Can you freeze fresh mushrooms? - What to do instead?

If you’re a mushroom aficionado and see a good price on a great container, it’s almost impossible to pass up. Even if you don’t have time or a plan to use them before they break.

Can fresh mushrooms be frozen? Freezing fresh mushrooms is not a good idea. They will develop a slimy, pasty texture. Instead, you should cook the mushrooms before freezing them, as cooked mushrooms freeze well for about a year.

There are a few tricks you can use to freeze fresh mushrooms, which we’ll explain in detail in the next article, but the best solution is to cook the mushrooms before freezing them.

The good news is that you can freeze cooked mushrooms, and we’ll show you exactly how to do it in this article.

Can mushrooms be frozen?

Mushrooms can be frozen, but they are very fragile, so they must be handled with care.

One of the most important steps in freezing mushrooms is making sure that you only freeze the best quality ones.

If they have bruises or dark spots that indicate spoilage, they will eventually degrade the quality of your entire batch. Examine your mushrooms carefully and only think about freezing the best of the bunch.

You should also avoid freezing mushrooms that are starting to get old. If a mushroom looks dry or wrinkled, it won’t taste as nice after freezing, so it’s best not to even try it and avoid risking the rest of your mushrooms.

Once you’ve sorted out the top freeze candidates, you can decide how you want to freeze them.

How to freeze mushrooms

In addition to choosing only the best mushrooms to freeze, you should also make sure they are clean before freezing.

However, you should avoid washing the mushrooms with water . Mushrooms are like a sponge and will absorb water. This is the worst thing that can happen to any food you try to freeze. You want to minimize the water content as much as possible.

Instead, lightly brush the mushrooms with your fingers or a soft brush to remove any visible dirt. Trim the stems. If you are freezing large mushrooms, such as portobellos, also remove the gills with a spoon before freezing.

Can fresh or raw mushrooms be frozen?

Mushrooms have an incredibly high water content, which means that if you freeze them raw, they will thaw and turn into a mushy mass.

The water inside the mushrooms will turn into ice crystals. The more water, the more ice crystals will form. And the more ice crystals you have, the more doughy your food will be when it thaws and those crystals melt. Disgust.

It is not a good idea to freeze fresh or raw mushrooms, but if you are determined to give it a try, it is best to thinly slice or dice the mushrooms before freezing.

Spread your mushroom slices or slices in a single layer on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. If you first freeze them individually this way, they will freeze more quickly.

This will not only help prevent the pieces from sticking together, but the faster the mushrooms freeze, the smaller the ice crystals will be and the better the consistency will be once thawed.

Once the pieces are completely frozen, transfer them all to a freezer-safe bag, removing as much air as possible before sealing.

Can cooked mushrooms be frozen?

However, you can freeze cooked mushrooms very effectively. Cooking the mushrooms allows the water to be released as steam, leaving a more solid mushroom for freezing that won’t be broken as much by ice crystals.

How to blanch mushrooms

Before you blanch the mushrooms, decide if you want to freeze them whole or in slices or pieces.

You can prepare them accordingly by following these simple blanching steps:

1. Put a pot of water to boil.
2. Prepare a container with ice water.
3. Put the mushrooms in the boiling water.
4. For whole mushrooms, boil them for 4-5 minutes.
5. For sliced or diced mushrooms, boil for just 3 minutes.
6. Using a large strainer spoon, transfer the mushrooms from the boiling water to the ice bath to cool quickly.
7. Let the mushrooms cool for the same amount of time you boiled them.
8. Transfer the mushrooms to a clean kitchen towel or a few sheets of kitchen paper and let them air dry.

How to freeze cooked mushrooms

You can freeze the mushrooms blanched or cooked in whatever style you like. However, before you freeze them, you want to make sure they reach room temperature or cold in the fridge.

Never put warm or hot mushrooms in the freezer , because the temperature difference will create condensation. That moisture will turn to ice and compromise the quality of your mushrooms.

If you have blanched the mushrooms, you can quickly freeze them by spreading the cooled and dried mushrooms in a single layer on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Make sure they don’t overlap or touch each other, as this will allow them to merge when frozen.

Put them in the freezer uncovered for 1 hour. This should be enough time for them to freeze solid in individual pieces. Transfer them to a dated freezer-safe bag and press to get as much air out as possible.

If you fried or otherwise cooked the mushrooms, transfer them to a freezer-safe Ziploc bag or Tupperware container once they have cooled.

Remove as much air as possible from the bag. If you use a container, make sure they have about 2.5cm of headspace, as they will expand slightly when frozen.

Can canned mushrooms be frozen?

Yes, you can freeze canned mushrooms once the can is opened.

However, you should never freeze preserves before they have been opened , because cans or glass containers are pressurized. When the contents freeze, they will expand and the added pressure can cause the container to burst.

To freeze leftover opened canned mushrooms, simply transfer the contents to a freezer-safe bag. Remove as much air as possible before sealing the bag.

Put the date on the bag to know when you should consume them. Frozen canned mushrooms will keep their quality for about 2 months. Although they will be perfectly safe to eat well beyond that time.

Can stuffed mushrooms be frozen?

Contrary to most of the advice above, stuffed mushrooms are best frozen before baking.  If you are preparing the stuffed mushrooms ahead of time, prepare them as you normally would, but do not actually bake them.

The steps for freezing stuffed mushrooms are more or less the same as for freezing cooked mushrooms discussed above:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the stuffed mushrooms evenly so they don’t touch or overlap.
• Make sure there is a space in the freezer that the baking sheet can sit on, level, and not be disturbed for at least 2-3 hours.
• Once the stuffed mushrooms are well frozen, you can transfer them to a freezer-safe Ziploc brand bag.
• Remove as much air as possible before sealing the bag. If you want to protect the mushrooms from being physically crushed, you can place the sealed airtight bag in a Tupperware container.

Can mushroom soup be frozen?

You can freeze mushroom soup successfully, but you must allow it to cool completely before freezing.

Transfer the soup to a freezer-safe container that will fit the soup with an extra inch of headspace to allow for expansion when frozen. If there is more space, consider placing a layer of plastic wrap on the surface of the soup to protect it from exposure to air.

If you are freezing cream of mushroom soup, the fat may separate during freezing. When you thaw it, it should return to its proper consistency for the most part, but you may need to shake it well to help.

Mushroom conservation

If you don’t want to cook your mushrooms before freezing them, and you also don’t want to risk completely spoiling them by freezing them raw, there are a few tricks and techniques for keeping mushrooms fresh in a way that maximizes their shelf life.

Mushrooms are finicky and delicate mushrooms, but if stored correctly they can stay fresh and good for up to 1 week.

How to keep mushrooms fresh

Store your mushrooms in a paper bag if possible. Paper bags absorb small amounts of moisture instead of allowing moisture to build up inside and make the mushrooms slimy and soggy.

Mushrooms act like sponges. That’s why you should keep them away from any other food that has strong odors or flavors, as the mushrooms will absorb them greedily.

Mushrooms are also quite delicate, so keep them in the fridge where they won’t get squashed, jostled, or turned too often. They bruise easily, and when bruised, they spoil quickly.