Perhaps you’ve cooked too much of a mushroom meal and are wondering how long to keep the leftovers. You may also be asking yourself when you can expect fresh supermarket mushrooms to spoil. And what about canned mushrooms? How long are they good for?
How long mushrooms can be kept depends largely on storage, processing and the properties and condition of the respective mushroom species. Storing them in refrigerators and freezers can increase the shelf life, slowing down the breakdown processes.
This article is about how long mushrooms last and which characteristics you can use to recognize mushrooms that have gone bad. I will also go into various methods with which you can visibly extend the shelf life.
Look at the table below to find out how long mushrooms can be kept
| Shelf life at room temperature | Shelf life in the refrigerator | Shelf life in the freezer | |
| Fresh mushrooms | 1-2 days | 4-7 days | 9-12 months |
| Fresh, sliced mushrooms | 1 day | 2-3 Days | 8-9 months |
| Boiled or fried mushroom dishes | 6-12 hours | 1-3 days | 2-3 months |
| Dried mushrooms | Unlimited | – | – |
| Pickled mushrooms (unopened) | 2-3 months | 4-6 months | – |
| Pickled mushrooms (open) | 12-24 hours | 5-7 days | – |
| Unopened canned mushrooms (jar, can) | 1.5-2 years + | – | – |
| Jar and canned mushrooms (opened) | 6-12 hours | 2-3 Days | 1-2 months |
* The times given are only estimates.
Mushrooms are naturally high in protein, even more than most vegetables. However, protein-containing foods also have the unsightly property of spoiling quickly, which is why it is always advisable to process and use mushrooms as promptly as possible.
Since heat accelerates the breakdown processes, storing the mushrooms at room temperature is not a good solution. Instead, it is better to keep them in the refrigerator or freezer.
Shelf life at room temperature (~ 15 to 22 degrees Celsius)
| Shelf life at room temperature | |
| Fresh mushrooms | 1-2 days |
| Fresh, sliced mushrooms | 1 day |
| Boiled or fried mushroom dishes | 6-12 hours |
| Dried mushrooms | Unlimited |
| Pickled mushrooms (unopened) | 2-3 months |
| Pickled mushrooms (open) | 12-24 hours |
| Unopened canned mushrooms (jar, can) | 1.5-2 years + |
| Jar and canned mushrooms (opened) | 6-12 hours |
* The times given are only estimates.
Keeping mushrooms at room temperature, as mentioned earlier, isn’t always the available option – but in some cases, it is the only one. In such circumstances, you should be careful not to exceed the times in the table. And if possible, keep your mushrooms to the coolest place in your home.
Fresh mushrooms – At room temperature, fresh mushrooms from the supermarket can be kept for about 1-2 days. How quickly they spoil in the end depends primarily on the prevailing temperatures. On particularly hot and humid summer days, the mushrooms could well start to rot after just 12-16 hours.
You can increase the shelf life of chopped mushrooms up to 50% by soaking the pieces in a citric acid or hydrogen peroxide solution for 10 minutes.
Mushroom dishes – Whether cooked or fried, shouldn’t be exposed to room temperature for a long period, as they will go bad after just a few hours. Storing in the refrigerator is ideal. So that your hot meal does not increase the refrigerator’s internal temperature, it should cool down beforehand. The best way to do this is to put your mushrooms in a saucepan or something similar (if they are not already in a saucepan) and put them in a cold water bath.
Dried mushrooms – Can theoretically be kept indefinitely (at least one year), provided they are in an airtight container in a dark and cool place. If these criteria are met, the mushrooms will retain their aroma for a long time.
Pickled mushrooms – Pickled mushrooms can be stored unrefrigerated for up to 3 months if processed correctly, whereas they can only be kept for 12-24 hours after opening.
Canned mushrooms – Mushrooms in a jar or in a Can have a very long shelf life. Although a best-before date of 18-24 months is always printed on these products, this is only a guideline by the manufacturer. They can usually be eaten months, if not years, after the expiration date.
Shelf life in the refrigerator (~ 3 to 7 degrees Celsius)
| Shelf life in the refrigerator | |
| Fresh mushrooms | 4-7 days |
| Fresh, sliced mushrooms | 2-3 Days |
| Boiled or fried mushroom dishes | 1-3 days |
| Dried mushrooms | – |
| Pickled mushrooms (unopened) | 4-6 months |
| Pickled mushrooms (open) | 5-7 days |
| Unopened canned mushrooms (jar, can) | – |
| Jar and canned mushrooms (opened) | 2-3 Days |
* The times given are only estimates.
The refrigerator is the best choice for the short-term storage of mushrooms. This form of storage can be seen when comparing the times in the room temperature and refrigerator tables. However, so that your mushrooms not only have a long shelf life but also taste like mushrooms, you should pay attention to one important thing:
Make sure that you do not stow your mushrooms (whether fresh, pickled, in the form of a dish, etc.) next to aromatic foods. It is not uncommon for mushrooms to absorb strong smells, which I think only very few people want. Personally, I wouldn’t want the mushrooms to take on a fishy or onion smell. But, who knows, maybe I’m just too sensitive.
