How to Store Fresh Mushrooms: Fridge, Freezer and Pantry Guide

Store fresh mushrooms unwashed in a paper bag, loosely closed, on a main shelf of the refrigerator rather than in the crisper drawer. Reencle, a composter seller that publishes a storage guide, gives general refrigerator lifespans of 4 to 7 days for whole fresh mushrooms and 3 to 5 days for sliced ones. Separately, Reencle says a paper bag can extend mushroom life by 2 to 3 days compared with plastic.

If you have more than you can use in that window, you can freeze, dry or can them. The Oregon State University Extension publication OSU Extension publication SP 50-919, Preserving Mushrooms covers all four preservation routes.

Where is the best place to store fresh mushrooms?

Put them in the main body of the refrigerator, not the crisper drawer. Reencle says the crisper is too humid for mushrooms. Place them in a paper bag and close it loosely, so the mushrooms can breathe while the bag absorbs moisture they release.

Do not wash them before storing. Reencle says mushrooms soak up water and then turn slimy. Wash them just before cooking, by wiping with a slightly damp paper towel or rinsing briefly and drying right away.

Is it okay to store mushrooms in a Ziploc bag?

Not a sealed one. Reencle lists sealed plastic bags and airtight containers among things to avoid for fresh mushrooms, because moisture collects in the bag and the mushrooms turn wet and slimy. It does not address loosely closed plastic bags. The simplest choice is to move the mushrooms into a paper bag.

Mushrooms in their original ventilated packaging are acceptable for short-term storage, according to Reencle. Once the package is opened, transfer the mushrooms to a paper bag.

How do you keep mushrooms fresh longer in the fridge?

Use these steps, all from Reencle’s guide:

• Keep them in a paper bag, loosely closed, on a main refrigerator shelf.
• Do not wash them until you cook them.
• Use sliced mushrooms first, because they have a shorter life than whole ones.
• For cut surfaces, Reencle suggests layering slices between slightly damp paper towels in a container with ventilation holes or a loosely placed lid.

Watch for the signs of spoilage. Reencle says slimy or wet surfaces, dark brown or black spots, a sour or ammonia-like smell, and mold all mean the mushrooms should be discarded. Shriveled mushrooms with no off-odor have lost moisture and are not necessarily unsafe, but their texture and flavor are poorer.

Should mushrooms be stored in the fridge or without refrigeration?

Store fresh mushrooms in the fridge. Reencle’s guide says fresh mushrooms left at room temperature should be used within 1 to 2 hours before quality degrades. Dried mushrooms are the exception. Sealed in a cool, dry pantry, Reencle lists commercially dried mushrooms at 1 to 3 years.

How do you store mushrooms in the freezer?

Freezing works for most varieties. OSU Extension says to pick mushrooms free of spots or decay, wash them in cold water, trim the stem ends, and slice or quarter anything larger than 1 inch. Then heat treat them before freezing.

Steam blanching is one option. OSU soaks mushrooms for 5 minutes in lemon juice and water to help them keep color, then steams whole button mushrooms for 5 minutes, quarters for 3½ minutes and slices for 3 minutes. Cool them in ice water, drain, package cold, seal, label and freeze.

Reencle describes a different blanching method. Blanch whole mushrooms for 1 to 2 minutes and slices for 30 seconds in boiling water, move them to an ice bath, drain and pat dry. Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet until solid, then move them to freezer bags with as much air pressed out as possible. Label with the date.

Can I freeze raw mushrooms without blanching them?

You can, but the sources disagree on the result. OSU Extension says most mushrooms freeze better when they are heat treated first, by steam blanching or sautéing. Reencle says raw mushrooms do not freeze well, because ice crystals break the cell walls and leave a mushy, waterlogged texture after thawing. Blanch or sauté first for the better texture. The guides do not compare raw and treated mushrooms side by side, so the difference in your kitchen may vary.

What is the best way to cook a lot of mushrooms?

Cook them in batches and freeze the extra. OSU Extension calls sautéing the preferred method for many varieties before freezing. Sauté until nearly done, cool them in air or in a pan set in cold water, then pack into freezer containers. Reencle says to cook until the mushrooms release their water and just begin to brown, cool completely, then freeze in portions.

What can I do with too many fresh mushrooms?

You have four preservation routes, according to the OSU Extension publication:

• Freezing: Use the blanching or sautéing steps above. Reencle lists 10 to 12 months in the freezer.
• Drying: OSU says to dry only mushrooms that are safe to eat. Use a dehydrator at 120°F until the mushrooms are crisp or brittle. To use them, soak in boiling water until softened. Reencle gives 1 to 3 years in a sealed, cool, dry pantry for commercially dried mushrooms; the evidence does not give a storage life for mushrooms you dry at home.
• Canning: OSU says only domestically grown button mushrooms may be safely canned, and they must be processed in a pressure canner using the table times in the publication. Process half-pint and pint jars only.
• Pickling: Mushrooms are low in acid, so OSU says to use only tested recipes and only commercially grown button mushrooms.

OSU also advises preserving only commercially sold mushrooms unless you are an expert in identification. If you are unsure what a mushroom is, do not preserve or eat it.

How do you cook mushrooms for diabetics?

Our sources do not cover cooking mushrooms for diabetes, so they cannot tell you which preparations suit blood sugar. The storage steps on this page still apply. For meal planning, ask your diabetes care team or a registered dietitian.

What should not be eaten with mushrooms?

The sources do not list foods to avoid eating with mushrooms. They do cover two safety points. Reencle says slimy mushrooms should not be eaten even after cooking, because bacterial toxins can remain. OSU Extension says the toxins in poisonous mushrooms are not destroyed by drying or cooking, so wild mushrooms should be eaten only when an expert has identified them. For questions about combining mushrooms with medicines, ask your pharmacist or clinician.

What the sources cannot tell you

The sources do not give storage times for every variety, for mushrooms bought in a specific package, or for dishes that mix mushrooms with other ingredients. For a specific product, read the label or ask the seller how it was packed and when it was harvested. If you are comparing mushroom supplements rather than fresh mushrooms, see our FreshCap Mushroom Complex Ingredients guide and our Ergothioneine guide.

By TopShelfMushrooms.com Editorial Team