Mushrooms, due to their rich content of proteins and vitamins and low fat content, provide considerable nutritional advantages. This results in them being a preferred diet option for many people, particularly vegetarians.
There are hundreds of types of edible mushrooms, and cremini mushrooms are one of the most popular ones. Today we will discover all about cremini mushrooms and learn some recipes with this mushroom to enrich daily meals.
What are Cremini Mushrooms?
Cremini mushrooms are edible mushrooms with the scientific name Agaricus bisporus. Cremini mushrooms are also known as button mushrooms, baby bella mushrooms, or portobello mushrooms. These names vary depending on their growth stages.
Grown in over 70 countries in the world, cremini mushrooms are one of the most commonly and widely consumed mushroom varieties.
Features of Cremini Mushrooms
Appearance
Cremini mushrooms are quite small and have a round top. Their color changes depending on each growth stage, and for each stage, they are called by a different name.
In the early growth stage, cremini mushrooms are white and they are called button mushrooms. They will slowly turn brown in the middle stage and cremini mushroom is their name during this time.
People call them portobello or baby bella mushrooms when they are in the last stage of maturity. Their tops are completely brown then.
Taste
Cremini mushrooms have an earthy, savory, and meat-like flavor. Their taste also changes by their age. In the middle growth stage, cremini mushrooms have a stronger meaty flavor than button mushrooms and taste milder than portobello mushrooms.
Natural growing time and place
Cremini mushrooms grow most vigorously from late spring to autumn. During this period, we can find them easily in fields or grassy areas with rain.
Nutritional value and health benefits of cremini mushrooms
Mushrooms in general and cremini mushrooms, in particular, are a great source of food because of their high nutritional value. Cremini mushrooms contain high protein content but don’t have any fat, so they are very suitable for people on a diet or vegetarians.
Besides, they also provide fiber and vitamins, as well as minerals like calcium and iron. Many vegetarians use cremini mushrooms as a perfect replacement for meat.
Not only have cremini mushrooms high nutritional value, but they also bring many health benefits.
In cremini mushrooms, there is a significant amount of helpful bacterias. These bacterias can improve digestion and boost the body’s immune system. So, eating cremini mushrooms regularly is very good for our health.
Additionally, cremini mushrooms can help prevent cancer. The aromatase inhibitors in this mushroom decrease the creation of estrogen. Estrogen is a hormone promoting the growth of breast cancer and lung cancer.
Besides, cremini mushrooms are also good for your cardiovascular health due to their high content of useful amino acids. Adding mushrooms to your daily diet can help you control blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
How to Clean and Store Cremini Mushrooms Correctly
Cremini mushrooms are the same as other food, and they have to be stored and cleaned in the right way. Here is something you need to know:
How to store them
When you get cremini mushrooms from grocery stores or supermarkets, they are usually packaged in plastic bags or boxes. To keep the mushrooms fresh for a long time, you should move them into a paper bag so that they can breathe.
The paper also absorbs moisture from mushrooms and prevents them from being spoiled. Then, put the bag in the refrigerator, but don’t put it in the produce drawer.
How to clean them before use
Many people think that mushrooms should not be washed because they can be waterlogged. However, you can rinse them quickly and gently, then pat dry them with a paper towel.
If you buy pre-sliced cremini mushrooms, washing is unnecessary because mushrooms are already clean.
How to Cook Cremini Mushrooms and Some Must-try Recipes with Cremini Mushrooms
There are 2 basic methods to cook cremini mushrooms: sauteed and roasted. Cooking in these ways can keep most of the nutritional content, as well as the original taste of cremini mushrooms.
Before cooking, wash and slice the mushrooms.
- For sauteed cremini mushrooms: Heat olive oil in a frying pan, then put cremini mushrooms in and stir well, cooking for 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper, stir well and cook for another 5 minutes. Add some drops of lemon juice and mix well before serving.
- For roasted cremini mushrooms: Line baking paper on the tray. Mix cremini mushrooms with olive oil, garlic, and salt and spread mushrooms on the tray. Preheat the oven to 230 degrees Celsius in 15 minutes. Roast the mushrooms in 10-13 minutes until they are soft.
You can also try some following awesome recipes with cremini mushrooms:
Pasta with cremini mushrooms
Ingredient (for 1 serving):
- Cremini mushroom: 150g
- Pasta: 200g
- Chopped garlic: 5g
- Unsalted butter: 20g
- Chopped parsley: 50g
- Salt
- Pepper
Cooking directions:
- Step 1: Add some salt in 700ml of water and boil. When the water starts boiling, put the pasta in and cook until soft. Then drain the pasta
- Step 2: Heat olive oil in a pan, then add garlic followed by cremini mushrooms. Cook for about 8 minutes with medium heat, stirring occasionally. Stop when the mushrooms turn golden and soft
- Step 3: put the cooked pasta, butter, and parsley in the mushrooms, stir well. Cook for about 2 minutes with some water added. Finish by adding salt and pepper. Serve warm
Cremini mushrooms salad with sweet corn and pancetta
Ingredients (for 1 serving):
- Cremini mushrooms: 150g
- Sweet corn: 100g
- Scallions: 50g
- Pancetta: 150g
- Frisée: 200g, torn in bite-size pieces
- Olive oil: 100ml
- Lemon juice: 50ml
- Honey: 3ml
- Apple cider vinegar: 5ml
- Chives: 30g, snipped
- Salt
- Pepper
Cooking directions:
- Step 1: Boil 500ml water and cook the sweet corn in about 5 minutes. Drain and let cool
- Step 2: Cook the scallions in a skillet with high heat for 3 minutes. When the scallions char on the bottom, cut them into 2-inch pieces
- Step 3: Cook the pancetta in about 5 minutes with moderate heat until browned. Transfer all the pancetta to a paper towel-lined plate. Pouring the fat in the skillet out, reserve only 1 tablespoon of fat.
- Step 4: Cook the cremini mushrooms over high heat with 30ml of oil in 5 to 7 minutes, then add salt and pepper and stir well
- Step 5: Mix lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, and honey in a large bowl to make the dressing. Put all mushrooms, pancetta, scallions, corn, frisée, and chives in the bowl and mix well with the dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste
Chicken Marsala with cremini mushrooms topping
Ingredients (for 1 serving):
- Cremini mushrooms: 200g, sliced
- Boneless chicken breasts: 200g, thinly sliced
- Wheat flour: 60g
- Unsalted butter: 40g
- Chopped shallots: 60g
- Chopped rosemary: 15g
- Chicken stock: 240ml
- Marsala wine: 180ml
- Olive oil: 15ml
- Salt
- Pepper
Cooking directions:
- Step 1: In a large skillet, melt 30g unsalted butter over medium heat. Put the mushrooms in and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring well, until their edges turn golden brown.
- Step 2: Mix wheat flour with ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Use this mixture to dredge chicken breasts
- Step 3: Fry the dredged chicken breasts in hot oil until both sides turn golden brown
- Step 4: Cook the shallots in 30 seconds, until they turn transparent. Add Marsala wine and cook 3-4 minutes until the wine is reduced to a small amount coating the bottom of the skillet. Pour the chicken stock in, add rosemary. Cook for another 5 minutes until the sauce reduced half in volume
- Step 5: Mix the remaining butter with the sauce and add cremini mushrooms, stir well. Then add fried chicken breasts and cook with low heat for 4-5 minutes until the sauce is thickened. Serve chicken Marsala with mashed potato, rice, or polenta.
Last Words
We hope that after reading this article, you have known well about cremini mushrooms. This mushroom is not only good for our health but also a great ingredient for many delicious dishes. If you have never tried it before, get some now!
