Both mushroom ketchup and spiced mushroom powder are flavourful and versatile condiments to add a little umami in cooking.
I first heard about mushroom ketchup, after my friend Creag bought me a cookbook, The Scots Kitchen, a book full of Scottish traditions, lore and recipes. This mushroom ketchup and mushroom powder recipe was inspired by the book.
Inspired By The Scots Kitchen
Creag and I both love traditional cultural dishes from around the world. It was a lot of fun when we made injera and cardamom, saffron & vanilla poached pear together. Despite being Scottish himself, Creag was never able to explain what traditional Scottish dishes are like. So he picked up The Scots Kitchen, for us to cook some Scottish history together.
Initially published in the 1920s, the cookbook is a compilation of old recipes from the hundreds of years prior to the publication date. It had been reprinted a few times since, but only in small volume. So it’s really hard to find a brand new copy. It took Creag a while to even track down a used one in good condition. I feel really lucky to own a previously-loved copy of The Scots Kitchen.
We made this traditional mushroom ketchup to use in the Scottish sautéed veal kidney recipe from the book.
What is Mushroom Ketchup?
Many of the recipes in The Scots Kitchen call for mushroom ketchup (catsup) as an ingredient. Then I learned that mushroom ketchup is a traditional condiment originally from the United Kingdom. Unlike the ketchup we are familiar with, historically mushroom ketchup was made from mushrooms instead of tomato, and is of a liquid form rather than a thick paste. I would describe it as a “mushroom extract” to be more accurate.
If you come across mushroom ketchup of the consistency of tomato ketchup, then they have been modernized and thickened. The mushroom ketchup recipe I have below is of the liquid form, staying true to the traditional making.
You can use mushroom ketchup like soya sauce or Worcestershire sauce to flavour dishes or use in marinate.
What is Mushroom Powder and How to Use It?
After we extract the liquid from the mushrooms to make mushroom ketchup, we are left with cooked mushroom solids. It’s a waste to throw away the cooked mushrooms, as they are full of flavour still.
You can certainly repurpose the mushroom solids into soups, stir-fries, stuffings, or any dish that requires mushrooms.
Creag and I decided to dehydrate them and turn them into a powder form. With the existing salt and spices in the mushroom, we found the mushroom powder perfectly rich and flavourful.
I have used the spiced mushroom powder on a few occasions. Try them as seasoning in sautéed vegetables or on rice, in soups or as a dry rub on meats and steaks. They are very versatile and add umami and depth to any dish.
You can store the spiced mushroom powder pretty much indefinitely, which is another advantage.
What Kinds of Mushrooms Should I Use?
To make this recipe, you can use any combination of fresh mushrooms, or a mix of fresh and dry mushrooms. I like the depth of flavour of the dry mushrooms, so I would recommend using a small handful of them whenever you can.
For the fresh mushrooms, I used 50/50 white and crimini mushrooms in this recipe. The dry mushrooms I used contain yellow boletes, oyster mushrooms, portobello, and porcini.
Again, you can use any variety you like. The cheaper mushrooms work just as well as the more expensive ones, so no need to break the bank for this recipe.
Steps to Make Mushroom Ketchup & Mushroom Powder
The following images illustrate the important steps to make mushroom ketchup and spiced mushroom powder.
- Combine mushrooms, salt, spices, onion in a mixing bowl. After mixing them up, let it rest for up to 24 hours to release mushroom juice.
- Add water and apple cider vinegar. Simmer in a large pot to extract the flavour and reduce the liquid to desired amount.
- Strain the liquid through a fine sieve or layered cheese cloth. Press on the mushrooms to squeeze out all the juice.
- Spread the mushroom solids on a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 200℉ for 10 hours or until completely dehydrated.
- Process the dehydrated mushrooms in a coffee grinder in batches.
- Pulverize continuously to obtain a fine powder.
