Substitutes for Crimini Mushrooms

• Portabello, white cap, or shitake mushrooms can all be substitutes for crimini mushrooms. Thomas Barwick/Digital Vision/Getty Images

  Crimini mushrooms are also known as Italian brown mushrooms. A crimini mushroom, which is about 2 inches in diameter, is a smaller version of the portabello mushroom. Criminis can be eaten either cooked or raw, however, they should be cleaned with a cloth or towel and the stems must be trimmed away before they are consumed. If crimini mushrooms are not available in your local grocery store, a few varieties of mushrooms can easily be substituted in any recipe.

Portabello Mushroom

• In recipes that use chopped crimini mushrooms, a portabello mushroom can be a replacement since it is a larger version of the crimini. Portabello mushrooms are usually between 4 and 6 inches in diameter, compared to the 2-inch diameter of the crimini. Since the portabello is a larger, more mature mushroom it will provide slightly more flavor than the crimini mushroom.

White Button Mushroom

• White button mushrooms can be used in place of crimini mushrooms. Both white button mushrooms and crimini mushrooms have a light flavor, and are about the same size. When a recipe uses whole crimini mushrooms, or indicates that the size and shape of the crimini is important to the recipe, the white button is the best alternative.

Shitake Mushroom

• The shitake mushroom is known by many other names such as the black forest mushroom, brown oak mushroom, and Chinese black mushroom. The shitake has a similar shape and taste to the crimini, but it has a slightly thinner cap portion. Avoid dried shitake mushrooms and use fresh shitakes in place of criminis.