These grilled miso maitake mushrooms take their inspiration from Nobu-style miso-marinated black cod, with mushrooms taking center stage for a vegetarian twist. A simple marinade of white miso, sake, mirin and sugar coats the ruffled clusters before they hit the Ninja Sizzle indoor grill. Think savory mushrooms, a little sweetness and beautifully browned edges.

If you already love cooking with Hen of the Woods mushrooms, this is a different direction from a classic skillet preparation. The miso marinade brings big flavor with a short ingredient list, and the full recipe uses one pound of maitake. Only have half a pound? Halve the marinade, too!

Grilled miso maitake mushrooms over rice with scallions

A Vegetarian Twist on Nobu-Style Miso

The inspiration here is the sweet, savory miso treatment associated with Nobu’s black cod. White miso supplies the savory base, while mirin and sugar bring sweetness and sake rounds out the marinade. This is my mushroom adaptation of that flavor combination, rather than an official Nobu recipe.

Maitake makes this vegetarian version especially appealing. The clusters have a satisfying, meaty texture, and all those folds give the marinade plenty of places to cling. Serve them as a vegetable side or build a vegetarian dinner around them with rice and edamame or tofu.

What Are Maitake Mushrooms?

Maitake mushrooms are also called Hen of the Woods. They grow in clusters of overlapping, feathery fronds, with tender edges and a firmer base. Cultivated maitake from the grocery store or farmers market works for this recipe; you don’t need a foraged harvest to make it.

Separate the mushrooms into substantial clusters instead of tiny pieces. Keeping some of the tender base attached helps hold the fronds together when you turn them on the grill. Trim away any tough portions and remove debris from between the folds. If you rinse the mushrooms, drain and pat them dry before adding the marinade.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Maitake mushrooms: One pound, cleaned and divided into large clusters.
White miso paste: The savory foundation of the marinade. Use plain white miso without fish-based additions to keep the recipe vegetarian.
Sake: Simmered with the mirin before the remaining ingredients are added.
Mirin: Adds sweetness and complements the miso.
White sugar: Balances the salty miso and helps create the caramelized coating.
Neutral oil: A light coating for the cooking surface as directed for your grill.

The recipe card below includes the full quantities. There’s no butter, fish sauce or dashi in this marinade.

How to Make the Miso Marinade

Simmer the sake and mirin for one minute over medium-high heat. Remove the saucepan from the heat, then stir in the sugar and whisk in the white miso until smooth. Let the marinade cool completely before gently coating the mushrooms.

Use the full batch of marinade for one pound of maitake. Turn the clusters carefully so you coat the fronds without breaking them apart, then cover and marinate in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. Longer marinating develops more flavor.

Using a Chamber Sealer for Marinating

For a faster marinating option, I use my Avid Armor chamber vacuum sealer. Its marinating function removes air under vacuum, then releases the pressure, which can help liquid enter the spaces in porous foods like mushrooms. It’s a convenient way to shorten the marinating step when you want that Nobu-inspired miso flavor without a long wait. Start with completely cooled marinade and follow your model’s instructions for the container, vacuum setting and marinating cycles. After chamber sealing, refrigerate the mushrooms for up to 8 hours; longer marinating develops more flavor. A chamber sealer is optional; you can also marinate the mushrooms in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.

How to Grill Maitake Mushrooms on the Ninja Sizzle

I’m featuring the Ninja Sizzle indoor grill for this recipe. Fit the grill plate and preheat the Ninja Sizzle to 500°F before adding the mushrooms. Lift the clusters out of the marinade and gently remove excess, leaving a thin coating on the fronds.

Arrange the maitake in a single layer with space between the clusters, working in batches when needed. Grill mushroom florets and thinner pieces for roughly 90 seconds per side. For thicker pieces, such as a maitake steak, grill for 2–3 minutes per side to cook through. Turn carefully with tongs or a spatula. The sugar and miso can darken quickly, so watch the coating as well as the mushrooms themselves.

If desired, simmer the extra marinade in a small skillet or saucepan until thickened, then use it as a basting sauce or drizzle over the grilled mushrooms.

Miso-marinated maitake mushrooms grilling on the Ninja Sizzle

What to Serve with Miso Maitake Mushrooms

For a vegetarian meal, serve the grilled maitake over steamed rice with edamame, sliced cucumber and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Tofu and a simple green vegetable would also round out the plate. The mushrooms work as a side dish when you want something with more character than plain grilled vegetables.

Keep the finishing touches simple: sliced scallions, toasted sesame seeds or a squeeze of lemon are optional additions. The miso already brings plenty of seasoning, so taste before adding extra salt or sauce.

Can I Make a Half Batch?

Absolutely! For half a pound of maitake, use two tablespoons each of sake, mirin and white miso, plus one and a half tablespoons of sugar. Follow the same method and judge doneness by the mushrooms, rather than cutting the grilling time in half.

More Ways to Cook Maitake

For a simpler preparation, try my sautéed maitake mushrooms. If you’re looking for a tangy appetizer to enjoy another day, my pickled maitake mushrooms take the same mushroom in a completely different direction.