Portabella Mushroom Jerky Recipe

February 21, 2021

Chewy Portabella Mushroom Jerky is a delicious plant-forward snack to add to your snack board, trail mix, or snack cabinet for when a salty, chewy, umami snack craving hits!

Nut Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free option, Gluten Free option, Grain Free

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by The Mushroom Council. Thank you for supporting the brands that make the Chelsey Amer Nutrition blog possible.

Last year I shared a shiitake mushroom jerky recipe that surprisingly became one of the most viewed recipes of 2020. This plant-based trend is taking the world by a storm… and I totally get why!

Mushroom Jerky is…

Chewy
Salty
Full of umami flavor
Delicious
A fun snack
Vegan
Allergy-friendly
Easy to make with mostly hands-off time
And more!

Mushrooms are one of my favorite vegetables because of their versatility. They truly can do almost anything!

No-meat “meat sauce” … check!
Meaty sandwich filling … check!
Bacon lookalike … check!
Taco filling … check!
Pizza crust … check!

So basically, mushrooms are the new cauliflower! And for a good reason…

Although not as colorful as some of their veggie cousins, mushrooms are loaded with essential nutrients.

Mushrooms are potent sources of:

Vitamin D to help support your immune system
B vitamins to support your metabolism and energy production
Selenium, an antioxidant that fights against heart disease and supports your immune system
Plant-based protein to boost satiety (mushrooms contain over 2g protein per cup of sliced mushrooms)

While mushrooms are packed with nutrients and extremely versatile for meals, they’re less commonly used for SNACKS.

And having nourishing snacks on hand has been one of my top tips for myself and clients as we’ve stayed at home more than ever before over the past year. It’s easy to hit the snack cabinet multiple times per day.

Having nourishing snack options that help you FEEL GOOD, but also TASTE GOOD is key!

Even more, having healthy snacks on hand is essential when building a snack board for a meal. I know I’m not the only one…

Snack Board with Portabella Mushroom Jerky

If you’re tired of cooking and/or making 3 meals per day for yourself or your entire family, you’ve got to try the “Snack Board Lunch.” Just as it sounds, a snack board lunch is a board full of snacks for lunch.

While you could fill it with empty snacks, that won’t keep you full all afternoon. Instead, fill your snack board with nourishing snacks that will actually keep you full and feeling good… including this Portabella Mushroom Jerky!

Here’s how to make a balanced snack board:

1. Start with veggies and fruit

This Portabella Mushroom Jerky recipe (below) is the perfect starting point for your snack board.

You can also add:

Sliced veggies, like bell peppers, cucumbers, celery, jicama
Fresh fruit
Dried fruit

2. Add protein

Although mushrooms contain some protein, I suggest adding a bit more to stay full for an extended period of time. The easiest proteins to add are:

Crispy chickpeas
Dry roasted edamame
Cheese
Hummus

3. Choose a whole grain

Crackers are a snack board must! Choose a whole grain option for more filling fiber.

4. Add healthy fats

Avocado (as pictured), hummus, and bean dips add healthy fats for more satisfaction.

Ingredients to make Spicy Maple Portabella Mushroom Jerky

You only need 7 ingredients to make this portabella mushroom jerky, including:

Low sodium soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos
Apple cider vinegar
Maple syrup
Hot chili sauce (like Sriracha)
Smoked paprika
Freshly ground black pepper
Large portabella mushroom caps

Here are some important notes on the ingredients used in this recipe:

You can use any soy sauce or soy sauce-like substitute to provide additional umami flavor. This includes tamari or coconut aminos for a gluten free or soy free option.

Instead of maple syrup you can use honey or any liquid sweetener, including agave or date syrup.

If you’re not a fan of spicy food, skip the hot chili sauce. If you want a really spicy jerky, add more hot chili sauce and red pepper flakes to the marinade.

Although I think this recipe looks the best with large sliced portabella mushroom caps, you can use baby bellas as well and cut them in half. Keep in mind that your mushrooms will shrink considerably when they dry out in the oven, so even the biggest mushrooms won’t result in huge pieces of jerky.

How to Make Portabella Mushroom Jerky

Although start to finish this recipe takes longer than most recipes I share, it’s actually super simple and takes very little hands-on time to make.

The key to really flavorful jerky is to let it marinate. In a large plastic bag or resealable container, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, maple syrup, hot chili sauce, smoked paprika and black pepper. Close the bag or container and shake it all together.

Next, carefully add the mushrooms and toss them around until they’re fully coated in the marinade. Refrigerate overnight for the most flavorful results.

If you notice the mushroom slices are not fully covered by the marinade, you may wish to flip the container over halfway to ensure all mushroom slices are covered.

After your mushrooms marinate, it’s time to dehydrate your mushroom slices without any fancy equipment – you only need your oven. Set your oven to 250°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This is essential for easy clean up!

As you move the marinated mushrooms to the baking sheet, be sure to let the excess drip off. If there’s too much liquid on the baking sheet your jerky won’t become chewy enough and it will retain too much liquid.

Now it’s time to bake the portabella jerky. First bake for one hour. The mushroom slices will still appear slightly wet after this time, but it’s important to flip the slices to a dry area of the parchment paper. Then continue baking for another 30-45 minutes.

I can’t wait for you to try this Spicy Maple Portabella Mushroom Jerky Recipe!

Spicy Maple Portabella Mushroom Jerky Recipe

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