Mushroom Broth Is Having a Moment
If you’ve been anywhere near the health and wellness world in the last few years, you know that bone broth has been a thing. Bone broth has found its way onto menus and grocery store shelves, and there’s even a chain of New York cafes dedicated to it. Proponents have touted bone broth’s high density of vitamins and minerals, as well as a list of benefits that include supporting the digestive system, fighting inflammation, boosting the immune system, and improving sleep. But a new broth has emerged to compete for the title of most nutritious: mushroom broth (1, 2, 3)
Adaptogens and Mushrooms
Mushroom broth has been gaining in popularity as people have become aware of adaptogens. Adaptogenic substances are used in herbal medicine to help people recover from stress – whether it’s mental or physical. Adaptogens can also help people improve the way they respond to stress. In other words, they support us in adapting. (4)
Along with coping with stress, adaptogens can improve mental performance, soothe anxiety and depression, and fight fatigue. It’s no wonder that people are excited about adaptogens. And since some mushrooms, like cordyceps and reishi, are adaptogenic, they’re having a moment too. (3, 4)
Mushroom Broth Benefits
Besides the fact that some are adaptogenic, mushrooms, in general, have a lot going for them. By weight, they’re high in protein. And they contain vitamins C and D, as well as the minerals potassium, magnesium, and phosphorous. Also, many people think they’re quite tasty. (3)
Mushroom broth provides an alternative to bone broth for vegans and vegetarians. And cooking mushroom broth yourself takes a lot less time than cooking bone broth. Since you’re extracting collagen from bones, it needs to simmer for a long time. But mushroom broth only requires a few hours of cooking time. (3)
Since some types of mushrooms are expensive, save your scraps from cooking for a few weeks. You can save your mushroom scraps in a bag in the freezer until you’re ready to make your broth. For the recipe below, you can also save vegetable scraps like celery and carrots. (3)
Mushroom Broth Recipe
This hearty mushroom broth recipe calls for whatever you have on-hand. Save mushroom and other vegetable scraps for a few weeks before cooking your broth. If you’d like to make it sooner, you can buy all of these ingredients fresh from the store. (3, 5)
Ingredients
- ½ large yellow onion
- 1 pound mushrooms and/or mushroom scraps (such as stems)
- vegetable scraps (such as carrots)
- aromatic vegetables (such as onion, celery, and garlic)
- herbs of your choice
- 2 ½ cups water
Instructions
- Put all of the vegetables and herbs into a large pot. Pour the water over them.
- Bring the water to a simmer over medium heat. Lower the heat and cook it at a simmer for about an hour and 15 minutes, or until the broth is flavorful.
- To cook the broth in a slow cooker, add all of the ingredients and cook on low for 8 hours.
- Strain the broth, pressing down the solids to release as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.
