This umami-rich Japanese Mushroom Rice is cooked in a savory dashi soy broth and topped with butter, chopped chives, and sea salt flakes. Use a mix of different Japanese mushrooms like shiitake, king oyster, and shimeji for flavor and texture.
There are so many ways to cook and enjoy Japanese rice beyond ordinary steamed rice to accompany your meal. When I plan to serve a light main dish, I usually go for mixed rice with fresh seasonal ingredients or pantry staples.
Today, let’s make Japanese Mushroom Rice (きのこご飯). Japanese mushrooms, such as shiitake, enoki, shimeji, and maitake, are getting more popular these days and I can get them at local grocery stores or farmers’ markets. Whether you’re a mushroom fan or not, I’d love you to give this recipe a try. This dish spotlights the beauty of all-mighty mushrooms—and I think you’re going to fall in love!
Table of Contents
- What is Japanese Mushroom Rice?
- Why You Should Make This Japanese Mushroom Rice
- My Favorite Rice Cooker – Hario GohanGama
- How to Make Japanese Mushroom Rice
- 5 Tips on Making Japanese Mushroom Rice
- Cooking in a Rice Cooker or a Stovetop Pot
- What to Serve with Japanese Mushroom Rice
- Other Delicious Rice Recipes
What is Japanese Mushroom Rice?
Japanese mushroom rice (known as kinoko gohan in Japanese) is another variation of takikomi gohan, which is a Japanese mixed rice dish that incorporates steamed rice with a mixture of vegetables, proteins, and seasonings.
In this kinoko gohan, a mixture of mushrooms is cooked with the rice so the entire rice dish is infused with an aromatic, earthy, umami flavor. Any mushroom lovers would enjoy this beautiful rustic recipe!
Why You Should Make This Japanese Mushroom Rice
- Light yet flavorful, umami-rich, and savory.
- So easy to make!
- Simple & accessible ingredients.
- Vegan-friendly by using Kombu Dashi (with the addition of dried shiitake mushrooms).
- Freezer-friendly. Leftovers? Save it for another meal!
My Favorite Rice Cooker – Hario GohanGama
In case you are new to my blog, I cook Japanese rice using various methods: rice cooker, stovetop pot, donabe (Japanese earthenware or clay pot), and Instant Pot. Each one has its perks and you can certainly make this Japanese mushroom rice recipe with your chosen vessel.
But today, I want to talk about my ABSOLUTE favorite way to cook rice and it has to be with Hario’s GohanGama. You might have seen me using this rice cooker in my Instagram stories many times.
Hario’s GohanGama is basically a heat-resistant Japanese clay pot that features a glass lid. This is a sponsored post, but it’s a product that I truly enjoy. The rice turns out fluffy, tender, and incredibly fragrant every time. I can’t recommend it enough to those who are looking for an alternative way to cook rice!
How to Make Japanese Mushroom Rice
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Japanese mushrooms – I used fresh shiitake, shimeji, and eringi (king oyster) mushrooms in this recipe; you can use enoki, maitake, or other kinds of mushrooms such as cremini. Consider both flavors and textures for the mix.
- Japanese short-grain rice – For best results, I recommend using Japanese short-grain rice, which is the same type of rice we use for making sushi. It has a sticky, fluffy texture that is different from the other types of rice. The closest substitute is Korean short-grain rice. Learn more: Japanese Rice: Everything You Need To Know
- Dashi (Japanese soup stock) – I used the combination of dashi with kombu and katsuobushi today, but if you’re vegetarian/vegan, you make this quick Kombu Dashi and add some dried shiitake mushrooms in it.
- Seasonings – Soy sauce, mirin, sake, and salt.
- Toppings – Butter, chives, and sea salt flakes.
Overview: Cooking Steps
- Make dashi (Japanese soup stock), if you haven’t already. You can make it from scratch, use a dashi packet (my method today), or dashi powder. If you’re vegan/vegetarian, make kombu dashi and add a few dried shiitake mushrooms to the broth.
- Rinse rice and drain. I have the whole tutorial on the proper rice rinsing tutorial here.
- Cut mushrooms into bite-size pieces.
- Add rice, seasonings, and stocks. Then mix it all together before you put the mushrooms on top. Let the rice soak in the seasoning broth for 20 minutes.
- Cook the rice. Once it’s finished cooking, let it steam for 10-15 minutes before fluffing the rice.
