If you forage mushrooms, here's a recipe you have to try! These savory shaggy mane mushroom waffles are loaded with flavor and have 14 grams of protein per serving! Then learn about red belted conks!
Before you stop reading because you don't know what shaggy mane mushrooms are or how to get them, I have great news! You don't have to be a mushroom forager like me to enjoy these delicious waffles! You can swap out your favorite mushrooms in this recipe, and it'll be just as tasty.
In fact, I've prepared these waffles with morel mushrooms and fried chicken mushrooms, and they're just as good.
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Ingredients & Substitutions
- Shaggy Mane Mushrooms: Although this recipe was developed using shaggy mane mushrooms, you can very easily substitute your favorite mushrooms.
- Ham: Besides ham, you can use diced or crumbled bacon. Or leave the meat out to make a vegetarian version of the recipe.
- Cheese: Although I used cheddar cheese, Feta cheese would be a great addition.
- Onion: The shallots can be replaced with scallions, chives, or white or yellow onion.
- Garlic: No fresh garlic? No problem, just use a pinch of garlic powder instead.
- Buttermilk: An easy buttermilk substitution is to add ¾ teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar to ¾ cup whole milk.
- Non-stick cooking spray: Although not pictured, you'll need some non-stick cooking spray to spray the waffle iron to keep the waffles from sticking.
- Eggs: The recipe calls for one egg. If you decide to serve the waffles topped with an egg (which I highly recommend), you'll need additional eggs.
- Chives: Chives are optional, but they add a nice finishing touch.
- Hot Sauce: A dash of hot sauce is recommended, especially if you prefer your food a little spicy.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Shaggy Mane Mushroom Waffles
- Wipe shaggy manes with a damp paper towel to clean, then slice in half and dice along with onion and ham.
- Sauté mushrooms, onion, and ham in 1 tablespoon butter until the mushrooms are golden and the onion is caramelized. Add minced garlic during the last minute, then set aside to cool.
- In a medium bowl, sift flour, sugar, Tony Chachere's, baking powder, and baking soda. In a smaller bowl, whisk egg, buttermilk, and the remaining melted butter.
- Gently mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients, then fold in shredded cheese and cooled mushroom mixture.
- Heat the waffle iron and spray it with non-stick cooking spray. When the waffle iron is ready, add approximately ⅓ cup of batter for each 4"x4" waffle.
- Seal the waffle maker and cook waffles for 2 to 2-½ minutes or until they stop steaming and become crispy.
Serving Suggestions
Shaggy Mane Waffles can be enjoyed as a quick, on-the-go breakfast. However, for an extra special breakfast, serve them topped with an egg, melted cheese, chives, and hot sauce.
If you're not watching your carbs, try the waffles with these delicious air fryer breakfast potatoes on the side!
If you prefer sweet waffles over savory, you'll want to check out these yummy banana pudding waffles!
What Are Shaggy Manes?
Shaggy manes are edible wild mushrooms. Their official name is "Coprinus Comatus," but they are known by other names, including "Lawyer's Wig." They got this descriptive name because they resemble the white wigs worn by British lawyers.
"Shaggy Mane Mushrooms" are also known as "Shaggy Ink Caps." You see, once picked, these mushrooms have a very short shelf life. This is one reason they're not sold commercially. Within hours of being picked, they begin to slowly disintegrate and eventually dissolve into a black, gooey substance that looks like black ink.
Even if they're not picked, these mushrooms will begin to dissolve on their own within 24 hours. If you decide to forage these delicate and tasty mushrooms, please keep in mind that you must use them the same day.
How to Identify Shaggy Mane Mushrooms
Shaggy Manes are very easy to identify, especially for a rookie mushroom forager. The first mushrooms I ever foraged were morels, and the second were shaggy manes.
Shaggy mane mushrooms are tall and cylindrical. Their white conical cap starts somewhat smooth but gets more scaly as they continue to grow. They also have a long, hollow stem that sometimes is not visible until they grow taller, or until the cap begins to curl up and dissolve.
You will see them start to push through the ground in late summer/early fall. They can grow singly, in pairs, or fruit in large groups.
The mushrooms pictured above were growing around my planter box, but they also pop up in grass, hard rocky soil, and along trails. Remember where you forage them because they will most likely pop up in the same place the following year!
For more information on this delicious mushroom, check out this informative video.
