variant of mushroom that adds a whole new level to the cooking experience and to personal health management.
For more, don’t miss The 9 Best and Most Similar Cabbage Substitutes.
Anne James has a wealth of experience in a wide array of interests and is an expert in quilting, cooking, gardening, camping, mixing drinks (worked as a professional bartender), and making jelly.
Anne has a professional canning business, has been featured in the local newspaper as well as on the Hershey website, and has been her family canner for decades. Anyone growing up in the South knows that there is always a person in the family who has knowledge of the “old ways,” and this is exactly what Anne is.
With over 55 years of experience in these endeavors, she brings a level of hands-on knowledge that is hard to surpass. Amazingly, she doesn’t need to reference many resources due to her vast wealth of experience. She IS the source.
Anne wants nothing more than to pass on her extensive knowledge to the next generations, whether that be family or anyone visiting her website, her YouTube channel, or preservingsweetness.com.