5 Tips on Making Japanese Mushroom Rice
- Take note of the rice cooker cup – If you have never owned a rice cooker, you may not be aware that rice is measured with a rice cooker cup. 1 rice cooker cup is 180 ml, equivalent to 3/4 US cup. This measurement is standard for all brands of rice cookers. If your rice cooker comes with a clear rice cooker cup, it is a 180-ml cup.
- The ratio for Japanese short-grain rice to water is 1:1.1 or 1:1.2 – For 1 rice cooker cup (180 ml) of Japanese rice, you will need 200 ml of water.
- Quickly rinse mushrooms – There are a lot of discussions on whether you should be washing mushrooms or not, and this is because mushrooms can soak up moisture. If your mushrooms look relatively clean, you can gently brush them with a pastry brush or paper towel. If dirt is attached to mushrooms and hard to remove, you can quickly rinse them under cold running water and dry them with a clean tea towel or paper towel. Just DO NOT SOAK them.
- Do not mix rice and ingredients – This applies to all mixed rice recipes. You first need to mix the rice and broth (with seasonings), but other ingredients such as veggies and meat must go on top. This ensures the rice is cooked evenly. Only mix everything together once the rice is done cooking.
- Always soak Japanese short-grain rice – Japanese rice is plump (thicker) than other varieties and it needs a head start to absorb moisture to the core. Soaking for 20-30 minutes is standard.
Cooking in a Rice Cooker or a Stovetop Pot
You will cook the rice exact same way whether you cook this recipe in your electric rice cooker or stovetop pot.
This means that you prepare each ingredient as I explained and put everything in the same order in your cooking device. Make sure to soak the rice for 20-30 minutes.
If you’re cooking the rice in an electric rice cooker, click the start button (or “mixed rice” menu).
If you are cooking the rice in a pot over the stovetop:
- Cover the pot with the lid and bring it to a boil over medium heat. You can take a quick peek to see if the water is boiling (otherwise do not open the lid).
- Once the water is boiling, turn the heat to low and cook, covered, for 12 to 13 minutes, or until the water is completely absorbed (take a quick peek). If there is water left, close the lid and continue cooking for a little longer.
- Remove the pot (with the lid on) from the heat source and let it steam for another 10 minutes.
What to Serve with Japanese Mushroom Rice
I usually serve Japanese Mushroom Rice with a main dish that’s not too heavy, such as Miso Salmon, Shio Koji Chicken, or Soy-Glazed Eggplant.
This is a perfect side to serve with your vegetarian and vegan dishes.
Other Delicious Rice Recipes
- Japanese Corn Rice
- Takikomi Gohan (Japanese Mixed Rice)
- Mame Gohan (Green Pea Rice)
- Matsutake Gohan (Wild Pine Mushroom Rice)
- Takenoko Gohan (Bamboo Rice)
Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.
Japanese Mushroom Rice
Video
Ingredients
- 7 oz assortment of Japanese mushrooms (for 4 servings, I used ½ package (50 g) of shimeji mushrooms, 2 small king oyster mushrooms (eringi), and 5 shiitake mushrooms)
- 2 rice cooker cups uncooked Japanese short-grain white rice (360 ml, 1½ US cups, 300 g of uncooked rice yields roughly 4 servings (3½ US cups) of cooked rice)
For the Rice Seasoning
- 1¼ cups dashi (Japanese soup stock) (for vegan/vegetarian, make Vegan Dashi)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp mirin
- 2 Tbsp sake
- ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 knob ginger (you will need ½ tsp per 4 servings)
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
For the Toppings
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter (divided)
- 5 stalks chives (or scallions/green onion)
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients. The Japanese short-grain rice-to-water ratio is 1 to 1.1 (or 1.2). I used my Hario GohanGama (donabe rice cooker) in this recipe, but you can use an electric rice cooker (same measurement, and start cooking as usual) or a pot with a heavy bottom (for better heat distribution).
To Wash the Rice
- Put the rice in a large bowl and add just enough cold tap water to submerge the grains. Discard the water immediately (so the rice doesn't absorb the cloudy water). Next, use your fingers to gently wash the wet grains in a circular motion for 15-20 seconds. Add water to rinse and immediately pour off the cloudy water. Repeat this "wash and rinse" process a couple more times until the water is clear. Drain the rice in a fine-mesh sieve and shake off the excess water. Set aside while you prepare the mushrooms.
