Creamy, rich, and filling, this vegetarian Lion's Mane Mushroom Recipe has incredible flavor and tastes like a succulent seafood pasta dish, minus the seafood. That's because Lion's Mane Mushrooms taste similar to crab meat which is why they're often used to make lion's mane crab cakes.
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Whether you're a Lion's Mane Mushroom enthusiast or have never heard of these tasty mushrooms, you're going to love this Lion's Mane Mushroom Recipe!
Lion's Mane Mushrooms are big and meaty like chicken of the woods mushrooms, but they taste like crab! That's why they're an excellent option when used to as a seafood substitution in vegetarian dishes. They mimic the taste of seasfood.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
I just love this recipe for its simplicity. Using Lion's Mane Mushrooms in this recipe is a brilliant way of replicating the flavor and texture of high-priced seafood, like lobster and crab, with these seafood-flavored mushrooms.
Moreover, these incredible mushrooms are loaded with nutrition! They contain anti-inflammatory properties and are said to improve brain health and function. This means you can feel good about serving this yummy pasta dish to your family.
Finally, this recipe is easy to prepare and ready in less than 30 minutes!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Lion's Mane Mushrooms - This recipe features Lion's Mane mushrooms so I don't recommend substituting any other mushrooms.
- Cream - To make the pasta sauce creamy, use either whipping cream or half and half.
- Wine or Broth - I like to add seafood broth to accentuate the seafood flavor of the Lion's Mane Mushroom. However, you can also use white wine or cooking sherry.
- Pasta - Use your favorite pasta including penne, angel hair pasta, or spaghetti.
- Herbs - Besides Italian parsley, basil is a great alternative.
- Cheese - The finished dish can be topped with any hard cheese, for example, Asiago, Parmesan, or Romano.
- Serrano peppers - To make the dish spicy, add a Serrano pepper into the sauce. If you don't have Serranos, you can substitute ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.
How to Make This Lion's Mane Recipe
Step 1: Pour olive oil into a saucepan. Add sliced tomatoes and cover the pot with the lid. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions.
Step 3: Add a Serrano pepper to the tomatoes and sauté for a minute. Pour the broth over the tomatoes and season with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Cover and simmer the sauce over low heat for another 5 minutes.
Step 4: Pour cream into the pot and blend until smooth (or slightly chunky) using an immersion blender.
Step 5: Tear Lion's Mane Mushroom into small pieces. Melt butter in a separate skillet and sauté for a few minutes. Stir the sauteed mushrooms into the sauce.
Step 6: Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce; mix to combine. Plate the Lion's Mane Mushroom Pasta and garnish with shaved Asiago cheese and chopped Italian parsley before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this Lion's Mane Recipe with crusty sourdough bread or a nice Healthy Broccoli Salad on the side.
Recipe FAQs
Lion's Mane Mushrooms (Hericium Erinaceus) grow in the United States and Canada. Some look more like coral, while others resemble a head of cauliflower. They are not only edible, but highly nutritious, and foraged for their medicinal properties.
Lion's Mane Mushrooms can be found fruiting on logs, hardwood trees, and injured parts of trees in late summer and early fall.
There are a few different varieties, including Bears Head Tooth (Hericium Americanum) and Coral Tooth Fungus (Hericium Coralloides).
Lion's Mane Mushrooms can be purchased at Farmer's Markets and some grocery stores. They can also be grown at home using a growing kit that can be purchased online.
Lion's Mane Mushrooms have a mild taste. The flavor is often compared to seafood, especially crab meat or lobster. For this reason, they are often used to make vegan crab cakes and other mock seafood recipes.
Lion's Mane Mushrooms are known for their extraordinary health properties. For example, according to Healthline.com, these Mushrooms have the following benefits:
• Protect against dementia
• Fight heart disease
• Relieve mild forms of depression and anxiety
• Aid the digestive tract
• Fight against diabetes and cancer
• Boost immunity
Lion's Mane Mushrooms should be stored in a paper bag in the refrigerator. This method helps to keep mushrooms fresh the longest because the paper bag allows the mushrooms to breathe.
Lion's Mane Coffee
Lion's mane is also included in mushroom coffee. There are many to choose from, but my personal favorite is Everyday Dose. It tastes exactly like coffee and is smooth, creamy, and loaded with benefits!
Pro Tips
- If you don't have an immersion blender you can use a food processor or Ninja blender. Make sure the sauce is not too hot when you blend it because it will splatter when you unscrew the blade from the cup.
- For a milder dish, leave out the Serrano and the cayenne pepper. For an extra spicy dish, slice an additional Serrano pepper and add it to the plated pasta before serving it.
- Instead of Asiago cheese, you can sprinkle the pasta with Parmesan cheese.
- If foraging Lion's Mane Mushrooms, look for them high up on tree trunks and branches. This is a great beginner mushroom to forage and doesn't have dangerous look-alikes.
About This Recipe
Although I'd love to claim the credit for this recipe, the credit goes to my daughter, Nena. She prepared this dish for me after we ventured to the farmer's market on one of my recent visits to San Diego.
Nena bought a variety of exotic mushrooms and created a few tasty dishes, including her Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup. I instantly fell in love with this recipe and knew I had to share it on my blog, so I brought some back with me to Montana to prepare the dish and write this post.
If you're looking for more easy recipes, check out this quick pasta recipe, pink pasta, or any of the delicious recipes below!
More Mushroom Recipes
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Ingredients
Method
- Pour olive oil into a saucepan. Add sliced tomatoes and cover the pot with the lid. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions.
- Add a Serrano pepper to the tomatoes and sauté for a minute. Pour the broth over the tomatoes and season with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Cover and simmer the sauce over low heat for another 5 minutes.
- Pour cream into the pot and blend until smooth (or slightly chunky) using an immersion blender.
- Tear Lion's Mane Mushroom into small pieces. Melt butter in a separate skillet and sauté for a few minutes. Stir the sauteed mushrooms into the sauce.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce; mix to combine. Plate the Lion's Mane Mushroom Pasta and garnish with shaved Asiago cheese and chopped Italian parsley before serving.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- If you don't have an immersion blender you can use a food processor or Ninja blender. Make sure the sauce is not too hot when you blend it because it will splatter when you unscrew the blade from the cup.
- For a milder dish, leave out the Serrano and the cayenne pepper. For an extra spicy dish, slice an additional Serrano pepper and add it to the plated pasta before serving it.
- Instead of Asiago cheese, you can sprinkle the pasta with Parmesan cheese.
- If foraging Lion's Mane Mushrooms, look for them high up on tree trunks and branches. This is a great beginner mushroom to forage and doesn't have dangerous look-alikes.
Michelle says
This looks so good! Is it possible to freeze the sauce?
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Michelle, I wouldn't recommend freezing this sauce since it's dairy based. Dairy based sauces do not freeze well.
Leslie says
I had to adjust this recipe for my digestive issues, but it was very tasty.
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Leslie,
I can totally understand that! I'm glad you found a way to make it work for YOU! Thank you for the review!
Alison says
OMGOODNESS! I have been wanting to try a recipe with lions mane for a long time! I picked one up at the farmers market this weekend and found this recipe! It is so amazing!! It was one of the most exciting dishes I’ve cooked. A great chef is only as good as a great recipe (unless you create the recipe then you’re a culinary magician). I will definitely put this recipe in the recipe box! Thank you so much for sharing.
Hilda Sterner says
Hey Alison, so glad you found the recipe and love it as much as we do. Thank you for your sweet review!