Fresh Mushrooms – Raw mushrooms can be stored in the refrigerator for around 4-7 days without going bad. When cut, they only last half as long. Note that the shelf life, of course, also depends on the condition of the mushrooms when they were first stored. So it is hardly surprising that an overgrown mushroom goes bad much faster than a crunchy young one. The younger and fresher a mushroom is, the longer it can be kept in the refrigerator.
There are many substitutes for cremini mushrooms, but some of the most popular choices include:
- Fennel bulb: Fennel bulbs are a great substitute for cremini mushrooms because they have a milder flavor and look more like mushrooms.
- Dried porcini mushrooms: Dried porcini mushrooms can be substituted for cremini mushrooms in recipes. They have an earthier flavor and look more like the real thing.
- Parsley: Parsley can also be substituted for cremini mushrooms in recipes. It has a slightly bitter taste and looks more like the real thing.
However, it is not just the age of the fungus that reduces its shelf life in the refrigerator. The following things may also contribute to this:
1. Stowing the mushrooms in the vegetable drawer
So that your mushrooms do not lose their shelf life in the refrigerator so quickly, you should perhaps not necessarily stow them in the vegetable drawer. This compartment is ideal for herbs, lettuce and some types of fruit – but it is often too moist for mushrooms.
2. Washing the mushrooms with water
You should not wash mushrooms with water before storing them, as this increases the humidity in the refrigerator and the mushrooms spoil more quickly. If you want to wash your mushrooms, only wash them immediately before processing.
3. The crushing of mushrooms
Our cultivated mushrooms from the supermarket and all kinds of mushrooms from the forest are very fragile and sensitive to pressure. So they shouldn’t weigh too much in the refrigerator. Crushed and damaged mushrooms not only look unsightly, but they also go bad faster.
4. Storage in the wrong container
Mushrooms stored in the refrigerator require a sufficient supply of oxygen and an environment that is not too humid. Otherwise, they are quickly attacked by the mold and other uninvited guests. Since mushrooms from the supermarket are often in plastic packaging, which usually restricts the mushrooms’ breathing, you should remove the packaging completely. It’s best to wrap the mushrooms in a dry cloth or stow them in a paper bag.
Mushroom dishes – After cooking or frying, you can put your mushroom dish in the refrigerator, staying there for about 1-3 days. The following applies: the sooner you have cooled your dish after preparation and placed it in the refrigerator, the longer it will keep.
Dried Mushrooms – Putting dried mushrooms in the refrigerator is unnecessary and may even have more disadvantages than advantages.
Pickled Mushrooms – Pickled mushrooms can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. Once opened, this time is reduced to 5-7 days – provided the mushrooms are put back in the fridge straight away.
Canned mushrooms – As with dried mushrooms, it makes little sense to store unopened canned mushrooms in the refrigerator. The situation is different with canned food that has already been opened. These should continue to be kept refrigerated and be used up after three days at the latest.
Shelf life in the freezer (~ -15 to -18 degrees Celsius)
| Shelf life in the freezer | |
| Fresh mushrooms | 9-12 months |
| Fresh, sliced mushrooms | 8-9 months |
| Boiled or fried mushroom dishes | 2-3 months |
| Dried mushrooms | – |
| Pickled mushrooms (unopened) | – |
| Pickled mushrooms (open) | – |
| Unopened canned mushrooms (jar, can) | – |
| Jar and canned mushrooms (opened) | 1-2 months |
* The times given are only estimates.
If you want to preserve mushrooms for a longer time, freezing them in the freezer is a good idea because they can usually be kept there for several months. However, mushrooms tend to lose their taste overtime at such low temperatures.
Fresh Mushrooms – Raw mushrooms can be frozen for between 9 and 12 months, depending on the type and quality of mushrooms. Optionally, you can also clean them beforehand and cut them into small slices.
Mushroom dishes – On the table, I indicated that boiled and fried mushroom dishes can be frozen for 2-3 months. At this point, I would like to note that many people have frozen their mushroom dishes for 3, 5, or even six months without them going bad. Personally, I would advise against it from a taste perspective alone. How you handle it, in the end, is entirely up to you.
- Dried mushrooms – Freezing dried mushrooms is not necessary.
- Pickled mushrooms – Even pickled mushrooms do not need to be frozen
- Canned mushrooms – Not only do unopened canned mushrooms not need a freezer no, but it would also even harm them. Due to the low temperatures, the water in the can expands, causing it to burst sooner or later.
How can you tell when mushrooms have gone bad?
Oftentimes, mushrooms turn dark, become softer and smell unpleasant. You find a detailed overview of all features here. There you can find out, among other things, what happens when you eat bad mushrooms and why mushrooms tend to spoil quickly in the first place.
How to extend the shelf life of your mushrooms
There are many different ways to preserve your mushrooms. One option is to store them in the fridge or freezer, as discussed earlier in this article. Pickling, drying or boiling are also excellent methods of preserving food.
