Pearl Oyster Mushroom Noodle Salad Recipe

This delicious Pearl Oyster Mushroom Noodle Salad with crunchy edamame and zesty wasabi dressing delivers oodles of umami flavour. An easy vegan recipe that you can whip up for a tasty weeknight meal. 

Why You’ll Love Our Pearl Oyster Mushroom Noodle Salad 

I am a big fan of simple Asian salad recipes with loads of flavour. As a work-from-home mum, I need quick Asian recipes in my locker all the time. 

We often have easy noodle meals on weekdays, especially when the kids have after school activities. This pearl oyster mushroom noodle salad is one I like to make for them. 

It is simple and tasty, and I can prepare it in advance when needed. I can even gently heat up for a warm noodle salad, but this savoury vegan mushroom recipe can be devoured cold.  

The combination of sauteed oyster mushrooms, crunchy edamame with earthy soba noodles, and punchy wasabi dressing satisfies both the taste buds and the tummy. 

This Japanese-inspired oyster mushroom recipe can be a vegan meal in itself, so you could serve it in 4 individual bowls rather than one large one. It will also be a fantastic side dish with miso baked salmon or sticky grilled chicken.  

Mushrooms have always been known as “meat” for vegetarians as they are loaded with iron and have a meaty texture when cooked. Combined with soba noodles, they make an excellent hearty gluten-free salad recipe with loads of umami flavour. 

This recipe is definitely not a salad that would classify as rabbit food. 

What is Pearl Oyster Mushroom?

For this vegetarian salad recipe, I chose to use pearl oyster mushrooms. Pearl oyster mushroom is one variety of the more commonly known oyster mushroom. 

First cultivated in Germany, oyster mushrooms are more commonly seen in Asian cooking, especially in Chinese, Japanese and Korean.

The name pearl oyster refers look of the mushroom with a fan shape top and cream colour in appearance similar to a pearl. 

Oyster mushrooms grow in clusters on trees which is different to the common white button mushroom or portobello mushroom, which is cultivated in soil.  

What Do Pearl Oyster Mushrooms Taste Like?

Pearl oyster mushrooms have a milder flavour compared to shiitake or shimeji mushrooms. I love the delicate textures, and it is a great vehicle to absorb the surrounding flavours. 

Some people have mentioned that oyster mushrooms taste a little like fish, but I don’t think I have ever experienced that before!

How To Cook with Pearl Oyster Mushrooms?

Although you can technically consume pearl oyster mushrooms raw, I prefer them cooked. 

One of the most popular ways to cook pearl oyster mushrooms would be to saute them in garlic butter. I think they would be a great addition to our sauteed mushroom recipe.

You can also add pearl oyster mushrooms to soups, ramen noodles or stir fries. Another great way to cook pearl oyster mushrooms would be to coat in light tempura batter and make fried oyster mushrooms. 

Alternatively, give your breakfast salad something different with pearl oyster mushrooms.

Recipe Overview

Flavour/Texture: I cooked the pearl oyster mushrooms first before tossing together with soba noodles and seasoned them with classic Japanese flavours, tamari and mirin. Earthy and umami.  

Together the texture is silky with added tenderness from edamame beans. 

Ease: This is a simple oyster mushroom recipe with just a few steps to saute mushrooms and cook soba noodles before assembly. 

Time: A quick meal that can be made in under 30 minutes. 

Ingredients

These are the main ingredients you need for Pearl Oyster Mushroom Noodle Salad:

Soba noodles: Soba noodles are made from buckwheat and have an earthier taste than standard wheat or rice noodles. They can be gluten-free and easy to cook, making them versatile for many families with celiac disease. 

Do check your soba noodle packaging to confirm the ingredients if you need a gluten free recipe. Many dry soba noodles available on the market are made with a combination of buckwheat and wheat, therefore, making it not gluten free. 

Soba noodles are a pantry staple for us. You can have them plain with a simple yuzu dressing or with hot smoked salmon and sliced pear for a complete meal. 

Pearl oyster mushrooms: You can find pearl oyster mushrooms at specialty grocers, Asian grocery stores or farmers market. 

Dairy free butter: I use Nuttelex at home as my butter table spread. Nuttelex is a non-dairy substitute for butter. You can substitute it for real butter if you don’t need to serve a vegan dish. 

Tamari: I am using tamari specifically for this recipe because it is gluten-free. The main difference between tamari and soy sauce is that soy sauce contains wheat. There are subtle differences between flavour, consistency and usage, but in general, they can be substituted if you don’t need a gluten free recipe.  

Mirin: Mirin is similar to sake but a little more subtle, with less alcohol content and higher sugar levels. It adds a distinct sweet umami flavour to many classic Japanese dishes. 

Cooking sake: Mirin and cooking sake are essential in many Japanese dishes. It adds depth and flavour like white wine. 

Edamame: Edamame beans add a fresh, crunchy element to this vegan oyster mushroom recipe. They are fresh, young soybeans and are packed with protein. 

They are available at most Asian grocery stores in the freezer section. Some bigger supermarkets may also stock them. I bought edamame beans already deshelled to save time. 

