Sarah Brown
White button mushrooms, also known as white mushrooms, are the most popular mushroom variety, making up 90% of mushrooms consumed in the United States. They are the immature form of the edible fungus Agaricus bisporus, which also includes cremini and portobello mushrooms. White button mushrooms are mild in flavor and meaty in texture, making them versatile in a wide range of recipes and cooking techniques. They are cultivated in more than 70 countries and are commonly found worldwide in fields and grassy areas following rain.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Common Name | Button Mushrooms, White Mushrooms, White Button Mushrooms |
| Scientific Name | Agaricus bisporus |
| Colour | White, Pale Grey-Brown, Brown |
| Size | 1-3 inches across |
| Texture | Meaty, Mild Flavour |
| Water Content | 92% |
| Nutritional Value | Excellent source of B vitamins riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid |
| Versatility | Used in a wide range of recipes and cooking techniques |
| Availability | Found in virtually every grocery store in the world |
| Popularity | Makes up 90% of mushrooms consumed in the US |
| Ease of Preparation | Easy to slice, gentle handling required |
| Cleaning | Can be brushed or rinsed to remove dirt |
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What You'll Learn
- Button mushrooms are the immature form of Agaricus bisporus
- They have a mild flavour and can be eaten raw or cooked
- Button mushrooms are the most popular variety, making up 90% of mushrooms consumed in the US
- They are cultivated in over 70 countries and are native to Eurasia and North America
- Button mushrooms are easy to slice and prepare, but they bruise easily
Button mushrooms are the immature form of Agaricus bisporus
Button mushrooms, also known as white mushrooms or white button mushrooms, are the immature form of Agaricus bisporus. They are the most popular mushroom variety, making up 90% of the mushrooms consumed in the United States. They are also the least expensive and have the mildest flavour, although they readily absorb the flavours of other ingredients when cooked. They can be eaten raw or cooked using a variety of methods such as sautéing, stir-frying, grilling, braising, and roasting.
Button mushrooms are small, measuring 1 to 3 inches across, and have a pale white colour. They are easy to slice and have a delicate flesh that bruises easily. Their high water content, at around 92%, contributes to their longer cooking time compared to more mature mushrooms. When selecting button mushrooms, look for those that are firm, with a smooth, dry, and plump appearance. They typically have a closed veil under the mushroom cap.
Agaricus bisporus is a basidiomycete mushroom native to grasslands in Eurasia and North America. It is cultivated in more than 70 countries and is one of the most commonly consumed mushrooms worldwide. The species has two colour states while immature—white and brown—and multiple names for the mature state, including portobello, cremini, and chestnut. The discovery of the white variety of Agaricus bisporus occurred in 1925 at the Keystone Mushroom Farm in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. The white mushrooms were found growing among brown mushrooms, and their visual appeal led to their cultivation and distribution.
Button mushrooms are versatile in cooking due to their mild flavour and meaty texture. They are commonly used in dishes such as pasta, stir-fries, omelettes, salads, soups, sauces, pizzas, and as a side dish. Their flavour is described as earthy, meaty, and brothy, contributing to the umami taste often associated with mushrooms. This flavour comes from the amino acid glutamate naturally present in mushrooms and other umami-rich foods like parmesan cheese and anchovies.
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They have a mild flavour and can be eaten raw or cooked
Button mushrooms, also called white mushrooms or white button mushrooms, are the most popular mushroom variety, making up 90% of the mushrooms consumed in the United States. They are also the least expensive and have a mild flavour. This is because of their high water content, which dilutes the earthy, meaty, brothy combination of flavours known as umami. Button mushrooms are the immature form of the edible fungus Agaricus bisporus, which also includes cremini and portobello mushrooms.
Button mushrooms can be eaten raw or cooked. They are versatile and can be sliced easily, although they should be handled gently as they bruise easily. When bruised, the white flesh turns first pink and then brown. They can be cooked in a variety of ways, including sautéing, stir-frying, grilling, braising, and roasting. However, they take longer to cook than their more mature counterparts due to their high water content.
When selecting button mushrooms, look for those that are firm, with a fresh, smooth appearance. The surface should be dry but not dried out, and the mushroom should look plump. They typically feature a closed veil under the mushroom cap, as opposed to an open veil that reveals the mushroom's gills.
To clean button mushrooms, brush off any debris with fingers or a damp paper towel, or rinse briefly under running water and pat dry. Some chefs recommend peeling mushrooms before cooking, although this is not necessary with button mushrooms as their skin is not tough. Rinsing is an effective method of removing dirt.
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Button mushrooms are the most popular variety, making up 90% of mushrooms consumed in the US
Button mushrooms, also known as white mushrooms or white button mushrooms, are the most popular variety of mushrooms. They account for about 90% of mushrooms consumed in the United States. This popularity is due in part to their versatility in a wide range of recipes and cooking techniques, from tarts and omelets to pasta, risotto, and pizza. They are also the least expensive type of mushroom and have a mild flavor that easily absorbs the flavors of other ingredients they are cooked with. Their texture is described as meaty, and they are often used as a topping for pizzas and burgers or as a side dish.
Button mushrooms are the immature form of the edible fungus Agaricus bisporus, which also includes cremini and portobello mushrooms. They are small, measuring 1 to 3 inches across, and have a pale white color. Their flesh is delicate, and they should be handled gently as they bruise easily. When bruised, the white flesh first turns pink and then brown. They grow in the ground and can be identified by their closed veil under the mushroom cap, as opposed to an open veil that reveals the mushroom gills.
