With just a handful of ingredients, this quick and easy Warm Mushroom Salad with Sesame Dressing can jazz up your dinner party or weeknight meal. Ready in just 15 minutes.
Are you a big fan of mushrooms? Packed with antioxidants, B vitamins, and a host of amazing nutrients, mushrooms are a treasured ingredient in Japanese cuisine.
We savor mushrooms’ deep, complex flavors and use them to create umami-packed dashi broth, add them in stews and soups, deep fry them for tempura, and sauté them for simple salads like this Warm Mushroom Salad with Sesame Dressing (きのこの胡麻和え温サラダ).
In this recipe, I used some of the most flavorful and nutritious mushrooms – shiitake mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms, shimeji mushrooms, and enoki mushrooms – but you can certainly experiment with the varieties of mushrooms available. The assortment of wild mushrooms works just as beautifully in this warm salad. The idea is to use different mushrooms to create a satisfying texture.
Tips on Cooking Warm Mushroom Salad
To achieve a deep, flavorful sear, make sure your frying pan is hot enough before you add in the mushrooms. Depending on the type of mushrooms, you may want to add them in succession so the meatier ones get cooked first.
Keep the mushrooms spread out in a single layer without crowding the pan. Add in a pinch of salt to help draw out the moisture and then leave the mushrooms untouched until they achieve a rich brown color on the edges. And remember it’s always better to overcook mushrooms than undercook them.
Warm Mushroom Salad Pair with Sesame Dressing
Once the mushrooms become slippery-crisp and hot, toss them with the classic Japanese sesame dressing, then add in fresh peppery mizuna (or any leafy vegetables like shungiku/chrysanthemum leaf, watercress, or arugula) and let the mixture soak up all the flavor. The result is a savory, nutty and tangy salad and a versatile side to go with everything.
Serve this Warm Mushroom Salad with Sesame Dressing alongside steamed rice, teriyaki salmon (or agedashi tofu for vegetarian) and miso soup, you have an everyday meal that is hearty and totally satisfying.
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Warm Mushroom Salad with Sesame Dressing
Ingredients
- 9.5 oz king oyster mushrooms (eringi) (1 package)
- 5 shiitake mushrooms
- 7 oz enoki mushrooms (1 package)
- 3.5 oz shimeji mushrooms (1 package)
- 1 bunch mizuna (Japanese mustard green) (or any soft leafy greens)
For the Sesame Dressing
- 3 Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
- 3 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned)
- 1 Tbsp mirin
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
For Cooking
- 1½ Tbsp neutral oil
- ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp sake
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
To Make the Sesame Dressing
- Toast 3 Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds in a frying pan (without oil) until fragrant, about 3–5 minutes. Swirl and shake the pan once in a while for even toasting. Transfer the toasted sesame seeds into your Japanese mortar and pestle. Grind the sesame seeds about half way (this adds texture to the dressing). If you don’t have a Japanese mortar and pestle, you can use a food processor or grind between your palms.
- Combine 3 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned), 1 Tbsp mirin, 1 Tbsp sugar, and 2 Tbsp soy sauce. Then, mix in the toasted sesame seeds.
To Prepare the Ingredients
- Remove the end of 9.5 oz king oyster mushrooms (eringi) and cut the mushrooms in half, about 2 inches (5 cm) long. Then, cut them into slices.
- Discard the stems from 5 shiitake mushrooms and cut into thin slices.
- Cut off and discard the base of 7 oz enoki mushrooms and cut them in half crosswise. Then, separate them into small clusters with your fingers.
- Cut the base of 3.5 oz shimeji mushrooms and separate into small clusters by hand.
- Discard the end of 1 bunch mizuna (Japanese mustard green) and cut the mizuna into pieces 2 inches (5 cm) long.
To Cook the Mushroom Salad
- Heat 1½ Tbsp neutral oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add all the mushrooms to the pan.
- Sauté the mushrooms and add ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Then, add 1 Tbsp sake and cook covered for 2 minutes over medium-low heat.
- Add the sesame dressing and toss to coat. Drizzle 1 tsp toasted sesame oil and mix it all together.
- Right before turning off the heat, add the mizuna and quickly toss all together. The remaining heat will continue to cook the mizuna, so don’t worry that it still looks raw. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot.
To Store
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for 2 weeks.
I made this recently and absolutely loved it! It was one of the easiest recipes to make and so satisfying with all that umami mushroom flavor. The greens are a nice touch – I couldn’t find mizuna that week so I used bok choy.
Hi Cat! Bok choy is perfect! Glad to hear you liked this recipe. Thank you for taking the time to write feedback. 🙂
This was tasty and I didn’t overcook the mizuna which still held a little crispiness, but the flavor of the dressing was watered down by the water from the mushrooms after sauteing. I wonder if I should have drained some of the excess liquid before pouring the dressing in.
Hi Jo Ann! Thank you for trying this recipe! I would hate to wipe off or drain the cooking liquid that came from the mushrooms. Maybe increase the condiments for the sauce to make it slightly saltier/stronger?
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This recipe looks great! If I have to make this in advance should I put the enoki and arugula in before reheating or can I do it earlier?
Hi Lauren! If you’re going to use a frying pan again, then I would add only arugula (mizuna) later. 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
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Hi Nami! May I know if the sauce can be made in advanced and stored in the refrigerator? If so, how long can it keep for?
Hi Wy! You can make the sauce ahead of time. Probably up to a week as there is no water in the sauce. 🙂
[…] Warm Mushroom Salad […]
Thank you, we saw thes mushroom in our local Asian shop they looked so good we had to try them. Thanks for confidence boost.
Hi Terry! You’re very welcome! 🙂
Such a wonderfu recipe and photos!, Pretty simple and nice! I am just trying to imagine, what igredients I could use instead of Japaneese mushrooms and mizuna salad (ha ha, actually all the main ingredients ))) I love to pick up mushrooms and now it is a season starts (I live near Paris, France). I am going to replace with cep (penny bun), and some other mushrooms. And if I won’t find the mizuna salad, what do you think about rocket salad and spinach? So I hope to achieve something great and nice like your recipe.
Thank you for your wonderful web recipes.
Rem
Hi Rem! This dressing will go well with any leafy greens. The type is really up to you. Depends on how quickly the leafy greens cook, you just need to cut down/cook more on the vegetables so it stays fresh not mushy. Hope you can find good combination of the ingredients from Paris to make this dish! Enjoy!
Thank you Nami, I will try the spinach. And will see how it works with European mushrooms. I will tell you.
Thank you! Hope you enjoy!! 🙂
I love mushrooms…Looking forward to making this…thanks and Happy New Year
Hi Lyn! Hope you enjoy this recipe. Happy New Year to you and your family!
Hi Nami! Can I use the bottled Japanese sesame dressing? Kewpie? Thanks. Want to try this soon!
Hi Ester! Sure you can, but the bottled kewpie dressing has mayonnaise in it. As long as you’re okay with it, sure! 🙂
hi nami.. happy new year… health in you and in your family..
can i ask you something?? can i use spinach.. same procedure and same seasoning???
Hi Chris! Happy New Year! Yes, you can use spinach. If you’re using softer spinach (like ones for salad and doesn’t require preboiling), you have to add right before finishing up. If you’re using harder spinach (like one in Japan), you have to cook a little longer. And yes, same seasoning. Hope you enjoy!
Dear Nami,
Is there any suitable vegetables to replaces mizuna?
Hi Angie! Thanks for asking! I was going to add that information before posting, but completely forgot about it. Any leafy greens would work, such as shungiku (chrysanthemum), watercress, or arugula etc. 🙂