We steam mushrooms in the Varoma® because they keep all their flavour rather than losing it into the cooking water. This works just as well for button mushrooms as it does for porcini or chanterelles.
Steamed mushrooms taste more intense than boiled ones. The steam cooks them gently without breaking down the cell structure, so everything inside stays inside. At 100°C in boiling water, aromatic compounds and umami molecules dissolve out, the stock turns flavourful and the mushrooms turn bland. In the Varoma® at a steady 100°C steam temperature, the mushrooms stay compact and full of flavour.
Steamed Mushrooms in the Thermomix® Varoma®
Ingredients 0 / 2 ✓
- 300 g mushrooms
- 500 g vegetable stock
Instructions 0 / 3
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1
Clean the mushrooms.
Mushrooms: clean and trim any tough stalks. Leave whole, or cut into quarters or slices as preferred.
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2
Add the stock.
Pour the vegetable stock into the mixing bowl.
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3
Cook the mushrooms.
Spread the mushrooms across the Varoma tray and Varoma steaming basket, then cook for 30 min / Varoma / speed 1.
Video
Nutrition per serving
Why 30 minutes is the right cooking time
Mushrooms are made up of 90 per cent water. That water needs to escape during cooking, otherwise they stay spongy. 30 minutes on Varoma® at speed 1 is the point at which enough moisture has escaped without the mushrooms drying out. At 20 minutes they are still damp and slimy inside, at 40 minutes they turn chewy. Those 30 minutes are the window in which the mushrooms become tender-firm and full of flavour.
The vegetable stock in the mixing bowl creates the steam. 500 g is enough for 30 minutes of cooking without the mixing bowl running dry. You can use the stock afterwards for sauces or soups as it picks up the mushroom flavour.
How you cut them affects the texture
Whole button mushrooms need the full 30 minutes. Quarters are done after 25 minutes, slices after 20 minutes. We cut the mushrooms depending on how we plan to use them: whole caps for salads, quarters for pan dishes, slices for pizza or pasta. The cut size affects both the cooking time and the final texture.
Always trim the tough stalks. For button mushrooms it is enough to trim just the bottom end. For porcini or chanterelles, remove the stalks completely as they become stringy during cooking. The caps stay tender.
Arranging mushrooms in the Varoma® and steaming basket
Spread the mushrooms loosely, do not stack them. Put the larger pieces in the Varoma tray and the smaller pieces in the steaming basket. The steam rises from below, so the larger pieces get more heat in the lower section. The steaming basket runs slightly cooler, which suits the smaller pieces and cooks them evenly.
If you want to cook more than 300 g of mushrooms, add 5 minutes of cooking time for every extra 100 g. For 500 g of mushrooms allow 40 minutes, for 700 g allow 50 minutes. The steam needs longer to penetrate the larger quantity.
Which types of mushroom work in the Varoma®
Button mushrooms are the standard choice as they are available year-round and hold up well. Chanterelles become particularly aromatic in the Varoma®, and porcini keep their firm structure. Oyster mushrooms turn soft and silky, while shiitake hold onto their umami flavour. Any mushroom you would fry in a pan also works in the Varoma®.
Fresh mushrooms are essential. Frozen mushrooms release too much water and turn mushy. If you do need to use frozen mushrooms, defrost them first and drain off the liquid. Reduce the cooking time to 20 minutes as they are already partially cooked.
Season immediately after cooking
Mushrooms from the Varoma® absorb seasoning straight away while they are still hot. We tip them directly into a bowl after cooking and toss them with salt, pepper, garlic or herbs. The heat activates the flavours and the mushrooms soak the seasoning right in. If you leave them to cool first, you will need much more seasoning to achieve the same result.
Add oil or butter after cooking, not before. Mushrooms do not need fat in the Varoma® as they cook in their own juices. The fat acts as a flavour carrier, not a cooking medium.
How long steamed mushrooms keep
Steamed mushrooms keep in the fridge for 3 days in an airtight container. No longer than that, as they start to become watery after 4 days. Freezing works, but the texture suffers. After defrosting they are softer and only suitable for sauces or soups, not for salads or as a side dish.
Goes well with: Pasta, Risotto and omelette.
If you want to cook mushrooms in bulk, blast-chill them immediately after cooking. Spread them flat in freezer bags and freeze them so they defrost more quickly. Do not refreeze defrosted mushrooms as this destroys the texture completely.
