Despite Their Humble Hues, These Fungi Are Bursting with Flavor

Colorful food is great, but this winter we’re defending the right for food to look unpretty, too. Especially when you cook for yourself at home. I’m talking specifically about food that runs the Instagram-unfriendly spectrum of beige to tan: the comestible equivalent of your favorite oversized sweater or fuzzy slippers. Food that comforts and satisfies but strikes a positively hibernal vibe. No hashtags, no reels, no pressure of influencing.

These savory mushrooms will likely not garner lots of hearts on social media, but they do pack a solid flavor punch. Miso brings a deep savory note, while harissa and maple syrup add a balance of spicy and sweet.

What these mushrooms lack in the looks department they surely make up for in flavor. As an added bonus, this plate of deliciousness cooks in under 15 minutes and is gloriously vegetarian. It can even go vegan and dairy-free with nondairy yogurt.

Could you gussy this up with a shower of herbs or some pickled Calabrian chilis? Of course you could, and it would taste delicious. But you don’t have to because, like that gargantuan sweater, comfort has its own quiet beauty.