Recipes
Soy-Glazed Mushrooms with Ginger and Scallion
Brown cremini or button mushrooms in batches, then coat them with ginger, soy sauce and scallion. A small side dish with a complete skillet recipe.
Jump to recipe ↓Recipe
- Total time
- About 25–30 minutes
- Method
- Pan-fry
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Allergens
- Soy · Wheat
About 3 small side portions
Allow about 25–30 minutes, including two batches in the skillet. Timing and yield are estimates. Contains soy and usually wheat in regular soy sauce. Prepare everything first and stay at the stove throughout cooking.
Equipment: 12-inch skillet, knife, cutting board, measuring spoons, small sauce bowl, spatula, holding plate and serving bowl; food thermometer for reheating leftovers.
Ingredients
- 450 g (1 lb) cultivated cremini or white button mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon water for the glaze, plus a splash if needed; running water for cleaning produce
- 1 scallion, thinly sliced
Method
Slice and measure before heating
Wash hands with soap for 20 seconds. Rinse the mushrooms, ginger and scallion under running water without soap, then dry. Trim the mushroom stem ends and slice the mushrooms about 6 mm (¼ inch) thick. Peel and finely mince the ginger; slice the scallion. Mix the soy sauce, sugar and 1 tablespoon water in the small bowl. Divide the mushrooms into two batches.
Convert a measurement for this stepBrown the first layer
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, not smoking. Add half the mushrooms in a single layer. Let the underside color, then turn and continue cooking until the slices are tender and browned in places and released liquid has mostly evaporated, roughly 5–7 minutes. Stay at the stove, checking and adjusting the heat; lower it if the oil smokes. Transfer to the holding plate.
Convert a measurement for this stepCook the remaining mushrooms
Add the remaining tablespoon oil and the second batch. Cook with the same attended turning and checks until tender and browned, roughly 5–7 minutes. If the slices release a puddle, keep cooking and turning until it evaporates rather than adding the glaze to the liquid. Return the first batch to the skillet.
Convert a measurement for this stepLower the heat and coat
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add ginger and turn it through the mushrooms until fragrant, about 30 seconds, without letting it darken. Stir the prepared soy mixture, pour it in carefully and toss until it bubbles and lightly coats the slices, about 30–60 seconds. If it catches or the pan becomes dry, lower the heat and add a small splash of water. Stop reducing once the coating is glossy; do not cook it into a sticky crust.
Convert a measurement for this stepSwitch off and add scallion
Turn off the burner. Fold in the scallion and transfer to the serving bowl. Serve about three small side portions. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a shallow covered container at 40°F (4°C) or below, within two hours or one hour above 90°F (32°C). Discard portions left out longer. Use within three to four days; reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), checking several places.
Convert a measurement for this step
Brown the mushrooms before the soy sauce reaches the pan. Their cut faces need time against the skillet; the ginger and glaze need only a short finish. The result is a small savory side with enough sauce to coat the slices, rather than a bowl of mushrooms floating in liquid.
Use cultivated cremini or white button mushrooms for this version. Thick slices keep some bite after cooking. Serve them beside jasmine rice and another dish, or spoon them over a plain noodle bowl when you want a concentrated topping.
Give the first batch enough space
The Mushroom Council’s sautéing guidance recommends a single layer, small batches and substantial slices. In a home skillet, that means putting half the mushrooms on a waiting plate instead of trying to brown the whole package at once. A taller pile releases moisture into the same small area and leaves less contact with the pan.
You can turn a slice to inspect its underside; you do not need to stir continuously from the moment it lands. Stay nearby, adjust the heat if the oil smokes, and let any released liquid cook away. Brown patches on tender mushrooms matter more than a particular number of minutes.
Keep the ginger and glaze for the finish
This recipe uses ginger, soy sauce and a little sugar without a starch slurry. Measure the sauce before heating the skillet so you can lower the heat and add it promptly. Ginger cut very finely spreads through the coating without needing a long separate cooking stage; the ginger preparation guide shows how cut size changes the texture.
Adapted from the browning-then-glazing approach in The Woks of Life’s soy-butter king oyster mushrooms, this recipe uses smaller cultivated mushrooms, ginger and neutral oil. It has not been kitchen-tested for this site. It is not a substitute method for unidentified wild mushrooms, dried mushrooms or every variety in a mixed pack.
Regular soy sauce supplies the salt. Dark soy sauce would change both the color and seasoning, so do not swap it tablespoon for tablespoon. Check the bottle when cooking for someone with an allergy: regular soy sauce contains soy and commonly wheat. The soy sauce guide explains the label differences.
Pack away the extra portions promptly
Put leftovers in a shallow covered container and refrigerate promptly. USDA’s storage guidance sets a two-hour limit out of refrigeration, shortened to one hour above 90°F (32°C), and three to four days in a refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below. Discard portions left out beyond that limit.
For another hot serving, add a small splash of water to loosen the coating and heat while stirring. USDA recommends checking reheated leftovers in several places to confirm they reach 165°F (74°C). The scallion will soften on reheating; the sauce should still coat the mushrooms without reducing to a salty crust.