Can you freeze mushrooms?

Mushrooms are about 90 percent water in a fragile structure, and freezing them raw ruptures nearly every cell, so they thaw waterlogged and limp. Cooking them first drives off much of that water and sets the proteins, which is why sautéed or blanched mushrooms freeze well and raw ones do not. Sautéing also concentrates the flavour, so the frozen result is arguably better than the fresh one for stews and sauces. Freeze them in a flat layer so you can break off what you need.

How to do it properly

1. Slice and sauté in a dry or lightly oiled pan until the water has cooked off
2. Cool completely before bagging, or the steam becomes ice
3. Freeze spread out on a tray, then transfer to a bag
4. Use straight from frozen in sauces, risottos and stews

What goes wrong

• Raw frozen mushrooms thaw slimy and grey
• Any moisture left in the pan turns into a solid clump in the bag
• Texture never suits salads or raw use again

Other "can you freeze" questions

• Can you freeze cheese? It depends — Yes, and it stays safe indefinitely — but hard cheese comes out crumbly and soft cheese comes out wet.
• Can you freeze milk? Yes — Yes — leave headspace for expansion and shake it hard after thawing.
• Can you freeze eggs? It depends — Not in the shell. Beat them first, or freeze whites on their own.
• Can you freeze bread? Yes — Yes — freezing is the best way to store bread, far better than the fridge.
• Can you freeze bananas? Yes — Yes — peel and slice them first, because the peel turns black and welds itself on.
• Can you freeze cooked rice? Yes — Yes, and freezing quickly is the safest way to keep leftover rice.
• Can you freeze raw chicken twice? It depends — Only if it thawed in the fridge and never got above 4 °C (40 °F).
• Can you freeze breast milk? Yes — Yes — freeze it flat in bags, and use within six months for best quality.
• Can you freeze avocado? It depends — Yes, but only as a purée — frozen slices go grey and watery.
• Can you freeze soup? It depends — Yes for most soups; cream, milk and potato-based ones separate or go grainy.
• Can you freeze butter? Yes — Yes — butter freezes better than almost anything else in the fridge.
• Can you freeze cooked pasta? Yes — Yes — undercook it slightly and toss it in oil first, or it thaws into a solid block.