The first time I saw mushroom poke on a menu in Hawaii, I thought it was a mistake. Poke is raw fish. But Hamakua mushrooms, grown on the Big Island, have a meaty texture that takes to shoyu and sesame oil the way ahi tuna does. Cut into bite-sized pieces, dressed with shoyu, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, pickled ginger, and honey, then spooned over romaine lettuce with mango slices, tomato wedges, and cucumber.
The pickled ginger ties it together. Two tablespoons of minced pickled ginger in the dressing give it a sharp, clean bite that cuts through the earthiness of the mushrooms and the sweetness of the mango. This is a salad I keep going back to.
Tips for Making Mushroom Poke Salad
Let the mushroom poke sit before serving
Toss the mushrooms with the shoyu, sesame oil, vinegar, ginger, and honey dressing and let it marinate for at least fifteen minutes. Thirty minutes is better. 
The mushrooms absorb the dressing and develop a deeper flavour as they sit. Taste and adjust the shoyu before plating.
Chill the plates
Use chilled plates. Put them in the fridge for twenty minutes before serving. A cold plate keeps the lettuce crisp and the mango cool.
Arrange the romaine first, then the mango, tomato, and cucumber. Spoon the dressed mushrooms on top in a mound. Drizzle any remaining dressing over everything.
Hamakua Mushroom Poke Salad with Shoyu-Ginger Dressing
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Diet: Omnivore, Vegetarian
Description
Fresh island flavors shine in this vibrant salad. Featuring Hamakua mushrooms and a zesty ginger vinaigrette.
Ingredients
For the Mushroom Poke and Dressing:
- 2 cups Hamakua mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, shiitake, king oyster, or a mix, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon shoyu
- 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons minced pickled ginger
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 cup olive oil or coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
For the Salad:
- 1 pound romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and cut
- 8 slices mango
- 4 tomato wedges
- 8 cucumber slices
Instructions
In a medium bowl, whisk together the shoyu, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, pickled ginger, honey, oil, and salt until the honey has dissolved and the dressing looks unified. Taste before adding all the salt, since shoyu varies by brand.
Add the cut mushrooms to the bowl with about two-thirds of the dressing. Stir until the mushrooms are coated. Let them sit for at least 15 minutes, or up to 30 minutes, so they soften and take on the shoyu-ginger dressing.
Divide the romaine among four chilled plates. Arrange the mango slices, tomato wedges, and cucumber slices around the lettuce.
Spoon the marinated mushrooms over the lettuce, placing a mound in the center of each plate.
Spoon a little of the remaining dressing over the lettuce, mango, tomato, and cucumber. Serve while the lettuce is still cold.
Notes
The “poke” in this recipe refers to the marinated mushroom mixture. The mushrooms are not cooked in the main version.
Hamakua mushrooms are ideal if available, but oyster mushrooms, shiitake, king oyster mushrooms, or a firm mixed mushroom blend work well.
If using shiitake mushrooms, remove tough stems before cutting.
For a softer mushroom texture, the mushrooms can be sautéed for 2–3 minutes, cooled, and then dressed. If this optional step is included, the recipe is no longer strictly no-cook.
The oil amount can be reduced to ¼ cup for a sharper, less oily dressing. The original recipe uses ½ cup.
Keep the lettuce and dressed mushrooms separate until serving if preparing ahead.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Marinating Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Hawaiian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Unsaturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 5
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Hamakua mushrooms?
Mushrooms grown by the Hamakua Heritage Farm on the Big Island of Hawaii. They include oyster, shiitake, and other varieties. Any fresh mushrooms with a firm, meaty texture work as a substitute. King oyster mushrooms are closest.
What is shoyu?
Japanese soy sauce. It is lighter and slightly sweeter than Chinese soy sauce. Use regular soy sauce if shoyu is unavailable, but reduce the quantity slightly because it is saltier.
Can I use cooked mushrooms?
The recipe does not specify cooking them. Marinating raw mushrooms in the dressing softens them. If you prefer cooked, saute briefly and cool before dressing. The texture will be different but still good.
This is a poorly written recipe. How do you make the poke? Is it only using the shoyu and sesame oil and remaining ingredients are the dressing?
Hi Thomas, thanks for pointing this out! We checked back in with chef and got the updated instructions, so this should be a little clearer now. We really appreciate the help!
Thanks Kalle! All good now.
Brilliant vegetarian poke!
My partner is allergic to seafood so we never order poke when we go out, but this mushroom version means we finally have a way to do a poke night at home. Marinated the hamakuas for thirty minutes as you recommend and the pickled ginger really did tie the whole bowl together. Going on the weeknight rotation.
I ate mushroom poke at a counter in Hilo three years back and never thought to recreate it. Love this version, thanks for the road map.