What are White, Cremini, and Portobello Mushrooms?

Did you know that white (or button), cremini, and portobello mushrooms are all the same species of mushroom? Agaricus bisporus, is one of the most commonly eaten mushrooms worldwide, making up 90% of the United States mushroom production. White, cremini, and portobello mushrooms are all part of the Agaricus bisporus fungus, just in different stages of growth. White mushrooms are the youngest, then cremini, and portobello takes the spotlight as the eldest.

Meet the Mushroom

Originating from France, Agaricus bisporus was the first cultivated mushroom and is one of the most popular edible fungi worldwide. Only around half a dozen strains from Europe account for the majority of the strains used commercially today. As secondary decomposers, these mushrooms need composted material to grow, versus primary decomposers such as oyster and shiitake which can break down organic materials. Because of this and their prolific growth in the dark, the majority of these types of mushrooms are grown in controlled environments indoors.

Fungi Facts – Agaricus Bisporus

Button mushrooms are uniquely rather thick mushrooms in comparison with many other mushrooms, such as shiitake or oyster mushrooms, for example. White mushrooms are young Agaricus bisporus mushrooms and when they age they turn a darker chocolate brown, transforming into cremini. Portobello mushrooms form larger fruiting bodies through various grower strategies and are the most mature of the three.

As the mushroom matures, sporulation gives way to large gills that are surprisingly tasty. While other species of mushrooms are often best consumed when in their younger form, portobello mushrooms are the exception to the rule and arguably taste better than their younger counterparts.

Agaricus bisporus is also one of the only species of mushrooms to thrive in the dark, originally grown in caverns in France. While most mushrooms do prefer darker environments, many can handle low light, and exposure to sunlight increases vitamin D levels. As such, many button mushroom growers have started exposing their crops to small amounts of light to make a marketable, vitamin D-rich product.

Mushroom Senses

The texture of white and cremini mushrooms is often similar, with a smooth fruiting body and an often fuzzy stem. Portobello mushrooms stand out for their ribbed gills on the undersize and their flat, thick, pancake-like shape. White button mushrooms are the mildest of the three, with a slight earthy umami flavor. Creminis have a richer flavor, and portobellos are more distinct with a more intense umami flavor and meaty texture. Portobello mushrooms also smell slightly musky.

Where To Source

As the most common mushroom, you should have no trouble finding white, cremini, and portobello mushrooms in most grocery stores in North America and Europe in fresh, canned, and frozen varieties. While fresh is always best when it comes to nutritional content and texture, canned and frozen mushrooms have similar nutritional content and work well for a variety of dishes.

In other parts of the world, this mushroom isn’t as common. Since conventional cultivators use carcinogenic pesticides and other chemicals, it’s best to purchase organic when you can. You may also be able to find others of this species in temperature regions in local meadows and grasslands; they are commonly found in the wild in California. However, Agaricus bisporus is deadly-tricky to identify with many poisonous look-alikes, and foraging is strongly discouraged. This is not a beginner mushroom to forage for; stick to the store varieties.

Most Common Uses

As the most versatile mushroom, there is virtually no wrong way to incorporate this mushroom into your cooking routine. Some of the best combinations include stir-fries, omelets, soups, risottos, pizza, kabobs, and sauteed as a side. Portobello mushrooms also hold up well on the grill and make any excellent vegetarian burger patty. Though you may toss them out, you can even chop up the stems of these mushrooms and use them alongside the mushroom caps in your dishes.

Although it is popular to eat white mushrooms raw, it is not recommended as it could cause an upset stomach. In addition, since these mushrooms are often sold in plastic wrap, it’s best to remove them and place them in a paper bag in the fridge for best keeping.

Conclusion

Button, cremini, and portobello mushrooms are the most common mushroom in the world, and they are also all the same type of mushroom; Agaricus bisporus. Doubling their fruiting size every 24 hours, the difference between a cremini and portobello mushroom may just be a few days, depending on the grower. While button mushrooms aren’t the most nutritious when it comes to the mushroom kingdom, they aren’t currently in short supply and are a great option for adding some fungi to your plate.

_Sources:

• _{Stamets, Paul. Growing Gourmet Medicinal Mushrooms, Third Edition. 2000.}
• _{Vitamin D: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6213178/}