The original lions mane mushroom crab cake recipe was born on this site. This is one of my all-time favorites. I guarantee this is so good, some people may not be able to tell it's a crabcake made from mushrooms instead of crab.
If I get asked for my go-to recipe for Hericium / Lions mane mushrooms, crab cakes are usually the answer. Don't get me wrong, they're perfectly good sautéed and browned, but one of their best characteristics is their texture and flavor that resembles crab meat in a strangely pleasing way.
Sometimes mushrooms with different shapes, forms and textures can be challenging to cook in creative ways, but when they have a mild texture like crustaceans (shrimp of the woods are good too, but different) crab cakes are a tried and true crowd-pleaser that need to be in your repertoire.
The only problem can be finding enough of them to make into cakes, since you'll need at least a good pound to serve four people. I finally have a log that's producing pounds of Hericium coralloides mushrooms dependably.
These can be one of the more tricky wild mushrooms to find from my experience and most of the time if people aren't primed to look for them, they might just pass them by as just another strange looking tree growth.
Thankfully, one cake is so rich I don't even need to have meat alongside for a meal. When the time comes that you find a nice, multiple-pound clump (clusters over 50 lbs are possible!), do yourself a favor and make the lions mane crab cakes at least once. You deserve to make them, yes you do.
For the best texture, compress those cakes
Chefs Tips
They're easy to make, but there's a couple things to know about making mushroom cakes that will both hold up while cooking, and not be too tough.
- Don't get happy with the breadcrumbs or flour.
- Regular eggs here. I don't use jumbo sized eggs.
- Remember that Hericiums / lions mane mushrooms can hold a lot of water and the more you can remove before frying the finished mushroom cakes, the better (I squeeze it out after sweating them).
- Don't put a bunch of B.S. in your lions mane cakes, save your fake cheese, beans, or other obscenity for another day.
- For the chefs treat, put a fried egg on it.
- A chef trick is to use a ring mold the best shape, in a pinch just cut a plastic bottle to form a plastic ring about 2 inches tall by about 3 inches wide.
- Adding to #6, compacting the cakes also ensures a really meaty, solid cake, trust me here.
- Don't cook like a civilian. Double check your seasoning for herbs and salt, then before frying the cakes, check it again. It's not my fault if you don't know how to season your food, so don't complain that it's underseasoned. Capische?
- Golden. Brown. Crust. If I see any weak-looking, blonde, Bush-League cakes, you'll be on salad station faster than you can say potato peeler.
Lions Mane or Hericium Mushroom Crabcakes
Ingredients
Mushrooms
- 1 lb lions mane or other Hericium mushrooms
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons water
Cake mix
- ¼ cup minced scallion
- ¼ cup minced red bell pepper
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup high fat mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons chopped herbs like cilantro tarragon, or Italian parsley
- 1 tablespoon worcesterchire or similar I use mushroom ketchup
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning optional, a mix of paprika, cayenne, and extra salt can be substituted
- 1 large egg
- Kosher salt to taste
Serving
- All purpose flour for dredging
- Flavorless oil for cooking the cakes
- Fresh green salad
- Dollop of spicy mayonnaise optional
- Fresh cut chives optional
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
Wilt the mushrooms and remove the water
- Pick the lions mane mushrooms into pieces to resemble crab meat. Put the mushrooms in a pan with the water and salt, cover and bring to a simmer, stir, cover, and cook for a few minutes until the mushrooms are wilted and have given up their juice.
- Allow the mushrooms to cool, then squeeze out as much water as you possibly can. This step is important as mushrooms, unlike crab, contain lots of water.
Mix with the crab cake mix
- Combine the mushrooms with the cake ingredients and mix well. Taste a bit of the mixture (you can cook it if raw egg weirds you out) adjust the seasoning for salt and anything else you’re looking for, then allow the crab cake mix to rest for at least 15 minutes to allow the breadcrumbs to hydrate, which will make forming the cakes easier. In a perfect world, you’ll let it sit overnight.
Cooking
- To cook the cakes, form 4 oz patties of the mixture (it will be delicate, don’t worry—the egg will set as they cook). For the most refined look, form the cakes using a ring mold.
- Heat a pan with a few tablespoons of oil.
- Heat an oven to 350F. Meanwhile, gently dredge the cakes in flour on both sides, tap off the excess, and brown gently on medium heat. When one side of the cakes are golden brown, gently flip the cakes and transfer the pan to the oven and cook until hot throughout, about 10 minutes.
Serving
- Remove the cakes to a plate with a fresh green salad, top with a dollop of spicy mayonnaise or aioli if using, sprinkle with chives and serve with lemon wedges on the side. The cakes are also excellent served on a bun like you would a burger.
