What Are Mushrooms, canned and How Can I Use Them?

Mushrooms, canned rewards a little know-how: how to choose them, cook them, store them, and substitute in a pinch. Browse 239 recipes to cook with them.

Key Points

Button or cremini mushrooms cooked and canned; shelf-stable but softer and milder than fresh.
Drain and rinse off the salty, metallic brine before adding them to a dish.
Fine in saucy casseroles and gravies; useless where you need browning or seared flavor.
A drained 4 ounce (113 g) can roughly equals 8 ounces (225 g) of raw fresh mushrooms.
Opened, refrigerate in a covered container with a little liquid and use within 3 days.

What is mushrooms, canned?

Canned mushrooms are button or cremini mushrooms that have been cooked and sealed in liquid, sold either whole or sliced, plus a cheaper stems-and-pieces grade. They are the pantry version of mushrooms: shelf-stable and already cooked.

See the parent mushrooms page for the fresh kinds.

What you trade for that convenience is texture. Canning leaves them softer and a touch rubbery, and the long, slow heat strips much of the meaty depth that fresh mushrooms bring. They taste mild and a little tinny, more pleasantly earthy than deeply mushroomy.

How to Use Canned Mushrooms

Drain and rinse them first. The packing brine is salty and metallic, and a quick rinse under cold water washes that off so it doesn't carry into your dish.

Because they're already cooked, they only need warming through, which makes them a stir-in near the end rather than something you saute from raw. They slip easily into casseroles and baked pasta, as in this Beef & Cheese Manicotti or a Turkey Cheddar Tetrazzini.

They also disappear into soups and stuffing where texture matters less than convenience, for example a Beefy Spaghetti Soup or these Stuffin' Muffins.

When Canned Is Fine, and the Mistake to Avoid

Canned mushrooms earn their place in long-cooked, saucy dishes, the casseroles and gravies where they're a supporting player and the surrounding flavors carry the meal. Here the soft texture vanishes and nobody misses the browning.

Where they fall down is anywhere they're meant to be the star or to taste seared. You cannot brown a canned mushroom: it's wet and already cooked, so it steams in the pan instead of caramelizing. For sauteed mushrooms or a mushroom-forward sauce, use fresh.

The common mistake is treating the two as interchangeable by weight. Canned mushrooms are pre-shrunk, so a drained 4 ounce (113 g) can roughly equals 8 ounces (225 g) of raw fresh mushrooms once those cook down.

Substitutes

Fresh mushrooms are the obvious upgrade: use about twice the weight, then slice and brown them before adding.

Dried mushrooms, soaked until soft, bring far more savory depth and a useful soaking liquid for sauces. For pure convenience with better texture, frozen mushrooms hold up a little firmer than canned.

Buying and Storing

Whole canned mushrooms hold their shape best for stews and toppings, while sliced ones suit casseroles and gravies. Stems-and-pieces are the cheapest and fine where they'll be hidden. Avoid any can that is dented, bulging, or rusted.

Unopened, a can keeps in the pantry for a year or two.

Once opened, move any leftovers and a little of their liquid to a covered container and refrigerate, using them within 3 days; the open can itself is no place to store them.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 cup (156g)

Amount per Serving

Calories 39Calories from Fat 4

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 0.5g 1%

Saturated Fat 0.0g 0%

Trans Fat ~

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 663mg 28%

Total Carbohydrate 7.9g 3%

Dietary Fiber 4g 15%

Sugars 3.0

Protein 2.9g

Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 0%

Calcium 2% • Iron 7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your caloric needs.

recipeland.com/nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find mushrooms, canned: Mushrooms, canned is usually found in the canned goods section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Mushrooms, canned is a member of the Vegetables and Vegetable Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese: 蘑菇罐头
British (UK) term: Mushrooms, canned
en français: champignons en conserve
en español: setas en conserva

How much does mushrooms, canned weigh?

Amount	Weight
1 cup	156 grams
1 can	132 grams
1 large	16 grams
1 medium	12 grams
1 small	7 grams
10 slices	40 grams
8 caps	47 grams
½ cup pieces	78 grams

Vegetables and Vegetable Products

Alfalfa sprouts 47 Artichoke hearts 250 Artichokes 82 Asparagus 449 Bamboo shoots 144 Lima beans 129 Green beans 543 Beets 204 Broccoli, frozen 129 Cabbage 684

Recipes using mushrooms, canned

There are 239 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Judi's Pizza Soup

During the fall and winter I make homemade soup once a week. I’ve got dozens of delicious soup recipes, but the Pizza Soup was the favorite of our sons, Keith and Mark. It’s really easy to make. I apologize for the inexact quantities, but this is another recipe that I’ve never written down…and haven’t made it since last winter! I’ve given the basic recipe, but don’t be afraid to add other items you enjoy on your pizza…including a dash of red pepper sauce!

Mama Delilah's Beef Stroganoff

Creamy and tender stroganoff is one of my favorite comfort foods

Beef Stew, President Ronald Reagan's Favorite

Discover Ronald Reagan's favorite beef stew recipe: easy, hearty comfort food with tender beef, artichokes, and mushrooms in a rich wine broth. Perfect for beginners—stovetop, oven, or Instant Pot directions included for stress-free dinners like "easy homemade beef stew for families" or "classic presidential beef stew with vegetables."

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