White button mushrooms are available in virtually every grocery store and are typically sold fresh. When selecting button mushrooms, look for those that are firm, with a fresh, smooth appearance and a dry but not dried-out surface. They should appear plump. To clean them, brush off any debris with your fingers or a damp paper towel, or rinse briefly under running water and then pat dry. They can be eaten raw or cooked using various methods such as sautéing, stir-frying, grilling, braising, and roasting.
Button mushrooms have a high water content, around 92%, which contributes to their longer cooking time compared to more mature mushrooms. Their high water content also dilutes the umami flavor that comes from the amino acid glutamate, making it less powerful in button mushrooms. Despite this, they are still a good source of dietary minerals such as phosphorus and potassium.
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They are cultivated in over 70 countries and are native to Eurasia and North America
White button mushrooms, also known as Agaricus bisporus, are native to grasslands in Eurasia and North America. They are the immature form of the edible fungus Agaricus bisporus, which also includes cremini mushrooms and portobello mushrooms. All of these mushrooms are the same but at different maturity stages. Button mushrooms are the least mature, measuring 1 to 3 inches across, with a pale white colour. They are the most popular mushroom variety, constituting 90% of mushrooms consumed in the United States. They are also cultivated in over 70 countries worldwide, making them one of the most commonly and widely consumed mushrooms globally.
The earliest scientific description of the commercial cultivation of A. bisporus was made by French botanist Joseph Pitton de Tournefort in 1707. French agriculturist Olivier de Serres observed that transplanting mushroom mycelia led to increased mushroom propagation. Originally, the cultivation was unreliable, with growers having to manually dig up mycelium from fields and replant them in composted manure or inoculate 'bricks' of compressed litter and loam. Modern commercial varieties of A. bisporus were initially light brown, with the white variety discovered in 1925 at the Keystone Mushroom Farm in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. The owner, Louis Ferdinand Lambert, a trained mycologist, brought the white mushroom back to his laboratory, and it has since been cultivated and distributed due to its attractive appearance.
White button mushrooms are a versatile ingredient in various recipes and cooking techniques due to their mild flavour and meaty texture. They are commonly used in tarts, omelettes, pasta, risotto, and pizza. Their high water content, at around 92%, results in a slightly longer cooking time compared to more mature mushrooms. They are also a good source of dietary minerals such as phosphorus and potassium, and they provide excellent nutritional value in terms of B vitamins.
When selecting white button mushrooms at the grocery store, look for those that are firm, with a smooth, dry, and plump appearance. They typically feature a closed veil under the mushroom cap. To clean them, brush off any debris with your fingers or a damp paper towel, or briefly rinse them under running water and pat them dry. You can store them in their original packaging or a porous paper bag in the refrigerator for up to a week.
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Button mushrooms are easy to slice and prepare, but they bruise easily
White button mushrooms, also known as the cultivated mushroom, are the most commonly consumed mushroom variety, making up 90% of the mushrooms eaten in the United States. They are the immature form of Agaricus bisporus, which also includes cremini and portobello mushrooms. Button mushrooms are prized for their versatility in cooking due to their mild flavour and meaty texture. They can be eaten raw or cooked via sautéing, stir-frying, grilling, braising, and roasting.
Button mushrooms are easy to slice and prepare. Their flesh is delicate, so they require only a gentle touch and light pressure from a chef's knife. However, they are susceptible to bruising, and when this happens, the white flesh turns pink and then brown. To clean button mushrooms, brush off any debris with your fingers or a damp paper towel, or briefly rinse them under running water and pat them dry. While some chefs recommend peeling mushrooms with a paring knife, this step is unnecessary for button mushrooms as their skin is not tough.
When selecting button mushrooms at the grocery store, choose those that are firm, with a smooth, dry, and plump appearance. They typically feature a closed veil under the mushroom cap. Fresh button mushrooms should never be frozen, but frozen sautéed mushrooms can be stored for up to a month. To prolong their shelf life, store them in their original packaging or a porous paper bag in the refrigerator, where they can keep for up to a week.
Button mushrooms have a high water content, which contributes to their longer cooking time compared to more mature mushrooms. Undercooked button mushrooms may have a squishy texture, but cooking them longer reduces their water content, resulting in a denser, meatier consistency. This makes them extremely versatile, allowing them to be used in various dishes, including pasta, stir-fries, omelets, salads, soups, sauces, pizzas, burgers, and as a side dish.
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Frequently asked questions
Button mushrooms, also called white mushrooms or white button mushrooms, are the most popular mushroom variety, making up 90% of the mushrooms consumed in the United States. They are the immature form of the edible fungus Agaricus bisporus.
Button mushrooms have a mild, earthy, meaty, and brothy flavor, with a combination of flavors known as umami. Their high water content (around 92%) dilutes the umami taste.
Button mushrooms can be eaten raw or cooked via sautéing, stir-frying, grilling, braising, and roasting. They are versatile and can be used in a wide range of recipes, including pasta dishes, omelets, salads, soups, sauces, pizzas, and burgers.
At the grocery store, select white button mushrooms that are firm, fresh, and have a smooth, dry, and plump appearance. Store them in their original packaging or a porous paper bag in the refrigerator, and they can keep for up to a week. Fresh mushrooms should not be frozen.
To clean button mushrooms, brush off any debris with your fingers or a damp paper towel, or briefly rinse them under running water and then pat them dry. Rinsing is an effective method to remove dirt, and it won't significantly affect their moisture content.