To Prepare the Mushrooms
- Cut the king oyster mushrooms into 1½-inch (3.8 cm) lengths. Then, slice the lengths into thin slabs.
- Cut and discard the bottoms of the shimeji mushrooms and separate the individual mushrooms with your fingers.
- Discard the stems of the shiitake mushrooms and thinly slice the caps.
To Cook the Rice
- To your rice pot, add the well-drained rice, dashi, soy sauce, mirin, sake, and salt.
- Peel and grate the ginger. You will need about ½ tsp per 4 servings.
- Add the ginger and minced garlic (I use this garlic press). Mix the rice and seasoning mixture well. Gently shake the pot and use your fingers to level the rice so that it's evenly distributed and submerged in the water.
- Gently place the mushrooms on the rice, arranging the brown shiitake caps and shimeji mushrooms on top so they look pretty when the rice is done cooking. DO NOT MIX. The rice will not cook evenly if mixed with the mushrooms. Cover with the lid and let the rice soak for 20-30 minutes (soaking is crucial for preparing Japanese short-grain rice).
- For the Hario GohanGama, cook on medium-high heat until it starts to whistle, roughly 10-11 minutes. For a regular donabe or heavy-bottomed pot, cook on medium-high heat for about 13-15 minutes. For an electric rice cooker, choose the Mixed Rice menu, if available; otherwise, start cooking.
- For the Hario GohanGama, once whistling, cook for another 1-2 minutes and turn off the heat. For a regular donabe or pot, as soon as the rice is done cooking, remove it from the heat. Let the rice steam for 20 minutes for the GohanGama and 10 minutes for the donabe, pot, and electric rice cooker. This resting period is crucial for the rice to steam properly. Resist the urge to peek under the lid and release the steam during this time.
- Meanwhile, finely chop the chives and transfer them to a small plate. Also, prepare small plates of the sea salt flakes and butter. When the rice is done steaming, add half the butter on top of the mushrooms and quickly close the lid to let it melt with the residual heat.
To Serve
- Sprinkle the chives and sea salt flakes on top, and add the other half of the butter (if desired). Gently mix the mushrooms into the rice using a slicing motion to avoid mashing the rice grains. Serve the mushroom rice in individual rice bowls and sprinkle more chives and sea salt on top, if desired.
To Store
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 2 days and in the freezer for a month.
I found this recipe far too salty, and I didn’t even add the salt topping at the end. Would have loved it otherwise though so will make it again withou adding any salt. The saltiness of the soy sauce is sufficient for me.
Hi Marian! I am so sorry for the late response. I just saw your comment that hasn’t been responded. ½ tsp salt is pretty standard for a takikomi gohan recipe (even including soy sauce); however, please adjust to your liking. Thank you for trying this recipe!
I have a question! I’m wondering if it’s possible to use brown (short grain) rice, or a mix of brown and white, for this recipe—maybe if I soaked the brown rice separately for several hours, then drained and added it to the rice cooker with seasonings and dashi? I am wondering whether the mushrooms would be overcooked. I have some beautiful fresh mushrooms I’d like to use with this and don’t want to ruin them!
Hi Bailey, Thank you for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipe!
Sure! You can make this rice with brown rice or a mix of brown and white rice, as you stated. The mushrooms would turn great as well.
We hope this helps! 🙂
Awesome!! Thank you so much!
You are welcome, Bailey! Enjoy!
This was delicious!! And super easy to make, which is always a huge plus for me being a mom of two little ones. I used all the butter recommended and it’s the perfect finishing touch.
Hi Keiko! Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe!
We are so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe.
Happy Cooking!😊
I made this to go with your Shiozake recipe tonight. I substituted coconut aminos and fish sauce for soy sauce as my husband has celiac disease and allergic to soy. It was delicious! Thank you!
Hi Francesca! Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe and sharing your experience and tip with us.
We are very happy to hear you and your husband enjoyed the Japanese mushroom rice. 🤩
can you tell me what Japanese herb you used to garnish the mushroom rice I’d like to find it at my local mitskwa. transited thru Narita this past Monday… was so sad not be able to get off and enjoy Tokyo, but starting in October :_)
Hi Mary! We are very sorry to hear you couldn’t visit Tokyo this time. We hope your next visit will be much easier for you.
Thank you for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipe!
