Button mushrooms are the common, familiar white mushrooms that are used in a wide range of recipes and cooking techniques, from tarts and omelets to pasta, risotto, and pizza. They’re the workhorse of the mushroom family, and their mild flavor and meaty texture make them extremely versatile.
Button mushrooms are the immature form of the edible fungus Agaricus bisporus, which also includes cremini mushrooms and portobello mushrooms. In fact, all of these mushrooms are the same mushroom at different stages of maturity. Button mushrooms are the least mature, have a pale white color, and measure 1 to 3 inches across. The next phase of development brings us cremini mushrooms, which are the in-between stage, small and slightly brown in color, and then finally portobello mushrooms, which are the largest, darkest brown, and most mature stage of the species.
Button mushrooms, also called white mushrooms or white button mushrooms, are the most popular mushroom variety, making up 90 percent of the mushrooms consumed in the United States.1 They’re also the least expensive, and have the mildest flavor, though they readily absorb the flavors that they’re cooked with. They can be eaten raw, and cooked via sautéeing, stir-frying, grilling, braising, and roasting.