Graham
We just harvested a 15lb Lions Mane mushroom in our woods. I feel like I won the lottery. We made a batch of these crab cakes with 1.5lbs of shroom and we enjoyed them so much. Even my 5yo licked his plate. I have some leftovers and I’d like freeze them. Should I freeze them in patty form raw or go ahead and cook them first before freezing? — thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Alan Bergo
You'll need to cook them beforehand, otherwise their taste will be ruined from freezing. Glad it worked for you.
Tony
A week ago I was fortunate to stumble upon a group of 4-5 moss covered logs, all sprouting H. corralloides! I harvested the ones that were ready, but there were many more just emerging so I'll go back in a couple weeks. We made these crab cakes. They turned out perfectly, and wow! They're as good as any crab cakes made with crab! The remaining Hericiums we sweated, squeezed the water out, then froze them. Is that a reasonable way to preserve them? You mention preserving in a conserve, but I'm afraid vinegar might overpower their mild sweet flavor. Thanks!
Sherry
Even though I took some liberties with the recipe (used a flax egg) they turned out beautifully and were delicious!
Alan Bergo
Glad they worked for you.
LouJean
I followed your recipe pretty close and it turned out delicious. I’ve learned a little trick for recipes like this that imitate seafood is to add a half teaspoon or so or crumbled nori sheet. And I did do that tonight. Made some tartar sauce and roasted some asparagus. Perfect meal!
Alan Bergo
Glad it worked for you. Nice tip on the nori sheets!
Debbie
Love this recipe! So good and easy to make.
Alan Bergo
Thanks Debbie.
Eryn Scott
As a seafood lover that after chemotherapy has developed an anaphylactic reaction to all fish and seafood I am Very thankful for alternative ideas and recipes!!! I tried these Crab Cakes with shredded trumpet mushrooms, and I added some dulse flakes instead of salt when I sauteed them, and a few more shakes to the cake filling along with the old bay. They were delicious!!! I made a remoulade with roasted red pepper, mayo, lemon juice, capers,smoked paprika, a little Dijon mustard, and a few dashes if Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce. YUMMMY!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR RECIPES
Alan Bergo
Glad the cakes worked for you. But even more I’m glad the chemo was a success!
Adam
I made these this evening for my wife who absolutely loves crab. I told her that I'd make lion's mane "crab cakes" for her at some point. She got home from work and asked what was for dinner. I showed her the preformed "crab cakes" I prepared. She remarked that we were having crab cakes.
It wasn't until she was mostly finished the second one when she remarked that she expected the crab to fall apart as she was cutting it that I told her there was no crab in them at all. She didn't believe me and after I told her she could look in the trash for a nonexistent empty container of crab meat that she finally relented.
This was my second time having lion's mane (first one was about two weeks ago while visiting friends in another state). Delicious. I won't be forgoing actual crab for all meals, but this was about as tasty as it comes.
Alan Bergo
Adam, glad they worked for you.
Mia
Fantastic recipe! I omitted the bell pepper, added pimenton, used a cookie cutter, drank the mushroom juice, placed the cake over a kale/celery salad with lemon/EVOO dressing, sent pictures to friends and was amazed at how beautiful, tasty and crablike the cake was.
Oh and I was lazy and didn't dredge in flour -- what did I miss out on not having done that? The cake stayed together, there was crispiness and a nice golden color.
The recipe came together fast and was super fun to make. What a treat it was.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Alan Bergo
Try it with them dredged the next time. I'd also recommend the peppers, it's a small amount, but it helps them taste traditional.
David
Looks delicious!
I’d like to give this a go with some lion’s mane I dried a few weeks ago. Found a big ol’ chunker growing in a Portland city park.
Will the reconstituted LM work ok? Any recommendations?
Alan Bergo
Sorry only fresh mushrooms for this.
Jennifer Lockwood
What exactly is "mushroom ketchup"? (sorry if this has already been asked, I did not read through all of the comments).
Alan Bergo
Sorry I'm pokey here. Mushroom ketchup is a nectar of the gods. Tastes a bit like Worcestershire. See my method here. https://foragerchef.com/wild-mushroom-ketchup/
Susana Banana
I made this today using Lion Mane's mushrooms and followed recipe exactly. It taste amazing and I love the meaty texture.
Thank you for the detailed recipe. It was easy to follow and easy to make. Yay!
Alan Bergo
Glad it worked for you Susana.
Natalie Malinowski
Heart Shaped Crab Cakes- Since I discovered your website this spring, I'm obsessed! I grew up with the general thought of cooking any wild mushroom be morel or shaggy mane is "dice it fry it in butter" that's what every one in our area says. My new years resolution goal for 2021 was being vegetarian so I started to expand my repertoire of wild foraged mushrooms. The idea being...to make the mushrooms the main course instead of the side. Thus I have fell in love with your mushroom blog! I was lucky enough to find 4 large clumps of lions mane the other day, and right away came to your website to get your recommendation on cooking them!
