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Learn to make Nametake, or seasoned Japanese mushrooms, at home for a healthy, easy snack or condiment. Made with mixed mushrooms, gluten-free soy sauce, and coconut sugar.
What is Nametake?
Nametake is a staple in Japanese cuisine. This Japanese mushroom snack comes in shelf-stable jars and was such a childhood treat for me (my sisters would fight over it and love to eat it as a snack).
A popular mushroom snack, often served as a condiment with rice or on top of chazuke. Seasoned with soy sauce and have a soft, almost gooey texture.
What Makes This Recipe Great
Nametake is simply soy-braised enoki mushrooms. It’s actually very easy (and cheap) to make at home without any preservatives!
These seasoned Japanese mushrooms feature ingredients like enoki and shimeji mushrooms, Tamari sauce, mirin, sake, coconut sugar, and rice wine vinegar. You can source all the ingredients easily at at Asian markets.
To get all of the flavors of traditional nametake without fish, I add shimeji mushrooms to the traditional enoki for extra texture and umami. And, of course, I use gluten-free soy sauce. This recipe is also refined sugar-free! Instead of cane sugar, I sweetened the mushrooms with coconut sugar.
This Nametake recipe takes only 15 minutes to make and is super flavorful, delicious, and versatile!
Ingredient Notes
enoki mushroom: You can find these at most Asian markets or Japanese supermarkets if you have one close to you!
shimeji mushrooms: I used this to give some extra texture and umami since I omitted the dashi or bonito (since it contains fish).
gluten-free soy sauce: I use Tamari, which is a gluten-free soy sauce alternative.
mirin
sake
coconut sugar: You can use regular organic cane sugar or granulated sugar if preferred.
rice wine vinegar
Step-by-Step Instructions
Slice the bottoms off of your enoki mushroom stems, then cut the mushrooms into thirds. Tear up the shimeji mushrooms to separate them into bite-sized pieces using your hands.
Add soy sauce, mirin, sake, coconut sugar, and mushrooms in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir to combine. Make sure the sugar melts and the mushrooms are evenly coated.
Cook down for about 4-5 minutes, until the mixture starts to thicken and the mushrooms soften, stirring occasionally. The liquid should also reduce.
Deglaze by adding your rice wine vinegar, stir and lower the heat. Let cool completely, then transfer to a jar for storage.
Expert Tips
Adjusting the Salt: The great part about making homemade preserved mushrooms is that they’re actually preservative-free! The texture is also more enjoyable, with less of a slimy feel, as you’re preparing it fresh.
Store-bought versions are very salty, which is why it’s used as a condiment. But you can easily adjust the taste if you prefer and use less soy sauce–adjust to taste!
Flavor Additions: Feel free to make this mushroom condiment your own! You can add in yuzu, chili oil, or togarashi for spice.
Serving Tips
You can eat the Nametake right away or stash your Japanese mushrooms in a jar in the fridge and eat it as a condiment.
This Japanese mushroom condiment is quite salty and intended to be eaten in small quantities with rice, ochazuke, and similar dishes.
Storage Tips
Store the Nametake in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Eat as a snack or condiment, and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Is Nametake gluten-free?
Typically, the Japanese preserved mushrooms you buy in the store are not gluten-free. They’re made with conventional soy sauce containing a small amount of wheat. This homemade recipe is fully gluten-free, just use your favorite tamari or GF soy sauce.
Is Nametake vegan?
Often, the store-bought preserved Nametake contains dashi or bonito, both of which contain fish. When you make your own, you can skip all animal products.
Learn to make Nametake, or seasoned Japanese mushrooms, at home for a healthy, easy snack or condiment. Made with mixed mushrooms, gluten-free soy sauce, and coconut sugar.
Slice the bottoms off of your enoki mushroom stems, then cut mushrooms into thirds. Tear up the shimeji mushrooms to separate them into bite sized pieces, using your hands.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, add soy sauce, mirin, sake, coconut sugar and mushrooms. Stir to combine, making sure the sugar melts and the mushrooms are evenly coated.
Cook down for about 4-5 minutes, until the mixture starts to thicken and the mushrooms soften, stirring occasionally. The liquid should also reduce.
Deglaze by adding your rice wine vinegar, stir and lower the heat. Let cool completely, then transfer to a jar for storage.
Adjusting the Salt: The great part about making homemade Nametake is that they’re actually preservative-free! The texture is also more enjoyable, with less of a slimy feel, as you’re preparing it fresh.
Store-bought versions are very salty, which is why it’s used as a condiment. But you can easily adjust the taste if you prefer and use less soy sauce–adjust to taste!
Flavor Additions: Feel free to make this Nametake condiment your own! You can add in yuzu, chili oil, or togarashi for spice.
Serving Tips
You can eat the Nametake right away or stash your Japanese mushrooms in a jar in the fridge and eat it as a condiment.
This Japanese mushroom condiment is quite salty and intended to be eaten in small quantities with rice, ochazuke, and similar dishes.
Storage Tips
Store in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Eat as a snack or condiment, and enjoy!
Prep Time:5 minutes
Cook Time:10 minutes
Keywords: nametake recipe, seasoned japanese mushrooms, vegan, gluten-free, snack, condiment
This is a Japanese mushroom dish specifically :) (Meaning, mushrooms prepared the Japanese way!) but there are definitely more varieties, such as enoji, shimeji, maitake, commonly found in Japan and not as common elsewhere
Hi there, I’m Remy! Welcome to Veggiekins Blog, home to nourishing vegan + gluten-free recipes and tips to live your best balanced and holistic life. I’m a human on a mission to empower you to be well and be kind to your mind, body and soul with the healing power of plants.
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