Pickled Plum
Wood Ear Mushroom Salad
A vibrant Chinese wood ear mushroom salad with crisp celery. It’s spicy without being volcanic – and sour, bright and umami all at once. I’ve got easy to follow instructions, whether you’re using fresh mushrooms or dehydrated. Plus a couple suggestions if you prefer to make your own chili oil rather than using store bought. Don’t miss this one!
Why This Recipe Works
- Authentic Chinese flavor. The dressing pulls no punches: spicy, sour, salty and nutty.
- Textures galore. Crunchy celery and springy, chewy wood ear mushrooms.
- Quick and easy. A restaurant quality Chinese mushroom salad, ready in 17 minutes.
Table of Contents
- What are Wood Ear Mushrooms
- Wood Ear Mushroom Salad Ingredients
- Salad Dressing Ingredients
- Ingredient Substitutions
- How to Make Wood Ear Mushroom Salad
- Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What to Serve With Wood Ear Mushroom Salad
What are Wood Ear Mushrooms
The wood ear mushroom is a fungus that grows primarily on the bark of elder trees. When cooked, the texture is a cross between crunchy and springy. Think of these mushrooms as more of a textural ingredient. The natural flavor is very mild – but they soak in additional flavors well. Their curvy edges also make them the perfect vehicle for trapping the spicy, savory and sour dressing in this Chinese mushroom salad.
- Common Uses
These mushrooms are regularly used in Chinese recipes like moo shu, hot and sour soup and as a filling for dumplings and spring rolls. In Japan, wood ears are commonly used as a topping for ramen (kikurage).
Wood Ear Mushroom Salad Ingredients
Scroll to the bottom of this page for the full recipe!
- Wood Ear Mushrooms: Use fresh mushrooms if you can get your hands on them. However, dehydrated wood ears work well and can be easier to find at Asian grocery stores.
- Celery: Slice 2 stalks of celery thinly on the bias (diagonally).
- Green Onions: Thinly chop your scallions for a sharp fragrance and crunchy texture.
Pro Tip To rehydrate dehydrated wood ear mushrooms, simply place them in a large bowl of cold water and leave them for around 2 hours. They’re ready to use when they’re plump and slightly transparent. Rub each rehydrated mushroom gently with your fingers to dislodge any grit – and rinse well.
Salad Dressing Ingredients
- Minced Garlic: 1 clove, finely minced.
- Chili Crisp: This is a savory and spicy chunky chili oil with plenty of dried chili peppers. It’s an absolute flavor bomb. Lao Gan Ma makes a particularly good chili crisp.
- Chinkiang Vinegar: This is Chinese black vinegar. It’s rich, sharp and fruity with subtle umami undertones. Available at most Chinese grocery stores – or grab chinkiang vinegar on Amazon.
- Soy Sauce: Salty, umami and perfect.
- Mirin: Mirin is both sweet and tangy – and balances out some of the assertive saltiness in the dressing.
- Sesame Oil: Nutty, toasty goodness.
- Sesame Seeds: These add a bit of crunch and look super nice in the finished dish.
Ingredient Substitutions
Having trouble tracking down chili crisp? You can use chili oil instead. Here are two homemade options you can make yourself.
- Hot Sichuan Chili Oil
- Homemade Rayu
How to Make Wood Ear Mushroom Salad
- Mix the dressing ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
- Meanwhile, bring a medium sized pot of water to boil.
- Boil the wood ear mushrooms for 2 minutes. Do this for both fresh mushrooms – and dry mushrooms that you’ve rehydrated.
- Drain the mushrooms and rinse under cold water until they become cold to the touch. Then drain again and pat the mushrooms dry with paper towels. Remove as much surface moisture as you can.
- Finally place the celery and mushrooms in a bowl and add the dressing. Mix well and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
Pro Tip The longer you marinate the salad in the refrigerator, the more flavor the mushrooms and celery soak in. And, since this is served as a cold salad, you can make it well in advance with no reheat necessary.
Storage
Store leftover mushroom and celery salad in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- The storage time doubles as marinating time. The celery and mushrooms will continue to absorb the flavors from the dressing.
- Eat leftovers cold, right out of the fridge. No need to heat them up.
Do not freeze leftovers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I eat wood ear mushrooms raw?
Whether you’re using fresh wood ears – or have rehydrated a batch of dehydrated mushrooms – it’s best to cook them first. This is for two reasons. First, cooking helps to soften them and enhances their natural flavor. Second, boiling them for two minutes should obliterate any bacteria that might be lurking.
Is this recipe vegan?
Yes! This Chinese mushroom salad is 100% vegan.
How about gluten free?
Two of the ingredients in this recipe contain wheat: soy sauce and chinkiang vinegar. You can use tamari instead of soy sauce. And sub rice vinegar in place of the chinkiang vinegar to make this recipe wheat-free. Also worth noting: Lao Gan Ma chili crisp is listed as gluten free. However, if using another brand of chili crisp, have a look at the label first.
What to Serve With Wood Ear Mushroom Salad
Serve with a simple bowl of white or brown rice. Or make this salad a side dish to a full-on Chinese feast. Here are some ideas:
- Vegan Dan Dan Noodles
- Egg Fried Rice
- Chinese Eggplant With Garlic Sauce
- Stir Fried Bean Sprouts With Tofu and Garlic Chives
- Easy Cantonese Chow Mein
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Have you made this wood ear mushroom salad recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!
PrintWood Ear Mushroom Salad
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 minutes
- Total Time: 17 minutes
- Yield: 4 sides
- Category: Salad
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Chinese
- Diet: Vegan