More Mushroom Dishes You Will Love:
- Mini Mushroom Pancakes (Keto, Paleo, Whole 30)
- Baked Eggs in Portabella Mushroom Caps (Paleo, Keto, Whole 30)
- Instant Pot Shiitake Ginger Chicken Bone Broth (All Purpose Asian Stock)


Mushroom Ketchup + Spiced Mushroom Powder
Ingredients
- 2 pounds assorted fresh mushrooms of any kind I used 50/50 white and crimini
- 1 cup assorted dried mushrooms of any kind I used yellow boletes, oyster mushrooms, portobello, porcini
- 2 1/2 tablespoons sea salt
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 1 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg dry powder or freshly grated
- 5 cloves toasted
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups water
Instructions
Mushroom Ketchup
- Wash the fresh mushrooms to remove dirt. Finely dice the mushrooms. Chop up the onion.
- Toast the cloves in a cast iron skillet on the stove for 5 minutes. Zest the lemon.
- Combine diced mushrooms, sea salt, bay leaves, chopped onion, lemon zest, nutmeg, cloves, cayenne pepper in a large mixing bowl. Cover and let it rest in room temperature for up to 1 day.
- Transfer the mixture into a large pot. Add the apple cider vinegar and additional water.
- Bring the pot to a boil, then simmer for about 30 minutes, until the liquid is reduced to about 2 cups. Let the pot cool down for about 10 minutes.
- Strain the mushroom mixture through a fine seive or layered cheese cloth. Press down and squeeze the mushroom pieces to release all the liquid.
- Store the liquid in a sealed bottle. It will last indefinitely.
Spiced Mushroom Powder
- Spread the cooked mushroom pieces on a large baking sheet.
- Bake the mushrooms at 200℉ for 10 hours, or until thoroughly dehydrated.
- Pulverize the dried mushrooms in a coffee grinder. Process in batches if needed.
- Store the dry powder in a sealed container.
Nutrition


Your recipe is simply perfect! I finished it today and the result is so perfect. The only little change I made, is that I added half teaspoon of allspice pound very finely, and I used lemon peels instead of a whole one because I did not have any on hand. Anyway the recipe is going to turn out very well by following its steps and measurements. Thank you so much! 🙂
That’s great to hear!!! Yes, it’s perfect you added ground allspice. I didn’t have any on hand, so I used nutmeg. They are similar enough for this recipe, and you can use either or both in combination.
Just made this! It’s sooooo good, I can’t stop licking my fingers. Excited to see what the powder tastes like!
So great to hear!!! And thank you so much for sharing your results. <3
Would shiitake mushrooms make a good mushroom ketchup?
I have a large quantity of frozen vacuum-packed shiitake mushrooms from our harvest two years ago. I have been searching for a perfect recipe to utilize them since the texture is not the same as fresh ones for grilling, sautéing etc.
Yes, you can use shiitake mushrooms for the mushroom ketchup. Though, they are usually so expensive and I would personally save them for other dishes. Shiitake mushrooms are great in Asian-style chicken soups and stews, and we often chop them up and add them into dumpling fillings. Here is a broth recipe for idea: https://www.yangsnourishingkitchen.com/instant-pot-shiitake-ginger-chicken-bone-broth/
Hope this helps!
How long does the mushroom ketchup keep?
They should be good for at least a month at a dark cool spot. When I keep mine long, it kind of fermented a bit. My friend Creag has used the ketchup stored at room temperature for 3 months without any problems. If you want to be cautious, keep in the fridge. 🙂
Want a fab idea to make and keep the this sauce and use it to flavour so many meals easily!
Wow, this sounds so amazing and I know that umami combo would kick every dish up! Yum, making it this weekend!
I love this idea! I’ve never made mushroom powder before. I’m wondering if I could use 50% reishi mushrooms as well?
You could use reishi mushrooms, but to me they are too precious to use in a mushroom extract. I would opt for the cheaper kinds honestly.
There’s nothing better than a kick of umami to make a recipe taste better! Love how simple these are to make!
I love mushrooms so this recipe is so perfect for me – yum!
I love this idea! Sometimes all you need is a good sauce to make your meals more interesting. I bet all this umami flavor would go great with everything.
Such a healthy and tasty ketchup! What a genius idea. I love all the spices in it too.