Shrimp of the Woods in Spicy Creamy Tomato Sauce
Rich and silky, spicy creamy tomato sauce envelopes tender and savory shrimp of the woods mushrooms topped with fresh basil for a simple, filling meal. Serve over pasta, rice, or with sourdough bread for a toothsome meal, simple yet exquisite.
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How to Pick Shrimp of the Woods
Fall is mushroom season, and at the beginning of September we’re heading into peak season. One of those Fall favorites about to pop up in full force are the aborted entaloma, or more palatably put, shrimp of the woods. They’re relatively small, white, irregular looking mushrooms that bear a distinct resemblance to packing peanuts. Don’t worry, they don’t taste like packing peanuts. They’ve got a fairly mild mushroom flavor, and a juicy, firm flavor. As the name implies, they are often used similarly to shrimp because of the size and texture.
Check out the Mushroom Expert for more information about the aborted entoloma.
Disclaimer- use caution when foraging wild edibles, and always be certain of your identification. While I assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information provided on this site, I can’t be responsible for the accuracy of your information. Consult multiple websites, books and local experts, and when it doubt, do without.
The aborted entaloma have a somewhat debated relationship with another edible mushroom, the honey mushroom. It is thought that the packing peanut-like mushroom is an entaloma whose mycelium has been steamed by the honey mushroom. Shrimp of the woods are generally eaten in their aborted form. In their non-aborted form they look like a small, greyish, gilled mushroom- it is not recommended that you eat the non-aborted form as there are several poisonous look-alikes. They grow on or near decaying wood, often near leaf litter and typically appear in September. Most mushrooms I pick I throw in my bag and clean later, but with the aborted entoloma I make a point to cut off the bottoms that are covered in dirt. Because the shrimp of the woods have irregular shapes with the slight cavities, it really helps not to have too much dirt around as it gets stuck. The aborted form is irregularly shaped, white when fresh and bruising brown. There is often a slight indent in the center, rather like the bite-surface of a molar.
Pick mushrooms that are white and firm- as they age they will become spongy or hollow in the center. Shrimp of the woods don’t keep very well, so try and eat them within a few days of harvesting. As the name suggests, they can be used as a vegetarian shrimp alternative for the shape and texture, although the flavor is very much that of a mushroom. I think they taste a lot like a button mushroom, but more flavorful.
Looking f0r Vegan Shrimp of the Woods Recipes? Try one of these!
- Szechuan Style Chili Shrimp of the Woods
- Honee Garlic Shrimp of the Woods
- Vegan Aborted Entaloma Po’Boy
- White Pepper Popcorn Shrimp (of the Woods)
Looking for recipes with Tomato Sauce? Try one of these!
- Lion’s Mane Mushroom in Cherry Tomato Sauce
- Vegan Sausage Stuffed Summer Squash
- Tomato Masala Stuffed Spaghetti Squash with Corn and Spinach
- Stuffed Wild Grape Leaves in Tomato Sauce
- Burst Intestine Vegan Savory Halloween Bread
- Vegan Stuffed Cabbage (Okara Recipe)
- Baked Chile Relleno Cornbread Casserole
- Lazy Vegan Cabbage Rolls with Mung Beans
How to Make Shrimp of the W0ods in Spicy Creamy Tomato Sauce
At the most basic level, this recipe is made by cooking the mushrooms, making a sauce, and combining it all together. and it’s all done in the same skillet, which I love! But let’s go into that all in some more detail.
To kick things off, the initial step involves the careful cleaning your shrimp of the woods. These little forest delicacies can be quite intricate, housing hidden dirt and debris in their crevices. I’ve honed a specific cleaning technique. Begin by filling a bowl with water and immersing the mushrooms within. Swirl them around to dislodge as much dirt as possible, then carefully pour out the water and repeat as needed. Your best tool will, however, be a pipe cleaner (the type used for cleaning a reusable straw). Gently and patiently, scrub away any lingering dirt or grime from the nooks and crannies. While it does require individual attention for each mushroom, you’ll find that once you get the hang of it and put on some good tunes, the process goes quickly.
Once clean, the mushrooms have to be cooked. Just sauté them in a little oil, remove from the skillet, and you’re done.
The sauce is made with onion, garlic, chili, and tomatoes cooked together, and then blended smooth with plant-based milk. In that very same skillet, combine olive oil and flour and make yourself a roux by cooking the two together into a paste. Add the tomato mixture back into the skillet, and let it thicken until it’s the perfect, silky, creamy texture/ Add the shrimp of the woods back into the skillet, top with basil, and that’s it!
Serve over your carb of choice, and dig in.
Shrimp of the Woods in Spicy Creamy Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 cups (about 12 oz.) cleaned shrimp of the woods
- Olive oil, for cooking
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 fresh cayenne chili pepper, minced
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 6-8 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups oat milk
- 1 tbsp. miso paste
- ½ tsp. dried oregano
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Handful of fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- Heat a little oil in a medium skillet, and once hot add the shrimp of the woods. Fry for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- In the same pan add a little more oil, and then your onions. Sauté until fragrant and they start to turn translucent. Add the minced garlic and chili peppers, cook for another minute or two and then add the tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, as the tomatoes start to break down. Transfer to a blender with the oat milk, miso paste and oregano, and blend.
- In the same skillet, add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil with the all-purpose flour. Cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning. Once the flour forms and paste and looks golden and toasted, add the tomato and oat milk mixture back into the sauce pan. Stir until thickened, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Turn off the heat and add the shrimp of the woods back into the skillet. Serve over pasta or rice, with fresh basil on top.
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