Spring onions/cilantro: To freshen up the earthy flavours, I add chopped spring onions (AKA scallions) and cilantro to the mushroom noodle salad. If you don’t like cilantro, then you can omit it from the salad.   

Wasabi: Also known as Japanese horseradish, wasabi is a part of the Brassicaceae family, where you will find horseradish, radishes and mustard. All have the same peppery heat. The part used for wasabi paste is the rhizome (or the root stem of the plant). 

This wasabi dressing uses pre-prepared wasabi paste. This would still classify as a gluten free salad dressing but always check the wasabi packaging to be sure.

Lemon: To balance the tamari and wasabi, I used lemon juice as the acid in the salad dressing. If you don’t have fresh lemon juice, use 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar.

Variations and Substitutions

Oyster mushroom substitute: I do love using pearl oyster mushrooms in this soba noodle recipe but if you can’t find it, any combination of mushrooms would work, including shimeji, enoki, baby oyster, swiss brown or even white button mushrooms. You can use one variety or give it a mix.

Adjusting the heat: You can adjust the amount of wasabi in this dressing. The quantity of wasabi shown in the recipe will give a good kick, but please add more if you like more heat. 

Mirin substitute: If you don’t have it, a dry white wine will work as a mirin substitute or a rice wine vinegar but dial up the sugar in the dish to balance the acidity. 

Cooking sake substitute: If you don’t have any cooking sake, you can omit it.

Instructions

Step by step instructions for how to make pearl oyster mushroom noodle salad: 

How to Cook Soba Noodles

Check the packaging of your soba noodles to cook as each brand may vary on cooking time. I prefer slightly undercooking my soba noodles to overcooking them, as they may become a gluggy mess. 

Place dried soba noodles in a medium saucepan of boiling water. Stirring occasionally so the noodles don’t stick. Cook until al-dente; it should not take more than 2-3 minutes.

Drain soba noodles and make sure you give the noodles a good rinse with cold water. This removes any excess starch. 

How to Cook Pearl Oyster Mushrooms  

Give pearl oyster mushrooms a good rinse under water. Make sure there is no dirt left on the mushrooms. 

Pull the mushrooms apart into smaller pieces. Use a paper towel to pat dry mushrooms gently. 

Heat up a medium fry pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil to coat the fry pan and then add mushrooms.

Spread the mushrooms out on the frypan so they are not crowded. Gently fry for 3 minutes or until lightly brown. 

Add seasoning, including mirin, Nuttelex or plant-based butter, sake, tamari and sesame oil. 

Cook for another 1-2 minutes for the mushrooms to absorb the liquid. 

Remove from heat and set aside for assembly.   

How To Make The Salad

Bring a small saucepan of water to boil, add a pinch of salt and then add hulled edamame beans. Cook for 3 minutes and then drain. Rinse with cold water and set aside for assembly.

Wash and roughly chop the coriander. 

Thinly cut spring onions (scallions) into small rounds. Use both the green and white parts of the onion. Set aside. 

How to Make Wasabi Dressing 

If you have wasabi powder instead of pre-prepared wasabi paste in a tube, prepare wasabi paste as per instructions on the packet.  

Add tamari, water, wasabi paste and lemon juice together in a small bowl and whisk together.

How To Assemble The Salad

Place soba noodles, edamame beans, oyster mushrooms and half the chopped coriander and spring onion in a large mixing bowl. Then add half the wasabi dressing to noodle salad and toss together.  

Transfer salad to a large serving dish. Scatter remaining chopped coriander and spring onion and finish with sesame seeds. 

Drizzle remaining wasabi dressing on top. 

Have some extra wasabi paste on the side so that everyone can spice up their dressing as they please. 

How to Make This Salad Perfectly (Expert Tips)

Avoid overcooking soba noodles: I prefer my soba noodles not to be too soft, especially when dressed with the wasabi dressing. Try not to overcook the noodles.

Do not overcrowd the mushrooms: Watch the heat and avoid overcrowding the frying pan when cooking the mushrooms. 

Make sure to sear them quickly over medium-high heat to get a golden brown crust.

When you overcrowd the frying pan with too many mushrooms, they will end up steaming in their own juice. Cook in two batches if needed. 

Great Mains for This Salad

What to serve with Pearl Oyster Mushroom Noodle Salad? Try these delicious main dish recipes:

For a Japanese inspired salad, it deserves an equally delicious Japanese main. For those cooler nights or in need of some comfort food, a hot bowl of instant pot Japanese curry could just do the trick.

If you’re after a family favourite, you can’t go wrong with this crispy chicken katsu. Meanwhile this furikake salmon is also a delicious way to cook up that salmon fillet for weekday meal times.

Frequently Asked Questions

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The earthy flavours of pan fried pearl oyster mushrooms works a treat with gluten-free soba noodles. 

The refreshing lemony wasabi dressing makes this a deliciously easy mushroom noodle salad to prepare. Try this recipe any day of the week for a tasty vegan meal. 

That’s all!

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