The National Morel Mushroom Festival is just around the corner (May 14 – 16, 2021) and will include a wonderful Wine & Dine Morel Dinner. Tickets are limited so be sure to order early! Though there is no official hunt at the festival this year, with a little luck you’ll take home a basket full of those delicious delicacies — or at least a bag full. The first morels of the season have been found and hunters can hit the woods for another several weeks with a good chance of finding some.

Once you’ve found your morels, it’s time to enjoy them!

Maybe you love morels, but have a hard time finding them yourself? Or you step on more than you see (like I do). No worries – Michigan Mushroom Market can set you up with morels and other wild mushrooms found throughout the area as they become available. Ken, the owner, is recognized as a “mushroom expert” in the State of Michigan. 

Here are some really great tips on preparing morels, along with a few of the Mushroom Market’s favorite recipes.

Preparing your fresh morel mushrooms

Mushrooms are made mostly of water, so soaking them is discouraged and unnecessary (they will absorb liquid & lose flavor). Use a pastry brush or towel to remove any soil/debris & trim as needed. A quick cold water rinse just before cooking is fine, but be sure to pat them dry before adding to your pot. Keep mushrooms cool & dry in refrigerator until used. Most fresh mushrooms will keep for 4-8 days in the fridge, depending on when picked or purchased. They are best stored in paper or cloth bags, never in plastic!

Delicious morel mushroom recipes

The following morel mushroom cooking suggestions are written as “measure-free” recipes. The actual amount of mushrooms and various ingredients are dependent on the number of servings desired and according to your taste and creativity in the kitchen. As a general rule, when trying to determine how much of any ingredient should be used, start with a small amount and add as needed. You can always add more, but you can’t remove it once it’s been added. Take your time, savor the creating process, and most importantly…have fun!

Morel Cream Sauce 

This sauce can be used on almost anything!

Morel mushrooms – cleaned and sliced or chopped (about 1/4 to 3/4 pound fresh)

Heavy cream and/or half & half 

Butter and/or olive oil

Cornstarch (optional)

Garlic (fresh/minced or dried/powder)

Salt & pepper

Add sliced or chopped mushrooms into a large pre-heated fry pan on med/high heat. Sear quickly and stir around a few times to remove any excess moisture. Add butter or olive oil (or a 50/50 mix) and reduce heat to medium. Add enough butter or oil to sauté and prevent mushrooms from sticking. Cook mushrooms for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, and then add desired amount of garlic. Continue sautéing 1-2 minutes and then add heavy cream or half & half (or a 50/50 mix). Heavy cream is preferred. Use enough cream to completely cover mushrooms and just a splash more (keep in mind that the more cream you use, the less intense morel flavor the sauce will have). Allow to simmer on med/low heat for a minimum of 5 minutes (the longer the better), stirring frequently – making sure cream doesn’t stick or burn. To thicken sauce, add small amounts of corn starch & water (a 50/50 ratio of corn starch & cold water mixed) and stir until desired consistency is reached. Salt & pepper to taste towards the end of cooking time. Serve warm over pasta, mashed potatoes, or meats.

Morel Bruschetta

I love this as an appetizer or side dish. It’s very simple to make…and very tasty!

Morel mushrooms – cleaned and sliced or chopped

Fresh chopped spinach or kale

Chopped or minced tomatoes (optional)

Goat cheese, feta, or shredded Parmesan

Garlic (fresh/minced or dried/powder)

Butter and/or olive oil

White wine (optional)

Fresh chopped parsley (optional)

Thyme (fresh or dried)

Salt & pepper

Add sliced or chopped mushrooms into a large pre-heated fry pan or skillet on med/high heat. Sear quickly and stir around a few times. Add butter or olive oil (or a 50/50 mix) and reduce heat to medium. Add enough butter or oil to sauté and prevent mushrooms from sticking. Cook mushrooms for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, and then add desired amount of garlic. Continue sautéing 1-2 minutes and then add tomatoes, if desired. Add spinach or kale, a couple dashes of thyme and a dash of salt & pepper. Add enough chopped spinach or kale to completely cover entire pan. Here is where you would add a splash of wine if desired. Simmer on med/low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve warm over buttered toast, garlic bread, or grilled meats or fish. Top with cheese & parsley. We recommend the goat cheese.

Morel Burgers

A mouthful of mushrooms in every bite. Yes please!

Morel mushrooms – cleaned and chopped or minced (1/4 to 3/4 pound fresh)

Ground beef or turkey burger (1 – 2 pounds)

Bread crumbs (1/2 – 1 cup)

Eggs (1 – 3)

Butter and/or olive oil

Italian seasoning

Thyme (fresh or dried)

Salt & pepper

The mushrooms should be cooked & cooled before using in this recipe. Simply sauté the chopped mushrooms in butter or oil (or a mix) for about 10 minutes and then let stand & cool to room temperature. Now add the cooked mushrooms to the desired amount of ground beef or turkey and mix together with the remaining ingredients, being sure to blend well. Using your hands to blend everything together is a must. Your fingers are by far the best tools for the job here! Form into patties and fry or grill as you normally would. This same recipe can also be used as a meatloaf mix.

Recipes and photos courtesy of Michigan Mushroom Market. 

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About the author

Diane Dakins is passionate about all of the communities that comprise the Petoskey Area of Michigan: Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Bay Harbor and Boyne City. As assistant director of the Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau, she has “been there – seen that” when it comes to virtually every area attraction. She strives to create informative content that gives potential visitors the scoop on planning a northern Michigan vacation.