Mushroom jerky is a tasty alternative to traditional meat jerky. It's full of umami flavor with a great chewy texture. Whether you're a mushroom lover or just want a flavorful snack, this homemade mushroom jerky recipe is for you!
Jerky is a popular snack because of the flavor and the chew! This mushroom jerky has all the chew of regular jerky and is great for a road trip, a camping trip, or just to keep in your bag for a perfect snack. It's also great to serve on Game Day.
Love mushrooms? Try out my quinoa with mushrooms. It's full of that mushroom umami flavor. For a quick dinner with mushrooms, try my tofu broccoli mushroom stir fry.
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Why You'll Love This Mushroom Jerky
- Classic jerky texture: This easy recipe is a great jerky option if you are looking to stay away from animal products or are just a mushroom lover but still want a meaty texture.
- Flavors: It's full of umami flavor with a little heat.
- On the go: Take a container of this jerky with you for a ready to eat snack that's also nutritious.
Ingredient Notes
- Shiitake mushrooms - Portobello mushrooms also work really well and I often do a combination of both.
- Soy sauce - I definitely recommend using low sodium soy sauce. You can also substitute with liquid aminos.
- Apple cider vinegar - You can substitute with rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar which are less tangy. You can also use balsamic vinegar although it has a strong flavor.
- Sriracha - I love the spicy taste of Sriracha but if you don't have it you can use your favorite hot sauce.
Please see the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and amounts needed.
Slicing Vs. Tearing Mushrooms
There are two different ways to prepare the mushrooms: slicing and tearing.
- Slicing: Slicing takes a bit longer but you'll have cleaner and more similar pieces. If you want your pieces to look the same, this method is for you.
- Tearing: Tearing mushrooms is quicker you end up with more irregular pieces. It's also more fun! The uneven sizes and shapes resemble the look of beef jerky more than slices. It also creates rough edges that absorb the marinade better.
NOTE: These mushroom pieces shrink as you cook them! So make your pieces bigger than what you want the final size to be.
How To Make Mushroom Jerky
Step 1: Clean the mushrooms and trim bottom of the mushroom stems. You do not need to remove the whole stem - use them for your jerky! Tear or slice the mushrooms into thin pieces.
Step 2: In a mixing bowl, combine the soy sauce, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, Sriracha, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Whisk the ingredients together to create a marinade.
Step 3: Place the mushroom strips and the marinade in a Ziploc bag. Allow the mushrooms to marinate for at least 30 minutes, or for even more flavor, let them marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
Step 4: Preheat your oven to 250°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Once the mushrooms have marinated, remove them from the bowl and gently squeeze out any excess liquid.
Step 5: Place the mushroom strips in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Make sure none of the mushroom pieces overlap.
Step 6: Bake the mushroom strips in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Flip the mushrooms and bake for an additional hour.
Step 7: Once the mushroom jerky is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool completely on the baking sheet. Then it's snack time!
Expert Tips
- Smoked paprika gives this jerky a great smoky taste. If you only have regular paprika, I would recommend adding 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke.
- Instead of using a bowl and whisk, you can also put the marinade ingredients in a mason jar with a lid and shake well.
Storage and Recipe FAQs
Store the mushroom jerky in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. I do not recommend freezing this jerky.
Yes, this jerky is very chewy and the texture is similar to regular jerky.
I haven't tried the air fryer yet, but as long as your air fryer can heat at a low temperature it should work. For jerky, the best method for cooking is at a low temperature for a long time. You could probably cut the cooking time to 60-90 minutes. If you try it out, let me know in the comments!
Vegetable Snacks and Sides
If you tried this Easy Oven Baked Mushroom Jerky Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Recipe
Easy Mushroom Jerky
Ingredients
- 1 lb shiitake mushrooms or portabella
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Clean the mushrooms and trim the mushroom stems. Tear the mushrooms into thin pieces. You can also slice the mushrooms into thin strips, about ¼-inch thick. These pieces shrink when they cook so keep that in mind if you want bigger pieces.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the soy sauce , maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, Sriracha, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Whisk the ingredients together to create a marinade.
- Place the mushroom strips and the marinade in a Ziploc bag. Allow the mushrooms to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 250°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Once the mushrooms have marinated, remove them from the bowl and gently squeeze out any excess liquid. Place the mushroom strips in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the mushroom strips in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Flip the mushrooms and bake for an additional hour.
- Once the mushroom jerky is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool completely on the baking sheet.
- Once cooled, store the mushroom jerky in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Equipment
- Baking sheet
Notes
- Feel free to customize the flavors by adding your favorite spices or seasonings to the marinade. You can experiment with different mushroom varieties for unique taste experiences. I also like using a combination of mushrooms.
- For even more flavor, let the mushrooms marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
- If after 2 hours you have any mushroom pieces that aren't dried out, simply put them back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes.
Jen says
This is so much tastier than any store bought mushroom jerky I've gotten. It has a great chewy texture and I always make it before a road trip!