Puffball (Mushroom) Parmesan

Have you seen those large white puff ball mushrooms growing – most of the time they can easily be mistaken for a volleyball 🙂 The giant puffball is a whitish, Styrofoam-like globe as small as a softball or as large as a beach ball, with short, root-like mycelial (fungal) fibers connecting it to the ground. It’s a little known fact that puffballs are edible mushrooms – as long as they are completely white the whole way though. And with no poisonous look-alikes, they are ideal for beginner mushroom hunters! Look for giant puffballs from late summer through mid-fall anywhere in North America. They aren’t picky about where they grow,  it’s common to find them in beautiful fields as well as trash littered barren hillsides. Giant puffballs are a choice edible, which means it’s super yummy gourmet delight! Just trim away the cuticle (outer skin/covering) and cut out any bad/brown parts with a paring knife. Try not to wash this mushroom under water, or it will become too soggy to sauté. My favorite way to enjoy them is my Giant Puffball Parmesan! OMG. It’s so good. It’s not made much different than a traditional Chicken or Veal parmesan, except I use parmesan cheese as my breading so that it’s gluten-free and low-carb. Pan fried and topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, YUM!  The puffball is creamy and soft, like a mushroom flavored marshmallow, with a crispy coating. DISCLAIMER: I’m not a mushroom expert and eating wild mushrooms isn’t something to jump into, there are risks of illness and death – I always stress to beginners to find someone local who’s knowledgable, buy some books and find an internet group to ask questions., if you are new to foraging.  There’s lots of people out there that will help you learn 🙂

If you brought home more than one puffball, my complete puffball mushroom guide covers identification, cleaning, storage and more ways to cook it.