Can You Cook With Magic Mushrooms?

Absolutely, you can cook with magic mushrooms.

Like grocery store mushrooms, psilocybin-containing mushrooms can be prepared and cooked.

While their flavor and texture might be less appealing, the right ingredients, skills, and tips can transform them into delicious dishes.

Let’s dive into how to cook with shrooms and share some of our favorite recipes.

There are many reasons why someone might take themselves on a magic mushroom journey:

• Psychedelic experience
• Therapeutic potential
• Personal growth
• Spiritual and mystical experiences
• Creative enhancement
• Recreation
• Consciousness exploration
• Connection with self, others, nature, the universe

Traditionally, magic mushrooms, or shrooms, are eaten raw or brewed into tea, often combined with other foods to mask their earthy, bitter taste. But now, a new trend is emerging: cooking shrooms into your meals.

Many had the misconception that heating shrooms diminished their potency, but experts have debunked this myth.

Virginia Haze and Dr. K Mandrake, authors of The Psilocybin Mushroom Bible, say there’s no solid proof that heat messes with psilocybin’s strength. They’ve made shroom tea and baked goods for years without losing the psychedelic effects, suggesting that short heating times don’t reduce potency.

A 2020 study supports psilocybin’s stability, highlighting that psilocybin stays stable at boiling temperatures (up to 212 °F) for up to 30 minutes. Beyond that, you might have some degradation happening.

Although psilocybin isn’t the psychoactive star—it’s psilocin, which forms in your body and brings on those classic hallucinogenic effects– damaging psilocybin would ultimately mean reducing the amount of psilocin available for conversion.

As long as you don’t boil the shrooms for more than 30 minutes, they should retain their potency. Beyond that, you might experience a weaker psychedelic effect. Exactly how much weaker? Well, more research is needed to pin that down.

Here are some of our tips and tricks on how to incorporate magic mushrooms into any meal.

If your shrooms are still super fresh, leave them on a paper towel in a cool, dark, dry, and ventilated space for several days until they’ve lost all their moisture.

Using a grinder, grind the mushrooms into a fine powder consistency. This will help mask the unpleasant flavor and texture the full mushrooms can have.

For beginners, starting with a dose of around 0.5-1 gram is recommended – this can produce mild effects like enhanced mood, creativity, and visual distortions without overwhelming hallucinations. For somewhat regular users, a medium dose of 2-3 grams can give more intense experiences, like potential visual hallucinations, synesthesia, or intense emotional experiences.

Frequent shroom users can opt for higher doses of around 3-5 grams, with 5+ grams considered an extreme dose. Higher doses of shrooms can lead to profound psychological effects and intense hallucinations.

Add the shrooms during the final 5-10 minutes of cooking. Mix your powdered shrooms into your food, ideally at low to medium heat. This prevents your shrooms from being overcooked and making your dish taste bitter.

There are tons of magic mushroom cookbook recipes to choose from:

• The Psilocybin Magic Mushroom Chef Cookbook by Rina S. Gritton

• Cooking with Magic: The Psilocybin Cookbook by David Connell

• The Psilocybin Chef Cookbook by Dr. K Mandrake and Virginia Haze

Apart from these books, here are some dishes you can effortlessly combine shrooms with, turning your food session into a potential psychedelic one.

Magic Mushroom Pesto Pasta

Ingredients:

• Magic mushrooms (dried; amount depends on your dose – see above).
• 2 cups fresh herbs (parsley, basil, coriander)
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast for a dairy-free option)
• ½ cup chopped walnuts or pine nuts
• 2-4 garlic cloves (depends on how garlicky you like your pesto!)
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 10 grape tomatoes (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1-2 tbsp reserved pasta water (depends on desired consistency)

Instructions:

1. Combine fresh herbs, cheese, nuts, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper into a blender. Blend until slightly chunky.

2. In a pot, bring 6-8 cups of water to a boil. Add salt, along with your pasta of choice. Cook following instructions on your pasta or until your desired texture is reached.

