How to Microwave Mushrooms

//cookanyday.com/cdn/shop/files/Anyday_Photos_Basics_Mushrooms_1040_360x.webp?v=1722358674 Perfectly cooked mushrooms made and served in the glass Anyday dish, providing tender and flavorful mushrooms. This method ensures evenly cooked mushrooms, ideal for adding to stir-fries, pastas, or as a delicious side dish.
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Prep Time

2 mins

Cook Time

2-3 mins

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Cooking mushrooms in the microwave with Anyday is — dare we say?— magical. Microwaving mushrooms in a covered glass Anyday dish is like pressing fast-forward on your meal prep session — plus it locks in nutrition and mushrooms’ natural juiciness. Add lots of flavor by adding butter, herbs, seasonings, and other condiments. Plus, with minimal cleanup, spend less time scrubbing and more time enjoying this quick and easy side dish.

All of Anyday’s recipes are tested (and retested!) in many different microwaves and home kitchens to make sure they work — and work well. Unless specified otherwise, all recipes should be cooked at full power.

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What You’ll Need

What You’ll Need

The Small Dish

This dish’s superpower is evenly heating leftovers and cooking small portions.

The Anyhand Mitts

Handle hot Anyday dishes with care with these microwave mitts that double as trivets!
Try Anyday

Select your serving size and microwave wattage in the dropdown. The recipe will change accordingly.

1 cup mushrooms

Select your microwave wattage in the dropdown. The cook times in this recipe will automatically change accordingly.

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To find your microwave’s wattage, look at the front panel, the side of the door, in the back, in the user manual, or Google the model number. If both an input and output wattage are listed, use the output.

Wattage translates to how powerful the microwave is. The higher the wattage, the faster your food will cook. The lower the wattage, the longer the cook time.

When in doubt, start with less time — you can always add more.

Microwave oven by power - 900w
900w

Recommended 

Dish

The Small Dish

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (85g) mushrooms, sliced, quartered or halved
  • 1 teaspoon unsalted butter (oil or stock)

Preparation

  1. Add the mushrooms, butter, and salt to the Anyday dish.
  2. Cover with the lid (knob lifted).
  3. Cook in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender.

Serving suggestions & tips

  • Honey balsamic: Once cooked, season with balsamic vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper.
  • Miso sesame: Toss with room temperature butter, miso paste, and sesame oil before or after cooking.
  • Garlic rosemary: Toss with room temperature butter, garlic powder, and chopped rosemary before or after cooking.
  • Sour cream and onion sauce: Once cooked, mix with onion dip mix and sour cream over pasta, chicken, or pork.

Recipe notes

  • Any kind of fresh mushrooms will work with this recipe. Some large mushrooms such as king oyster might need 1-2 more minutes of cooking time.
  • Microwave ovens vary, even with the same wattages. Adjust cooking times as needed.

Microwave Match Up: Mushrooms

See for yourself— microwaving mushrooms is simply faster, start to finish.

Appliance Cook Time
Microwave in an Anyday dish 3-5 mins
Stovetop* 5-10 mins
Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker)* 20 mins
*Includes preheat time

All You Need to Know About Microwaving Mushrooms

How long does it take to cook mushrooms in the microwave?

Ingredient Water Cook Time
1 cup mushrooms, sliced, quartered or halved 1 teaspoon unsalted butter (oil or stock) 2-3 mins
2 cups mushrooms, sliced, quartered or halved 1 teaspoon unsalted butter (oil or stock) 3-4 mins
4 cups mushrooms, sliced, quartered or halved 2 teaspoons unsalted butter (oil or stock) 5-6 mins
6 cups mushrooms, sliced, quartered or halved 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (oil or stock) 8-9 mins
Cook time calculated for 900w microwave

It typically takes around 2-3 minutes per cup of mushrooms to cook in the microwave. To determine when mushrooms are cooked through, look for fork-tender, bendy mushrooms, and some excess cooking liquid. You can also test its doneness by eating a piece of mushroom, which should be soft and hot (not rubbery).

Is it safe to steam mushrooms?

Steaming mushrooms is a safe and convenient cooking method. To ensure safety, begin by cleaning the mushrooms thoroughly by rinsing them under cool water and patting them dry. Next, trim and slice the mushrooms to your desired thickness for even cooking. Add a small amount of water, stock, or butter to create steam, then cover with the lid and cook as suggested. Avoid overcooking to maintain their texture and prevent them from becoming rubbery.. Steaming mushrooms preserves their flavor and nutritional value.

How can I make my mushrooms taste better?

Mushrooms are like little sponges which will absorb flavor very well. Add chili crisp, garlic powder, salt, pepper, curry powder, or herbs to the Anyday dish when cooking mushrooms and you will quickly transform this ingredient into a dish. Add some chicken, beef or flavored bouillon paste, or miso, to enhance the mushrooms’ natural savory notes.

Is it better to cook mushrooms with butter or oil?

Mushrooms have a very mild flavor. That’s why using ingredients such as butter, chicken or beef stock, or flavorful oils such as sesame or olive oil, is a great and easy way to enhance mushrooms’ natural flavor, and don’t forget about adding some salt.

How to freeze microwaved mushrooms?

After steaming and cooling the mushrooms, spoon them into the 1/2 Cup Anytime Freezer Trays, then cover them with the lid and freeze until solid. This method ensures you have convenient access to quick and easy steamed mushrooms when needed.