Disclaimer
Some mushrooms are toxic. Mushroom poisoning is a possibility if you are inexperienced in foraging for mushrooms. Before consuming any mushrooms or serving them to others, please be 100% sure that you have properly identified them. Please do not rely solely on the information provided in this post. Cross-referencing mushroom identification with various reliable sources is always a good practice.
FAQ
Shaggy mane ink caps are not just 100% edible, but are considered "choice gourmet edible" by many foragers. However, they're best enjoyed before their cap begins to turn black.
Shaggy mane mushrooms have a light and very mild flavor. They have a delicate, buttery texture and almost melt in your mouth. If you think you don't like mushrooms, you may love shaggy mane mushrooms!
Shaggy mane mushrooms can be enjoyed sautéed in butter or olive oil and added to scrambled eggs or in an omelet. They can also be used in soups, stews, stir-fries, or any other way mushrooms are enjoyed.
The common ink cap (Coprinus Atramentarius), or "inky caps," slightly resembles shaggy mane mushrooms. They have a similar process of deliquescing, by producing an ink-like substance that helps the mushrooms to disperse their spores.
One key difference between the two is that the common ink caps do not have upturned scales on the cap. Another difference is that common ink caps can make you sick if consumed with alcohol. Shaggy manes don't have the same effect and are perfectly safe to consume.
How to Store Shaggy Mane Mushrooms
Shaggy mane mushrooms need to be consumed within 24 hours of being picked, and in many cases, much sooner. This period varies based on the state of deliquescence. Some recommend dehydrating the mushrooms, while others suggest that this process makes them lose their flavor, which is very mild to begin with.
Freezing the mushrooms is another option, but this can adversely affect the texture of the mushrooms. The best option might be to sauté the mushrooms in olive oil before freezing them. You can also puree the cooked mushrooms and freeze the puree in ice trays to be added to soups and stews.
Pro Tips
- To keep waffles from getting soggy while you're making the rest, stand them up on a rack. This allows the steam to dissipate instead of collecting under the waffle.
- If you have access to more shaggy mane mushrooms, you can add more inside the batter and sauté the rest to serve over the waffles.
- The batter can be made ahead of time, but it has a tendency to thicken over time. This problem can be solved by adding a small amount of milk to the batter.
- Leftover waffles can be stored in the refrigerator or frozen.
- To reheat cooked waffles, simply pop them in a toaster. Another option is to bake them in a 350°F oven until crisp.
More Foraging Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Shaggy Mane Mushroom Waffles
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 shaggy mane mushrooms (or other mushrooms)
- 2 medium shallots
- 4 ounces ham
- 5 tablespoon unsalted butter (melted, divided)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Wipe shaggy manes with a damp paper towel to clean, then slice in half and dice along with onion and ham.
- Sauté mushrooms, onion, and ham in 1 tablespoon butter until the mushrooms are golden and the onion is caramelized. Add minced garlic during the last minute, then set aside to cool.
- In a medium bowl, sift flour, sugar, Tony Chachere's, baking powder, and baking soda. In a smaller bowl, whisk egg, buttermilk, and the remaining melted butter.
- Gently mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients, then fold in shredded cheese and cooled mushroom mixture.
- Heat waffle iron and spray it with non-stick cooking spray. When the waffle iron is ready, add approximately ⅓ cup of batter for each 4"x4" waffle.
- Seal the waffle maker and cook waffles for 2 to 2-½ minutes or until they stop steaming and become crispy.
Notes
- To keep the waffles from getting soggy while you're making the rest, stand them up on a rack. This allows the steam to dissipate instead of collecting under the waffle.
- If you have access to more shaggy mane mushrooms, you can add more inside the batter and sauté the rest to serve over the waffles.
- The batter can be made ahead of time, but it has a tendency to thicken over time. This problem can be solved by adding a small amount of milk to the batter.
- Leftover waffles can be stored in the refrigerator or frozen.
- To reheat cooked waffles, simply pop them in a toaster. Another option is to bake them in a 350°F oven until crisp.
Hilda Sterner says
I hope you try this recipe, then come back and leave some feedback!
beni says
Wow! I had the waffles for breakfast. What a treat! The waffles were fluffy and full of flavor. This recipe is for sure a keeper!!
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you so much, glad you enjoyed them! ❤️
Teresa Robbins says
Had these for breakfast this morning! The mushrooms, bacon,cheese and egg on top were savory and so yummy!
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks, Teresa, So glad you enjoyed these unique waffles!