3. While the pasta is cooking, halve a handful of grape tomatoes; around 10 will do.

4. Reserve 2 tbsp of pasta water and add it to the blender with the already-blended pesto mix.

5. Mix your pasta and grape tomatoes with the blended pesto mixture in a large bowl.

6. Transfer the pesto to small bowls for serving and add parmesan cheese on top if desired.

Tip: The pesto on its own can be used as a dip if you aren’t feeling pasta.

Magic Mushroom Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients:

• 4 large bell peppers (any color)
• 1 cup cooked quinoa or rice
• 1 cup finely chopped magic mushrooms (dried or fresh)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, or vegan cheese)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish
• Lemon or lime wedges for serving

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

2. Cut the tops off the bell peppers and remove seeds and membranes. Set aside.

3. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onions and garlic until softened and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Add the chopped magic mushrooms, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa or rice with the sautéed vegetable mixture. Mix well.

5. Stuff each bell pepper with the quinoa-mushroom mixture, pressing down gently to pack it in. Place stuffed peppers in a baking dish.

6. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle shredded cheese on top of each pepper, and bake for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

7. Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley and serve with lemon or lime wedges on the side.

Magic Mushroom Veggie Wraps

Ingredients:

• 4 large tortillas
• 1 cup finely chopped magic mushrooms (dried or fresh)
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 cup shredded lettuce
• 1/2 cup diced bell peppers (any color)
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup sliced cucumbers
• 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese (optional)
• 1/4 cup hummus or your favorite spread
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add finely chopped magic mushrooms and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until tender. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

2. Lay out the tortillas on a clean surface. Spread a thin layer of hummus or your favorite spread on each tortilla.

3. Evenly distribute the sautéed mushrooms, avocado slices, shredded lettuce, diced bell peppers, shredded carrots, sliced cucumbers, and red onion across the tortillas. Sprinkle crumbled feta or goat cheese over the vegetables, if using. Drizzle with lemon juice and season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

4. Carefully roll up each tortilla, tucking in the sides as you go to form a wrap. Slice each wrap in half diagonally and secure with toothpicks if needed. Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley before serving.

Magic Mushroom Balls

Ingredients:

• Dried magic mushrooms, finely chopped or ground
• 200g high-quality milk or dark chocolate
• 150g organic, cold-pressed coconut oil
• Non-stick baking paper
• Dried fruit of your choice (cranberries, strawberries, raspberries are a great addition)
• Crushed almonds
• Pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Finely chop or grind the magic mushrooms. Chop up dried fruit and almonds to your desired consistency.

2. Fill a saucepan partially with water and place a heat-safe bowl on top. Gently melt the coconut oil in the bowl over simmering water (not boiling). Add a pinch of salt to lower the melting point of the oil.

3. Combine the chocolate (milk or dark) with the coconut oil until melted. Cool slightly and stir in the mushrooms, dried fruit, and almonds until well combined.

4. As the mixture begins to solidify, form it into bite-sized balls.

5. Place the mushroom balls on a tray lined with non-stick baking paper and refrigerate until firm (1-2 hours).

Magic Mushroom Lemon Coconut Bars

Ingredients:

• 1 cup finely chopped magic mushrooms (dried)
• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/4 cup honey or agave syrup
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

2. In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup shredded coconut, melted coconut oil, and 2 tablespoons of honey or agave syrup. Mix well until the mixture is crumbly but holds together when pressed. Press the mixture evenly into an 8×8-inch baking dish lined with parchment paper.

3. Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 10 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

4. In a large bowl, combine finely chopped magic mushrooms, remaining shredded coconut, lemon juice, lemon zest, coconut milk, remaining honey or agave syrup, chia seeds, and salt. Mix well.

5. Pour the lemon coconut mixture over the baked crust, spreading it evenly.

6. Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the filling is set and the edges are lightly golden.

7. Remove from the oven and let cool completely at room temperature.

8. Once cooled, refrigerate the bars for at least 2 hours to firm up.

9. Once chilled, cut into squares. Dust with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.