These pickled mushrooms are a traditional Polish recipe with tender mushrooms and classic aromatics in a tangy white wine brine. They are quick pickled, making them easy to prepare ahead and keep in the refrigerator for serving with charcuterie, alongside hearty meals, or just straight from the jar.

Jar of sliced pickled mushrooms in dark brine on a wooden table near a window.

Pickle your mushrooms Polish-style

It’s been two years since I tasted pickled mushrooms for the first time. The memory of that first bite has stayed with me, and making them in my kitchen has remained a goal. A few days ago, that goal became a reality. And at the risk of sounding like I’m bragging, this recipe is a lot better than the one I tasted years ago that made me such a fan of these pickled delights.

I’m already plotting all of the ways I can enjoy them. They are going to be a great addition to many dishes served at my table and a quick way to layer flavor on sandwiches and toast when I’m grabbing something to eat on the run.

If you love putting fruit and veggies up in jars as much as I do, give my garlic dill pickles and homemade preserved lemons a try too.

Recipe ingredients

Mushrooms: I use baby portobello mushrooms because I prefer their deeper, earthier flavor to white button mushrooms. Both varieties are readily available in grocery stores and work well for pickling, so choose mushrooms that are firm, dry, and free from soft spots and blemishes.
Lemon juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice rather than bottled. It contributes fresh acidity to the brine and complements the earthy flavor of the mushrooms.
Red wine vinegar: Red wine vinegar provides much of the sharp acidity that gives the pickled mushrooms their characteristic tang. Its wine-based flavor also works particularly well with mushrooms and the other aromatics in the brine.
Granulated sugar: Only a small amount of granulated sugar is used to balance the tartness and acidity of the brine rather than make the mushrooms sweet. You can leave it out if you prefer a sharper, more acidic pickle.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Quick pickled mushroom variations

These quick pickled mushrooms are easy to adjust to suit your taste. Change the level of heat, add fresh herbs, or include extra aromatics to create a variation that works best for the way you plan to serve them.

Adjust the heat: Increase the crushed red pepper flakes for a spicier pickle, reduce them for just a hint of heat, or leave them out completely. For fresh chile heat, sauté thinly sliced jalapeño with the mushrooms or add a thinly sliced Thai chile for a considerably hotter version.
Add fresh herbs: Add fresh thyme, dill, or finely chopped rosemary during the last few minutes of cooking so the heat releases their aromatic oils and gives the mushrooms a more pronounced herbal flavor. Sage is another good option, but use it sparingly since its flavor is stronger.
Add more aromatics: A thinly sliced shallot or a few slices of onion can be sautéed with the mushrooms. They will soften as they cook and take on the tangy flavor of the pickling liquid along with the mushrooms.

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How to make pickled mushrooms

Step 1: Gently clean the mushrooms to remove any dirt. Leave small mushrooms whole, quarter larger mushrooms, or slice them, depending on your preference and how easily they will fit into the jar. Keeping the pieces relatively uniform will help them cook evenly.

Step 2: Heat the olive oil in a stainless steel skillet or enameled cast iron pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and salt and sauté until the mushrooms release some of their liquid and are just starting to become tender. Avoid cooking them until completely soft so they retain some firmness after pickling.

Step 3: Add the sliced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes to the mushrooms. Cook briefly, stirring frequently, just until the garlic becomes fragrant. Don’t allow the garlic to brown, which can give the finished brine a bitter flavor.

Step 4: Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and granulated sugar, making sure the sugar dissolves into the warm liquid. Toss the mushrooms well so they are evenly coated in the pickling mixture.

Step 5: Transfer the mushrooms to a clean pint jar, pouring all of the cooking and pickling liquid from the pan over them. Press the mushrooms gently into the liquid and allow the jar to cool before covering it with a lid and refrigerating.

Top tips

Let the mushrooms pickle for several days: You can eat them once they’re thoroughly chilled, but they’re even better after 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. That extra time allows the mushrooms to absorb more of the brine and gives the garlic, vinegar, lemon, and seasonings time to develop into a more cohesive flavor.
Pack the jar while the mushrooms are still warm: Transferring the mushrooms and pickling liquid to the jar while warm allows them to cool directly in the brine and begin taking on its flavors right away.
Keep the mushrooms submerged: Mushrooms naturally tend to float. Keeping them beneath the brine gives them more consistent contact with the pickling liquid, which helps them pickle and season evenly.
Use a glass pickling weight if needed: If the mushrooms continue to float above the brine, place a small glass pickling weight on top before refrigerating. It keeps the mushrooms submerged so the pieces at the top pickle as evenly as those lower in the jar.
Store in the refrigerator: Keep the pickled mushrooms tightly covered and refrigerated in their brine. For the best quality, use them within 2 weeks, using a clean utensil each time you remove mushrooms from the jar to avoid introducing food particles or microorganisms that can shorten their storage life.

Serve

Pickled mushrooms are a natural addition to charcuterie boards with cheese, cured meats, artisan rye bread from scratch, Italian semolina bread, savory crackers made from scratch, baked rosemary parmesan crackers, or homemade roasted garlic crackers.

Serve them as a tangy side with homemade fennel sausage, traditional cast iron meatloaf, grilled chicken with spicy marinade, or homemade apple pork tenderloin. They also pair particularly well with traditional German potato pancakes.

For sandwiches, pile sliced pickled mushrooms onto a diner style hot roast beef sandwich or old fashioned hot hamburger sandwich, or use them on burgers and grilled cheese. They’re also great piled onto toast with smashed avocado, ricotta cheese, or whipped cream cheese with honey spread.

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Pickled Mushrooms

These traditional Polish pickled mushrooms are quick pickled with garlic and red pepper in a tangy red wine vinegar and lemon brine. Make them ahead for charcuterie, sandwiches, appetizers, and hearty meals.

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 20

Servings: servings

Calories: 65kcal

Author: Diane Gail

US Customary – Metric

Ingredients

▢ 16 ounces baby portobello mushrooms
▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
▢ 2 extra large garlic cloves sliced thin
▢ 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
▢ 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
▢ 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
▢ 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Instructions

Gently clean the mushrooms to remove any dirt. Leave small mushrooms whole, quarter larger mushrooms, or slice them as desired to fit easily into a pint jar.
Heat the olive oil in a stainless steel skillet or enameled cast iron pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and salt and sauté until the mushrooms release some of their liquid and begin to become tender.
Add the sliced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook briefly, stirring frequently, just until the garlic is fragrant without allowing it to brown.
Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and granulated sugar until the sugar dissolves and the mushrooms are evenly coated.
Transfer the mushrooms to a clean pint jar and pour the cooking and pickling liquid from the pan over them.
Allow the pickled mushrooms to cool, cover the jar with a lid, and refrigerate. They can be eaten once cooled and develop even more flavor as they pickle in the refrigerator.

Notes

For a milder pickle, reduce or omit the crushed red pepper flakes. For more heat, increase the flakes or add thinly sliced jalapeño or Thai chile.
The small amount of sugar balances the acidity rather than making the mushrooms sweet. It can be omitted for a sharper brine.
If the mushrooms float, use a small glass pickling weight to keep them submerged for more even contact with the brine.
Store tightly covered in the brine in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Use a clean utensil when serving to avoid introducing food particles or microorganisms that can shorten storage life.
These are refrigerator pickled mushrooms and are not intended for water-bath canning or room-temperature storage.