Fried Morels
intro
Golden, crispy pan-fried morels with deep earthy, nutty flavor, a beloved spring foraged treat made with simple seasoning to highlight the wild mushroom’s unique taste.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep fresh morels
Halve 450g of fresh morels lengthwise, then submerge them in a bowl of cold salted water (1 tsp kosher salt per 4 cups cold water) for exactly 5 minutes to dislodge trapped dirt and small insects. Swish gently, lift morels out of the water (do not pour them into a colander, which leaves settled dirt behind), and pat completely dry with paper towels; do not soak longer than 5 minutes to prevent waterlogged, soggy mushrooms.
Set up breading station
Arrange two shallow dishes next to your dried morels. In the first dish, whisk together 60g all-purpose flour, 35g fine yellow cornmeal, 1 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp kosher salt, and ½ tsp ground black pepper until fully evenly mixed. In the second dish, beat 2 large eggs until completely smooth, with no visible streaks of unincorporated egg white.
Coat morel pieces
Working in small batches of 6-8 morel halves at a time, dip each piece first in the beaten egg, holding it above the dish for 2 seconds to let excess egg drip off, then toss it in the flour-cornmeal mix to coat fully, pressing gently so the breading adheres to the mushroom’s honeycomb nooks. Set coated morels on a wire rack for 3 minutes to let the breading set before frying, which prevents the coating from falling off during cooking.
Heat pan and fat
Place a 12-inch heavy-bottomed cast iron skillet over medium heat (target pan surface temperature 350°F / 175°C). Add 3 tbsp unsalted butter and 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, heating for approximately 2 minutes until the butter is fully melted, foaming subsides, and the fat shimmers gently; do not let the butter smoke or turn dark brown, as this will create a bitter burnt taste.
Fry morels until crisp
Arrange coated morels in the skillet in a single layer, cut side down, taking care not to overcrowd the pan (cook 2 separate batches if needed). Fry for 3 minutes per side, until the breading turns a deep golden brown and crisp, and the mushroom flesh is tender all the way through. Reduce heat to medium-low if the breading browns faster than 2 minutes per side to avoid burning. Transfer finished morels to a paper-towel lined plate, immediately seasoning with the remaining 1 tsp kosher salt while the surface oil is hot to help salt stick evenly.
Garnish and serve
Arrange the hot, freshly salted fried morels on a small serving platter, sprinkle evenly with 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, and serve immediately while the crust is shatteringly crisp, ideally within 5 minutes of finishing frying, as the breading will soften as it sits.
Tips
2.For an extra-crunchy, thick crust, use a double-dip method: coat each morel in egg, then flour mix, then a second dip in egg, then a second coat of flour mix, and let set 5 minutes on the wire rack before frying.
3.Wait to season fried morels with salt immediately after removing them from the pan—seasoning too early draws moisture out of the mushrooms and makes the breading soggy, while salting hot food helps the seasoning adhere evenly for better flavor.
Tried this last night for our family Sunday dinner and it was a hit! I used panko instead of regular breadcrumbs because that’s what I had in the pantry, and the crunch was unreal. Only note is I wish I’d made a double batch, even my super picky 7 year old asked for seconds. 10/10, will be adding this to my regular meal prep rotation for sure!
OMG these came out SO good! I foraged a whole bag of morels last weekend up in the mountains and had no clue how to cook them without making them soggy. The crispy coating is a total game changer, my husband and kids devoured the whole plate before dinner even made it to the table. Definitely making this for our next potluck with the neighbors!
Solid recipe, but cook time was way longer than 30 minutes for me? Maybe because I had to prep and clean a ton of tiny wild morels, and I was frying in small batches so I didn’t crowd the pan and kill the crisp. Flavor was awesome though, the garlic powder and smoked paprika in the coating is chef’s kiss. Would make again, just gonna block out more time next go around.
Made these for our office potluck yesterday and people were hovering over the platter the whole time! I served them with a little garlic aioli dip on the side and it was the perfect pairing. Only thing I’d change is adding a tiny bit of grated parmesan to the breading next time for extra savoriness. SO good, already had three coworkers track me down to ask for the recipe!