Banchan
Mushroom Stir-Fry, Korean style
Korean mushroom stir-fry with shiitake, oyster, or Asian-style mushrooms in a savory soy sauce. Short, lighter, and full of umami flavor — serve as a main or side.
Direct Korean mushroom stir-fry with shiitake, oyster, or other mushrooms in a savory soy sauce. Short, umami-rich, and savory as a side or light main.
Mushrooms are one of those ingredients you either love or skip over — and we've always been firmly in the “love” camp. Their earthy flavor and meaty bite remind us why they’re such a staple in Korean kitchens.
This short Korean-style mushroom stir-fry (beoseot bokkeum) is our go-to when mushrooms are abundant. They keep their natural texture while soaking up a soy-based Korean stir-fry sauce that’s full of umami. It’s light, wholesome, and tastes memorable with a bowl of rice, or noodles.
Featured Review Read more reviews“This mushroom recipe was savory! We added a bunch of chopped cilantro towards the end of the cooking and it added additional flavor. This will be one of favorite dish that we will cook over and over. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!”
Marisa
Choosing the Best Mushrooms
For this recipe, we like to mix Korean pyogo beoseot (shiitake), neutari (oyster), and shimeji mushrooms — each brings something different to the pan.
Shiitake (pyogo beoseot) are meaty and soak up the sauce beautifully, oyster mushrooms are silky and slightly sweet, and shimeji add a nutty flavor with a pleasant bite. When we can only pick one, shiitake are our favorite because they deliver the deepest flavor.
If you don’t have access to these Asian mushrooms, don’t worry — white button, cremini (baby bella), or even enoki mushrooms will still give you a savory stir-fry. The key is using fresh mushrooms and cutting them into even pieces so they cook quickly and evenly.
If you have plenty of mushrooms, try our doenjang pasta recipe. It uses a generous amount and makes a savory Korean fusion meal in just 15 minutes. Also compare with our chayote mushroom stir-fry as a variation.
How to Stir-Fry Mushrooms, Korean Style
Stir-frying moves fast, so it helps to have everything prepped before the pan heats up.
We start with onion and garlic for a fragrant base, then toss in the mushrooms with a splash of soy sauce and oyster sauce.
A short stir is all they need to soften and drink in the flavors. To finish, we add scallions, sesame oil, and sesame seeds — the classic Korean seasoning trio that makes everything taste complete.lavor!
Serving Ideas
This Korean mushroom stir-fry works beautifully as a light main or a side dish (banchan). We often serve it with grilled meats like Korean beef. It’s also a great vegetarian topping for bibimbap. When we're keeping things unfussy, we eat it over a bowl of steamed rice with kimchi on the side — it’s comfort food at its best.
Mushroom Prep Tips for the Best Stir-Fry
- Clean gently:Instead of rinsing, we usually wipe mushrooms with a damp towel. They act like sponges, and too much water makes stir-fry soggy.
- Preheat the Pan: A hot pan is non-negotiable. It helps the mushrooms sear instead of steam, keeping that meaty bite.
- Don’t crowd the pan: We learned the hard way that piling mushrooms in leads to watery results. Cook in batches if needed — it’s worth the extra minute.
- Pick the right oil: We usually use vegetable or canola oil since they can handle high heat without burning. Save sesame oil for the finishing touch, not the stir-fry base.
- Yield: 4
- Prep: 5 minutes
- Cook: 5 minutes
- Total: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil
- 1/4 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp (8 g) minced garlic
- 7 oz (200 g) shiitake mushroom, see note below
- 7 oz (200 g) oyster mushroom
- 12 oz (350 g) enoki mushroom
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) oyster sauce, see note below
- 2 green onion, finely chopped
- 2 tsp (10 ml) sesame oil
- 1 tbsp (9 g) toasted sesame seeds
- salt and pepper, to taste, if needed
Method
- Heat your pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and minced garlic. Sauté until they release their aroma.
- Add the mushrooms to the pan, followed by the soy and oyster sauces. Stir them together until the mushrooms start to soften, making sure all the ingredients are combined and well-coated in the sauce, about 2 minutes.
- Toss with scallions, sesame oil and sesame seeds before serving. Enjoy your stir-fry hot for maximum flavor.
Notes
No Asian mushrooms? Swap in other hearty varieties like cremini or portobello. For vegan, use plant-based oyster sauce.