The leaves used to decorate on top of this mushroom rice are called Japanese prickly ash, Zanthoxylum piperitum, or 山椒(San-Shou). It was from Nami’s garden.😀 We are not sure if the local Mitsuwa carry it.
We hope this helps!
What does San-Shou taste like?
Hi Rose, The San-Shou is a mild version of Sichuan peppercorns and has a spicy pepper taste.
However, the leaves here are just for decoration and don’t add flavor to the dish.
We hope this helps!🙂
I can’t wait to try this recipe. My family is already a fan of your Sansai Gohan. A question about Japanese Mushroom Rice: do we have to soak the rice beforehand, like we typically do when cooking Japanese short-grain rice?
Oops! You already mentioned soaking 20-30 mins in introduction!
Hi Juliana! Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe!
We hope your family enjoy Japanese mushroom rice. 🤗
Loved this recipe but can I add chicken to it?
Hi Ann! Thank you for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipe!
Sure. You can add sliced or small cubed chicken to this recipe. Please place the chicken pieces evenly on top of the rice and add the mushroom on top of that.😉
We hope this helps!
The rice and mushroom combo is perfect especially if you happen to have a lot of mushrooms and need to cook them sooner than later–I would even include green peas to this recipe! Thank you for your recipes and thoroughness–I learn about new recipes and how to approach each one stress free!
Hi Dorene! Thank you for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipe!
We are so happy to hear that you found Nami’s tutorial helpful.
We hope you continue to enjoy making many delicious Japanese dish with us.☺️
I just want to say that I love your newsletter, website, recipes, stories, everything. Every single recipe I have tried turned out perfectly, and that is not always true of online recipes. You really know what you are doing and I appreciate that. I have told soooo many people about you! Thank you so much!
Hi Alicia! Aww. 🥰 Nami and all of us at JOC are so glad to hear that you’ve been enjoying the recipes and everything else that we share. It means so much to us.
Thank you very much for your kind words and support.
Happy Cooking! 🧑🍳
Sounds and looks so delish! Going shopping! What would you serve to go along side of this?
Hi Gwen! Thank you for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipe!
We recommend serving with one main dish that’s not too heavy (Nami posted “What to Serve with Japanese Mushroom Rice” in the post. Please check it out!) and one green side dish like “Chrysanthemum Greens Salad” (https://www.justonecookbook.com/chrysanthemum-greens-salad/). You can also add Miso soup to this.
We hope this helps!
I can’t wait to make this! Mushrooms are a favorite of mine. Quick question though; in terms of using a rice cooker, since those have soaking time built into the cooking program, would you still let it soak for a while before starting the cooker? If it helps to know, I have a Zojirushi.
Hi Carrie! Thank you for asking this question.
Yes. We recommend following Nami’s recipe and soak the rice at step 4. The rice texture is much better this way.
We hope this helps!
Thanks!
Absolutely delicious! I used Chinese rice wine and white wine as I had these instead of sake and mirin. I followed everything else as noted. I cooked mine in my rice cooker on the ‘quick’ function which took 40 minutes. SO flavoursome and completely addictive! My husband and I wolfed it down. Thank you very much for the recipe. Very best wishes from Sussex, UK.
Hi Jenny! Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe and for your kind feedback from Sussex, UK!
We are so happy to hear you enjoyed Japanese mushroom rice. 🤗
Delicious rice. I used a Le Creuset pot on the stove. I do not have a rice cooker or a donabe. I think it came out well. . So many complex flavors! I used shiitake and king oyster mushrooms.
Thank you the recipe. It’s delicious!!
Hi Catherine! Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe and sharing your experience with us!
Le Creuset pot is perfect! The rice texture will come out similar using Donabe.🙂
Happy Cooking!
Little confused. What is 2 rice cooker cups? I assume that is 2 cups of uncooked rice or is it 2 cups of cooked rice?
Rice cookers usually come with their own cups which is smaller than a regular cup. It measures about 2/3 of a regular one.
Hi Brenda! In Asia (Japan, Korea, China, etc), rice is measured in a rice cooker cup, which is 180 ml, equivalent to 3/4 US cup. 2 rice cooker cups means 360 ml or 1½ US cups or 300 g of uncooked rice, which yields roughly 4 servings (3½ US cups).
Thank you for the recipe. I am looking forward to trying. It looks delicious 🙂
Thank you, Julie! I hope you enjoy this recipe!