This is the 3rd mushroom recipe I have made following your directions, that has turned out fantastic!!! I love the how to video also! I followed it exactly.
-I squished the water out (which gave them awesome texture)....
-let the mix sit over night ( I THINK THIS REALLY HELPED FLAVOR!) as recommended..,
-and as I didn't have a round cookie cutter ended up using the only cookie cutter I had a heart <3 !!! LOL...
-browned them in my cast iron skillet so they were golden and crispy (wish I could attach a photo)...
I'm not a chef, by any means but even you would be happy with my results 🙂 I'm ecstatic! They are wonderful! I'm wondering if I want to have some in winter when foraging has come to a standstill can I freeze them? Thx a million for the great recipe's!
Alan Bergo
Glad you liked them.
Daniel
Great mushroom and great recipe, wow.
Alan Bergo
Thanks Daniel
Bill B
I use Lion's Mane to make Maryland crab cakes and they work well as a substitute for jumbo lump crab meat. As a born and bred Marylander transplanted to the Pacific Northwest, I was skeptical at first. Just as an FYI, anyone from Maryland knows there are very few ingredients in a Maryland style cake - the meat (Lion's Mane), mayo, cracker crumbs, worcestershire, dijon, chopped parsley and Old Bay That's it. That's all you need and they make great cakes. No need for other fillers.
Alan Bergo
Bill, if only mushrooms had the same umami as crab. I've spent years tweaking this, and the reviews are a testament to how solid it is.
Jon
These were wonderful. The texture of lions mane is somewhere between scallops and crab, it’s not just hype! I made an XO Mayo for topping and decided next time to add some XO to the mix before forming. Every bit as satisfying as a good crab cake, I was blown away.
Alan Bergo
Glad you like them Jon, XO sauce sounds like a great riff.
Jean
Good morning, Alan,
This has been a phenomenal year for foraging in Maine. Just his past week I stumbled on not one, but two large clumps of hericium, a d decided to try your crab cake recipe. I didn’t have Old Bay seasoning, and really don’t care for it, so I followed your suggestion and substituted minced fresh cilantro and cayenne pepper flakes. It was delicious. Thank you so much for this.
I also found a recipe for pan fried hericium, with sautéed cherry tomatoes on another site. I think the sautéed or roasted heirlooms would be a great accompaniment to your recipe, and I intend to combine them tonight.
I am also looking forward to your matsutake recipes, and I have located a gold mine of them this fall, too.
Alan Bergo
Thanks Jean. Glad it worked for you. The roasted tomatoes sound like a great compliment.
Carolina Jones
I only recently discovered this amazing mushroom and was looking for great ways to prepare them. As a 30 year plus vegetarian I find standard fare can get downright boring so this was a godsend. Like one other commenter I read the recipe many times as “sweating mushrooms” was new to me! But I liked the idea of something that would purify the mushroom without making it soggy. I followed the directions to the tee, watched carefully and what emerged was simply sublime! I did use the seasonings and proportions from another food blog and added in my own twists. One recipe said to allow the cakes to chill for a bit and so I did that. I also used flax eggs (1:3 ground flaxseed and water) because I don’t like eggs but know that this needed a binder. I chopped a bit of fresh cilantro instead of parsley from the garden and added just a kiss of smoked paprika to accompany the Old Bay. The results—-freaking phenomenal! Thank you for this amazing recipe. Hope my little adjustments might inspire others. I LOVED crab cakes before becoming a vegetarian, but like many foods crab really has no “flavor”. You’re right chef! It’s all about the seasonings and texture. Taste, adjust, rinse, repeat! Thanks again.
Alan Bergo
Glad it worked for you. Good to know about the flax egg for my vegan readers.
Nancy
I made this recipe exactly as instructed and it turned out fantastic. Husband commented that this is now his favorite meal. I made some spicy mayo to go with it and served with a mixed green salad. Perfection!
Alan Bergo
Glad it worked for you Nancy. It’s been tweaked a little over the years but as written it’s my favorite, by far.
Dave
This recipe is insane. I’ve made a lot of mushroom based recipes, but this one completely blew my mind. Thank you so much
Alan Bergo
Thanks Dave, lots of work has gone into it.
Don Dona
Alan: Have used your recipe for the lions mane crabcakes aa number of times. Loved them! My son is a forager, mostly mushrooms. Never really read through the pep talk before the actual heart of the recipe 'til today. Just a quick observation, its "Bush" league Alan. Busch is a beer and Bush league is where the players that can't make the "bigs" play. Have a good one. Love the recipes, Don
Alan Bergo
Thanks Don, I stand corrected. Can you tell I watch a lot of racing? 🙂