Foil yaki, also known as hoiru yaki (ホイル焼き), is a popular home-cooking technique in Japan. It’s essentially the same as the Western-style foil packet dinners where plain-but-genius aluminum foil is used as a cooking tool. If you have tried my Salmon In Foil, you’re going to love this Miso Butter Mushrooms in Foil (きのこのホイル焼き)! In this recipe, assorted Japanese mushrooms are wrapped in foil and infused with umami-rich seasonings like miso, butter, sake, and soy sauce. The juices of the mushrooms are sealed in, resulting in a moist and velvety texture that is hard to resist. Serve them with steamed rice, and you have a simple yet satisfying one-foil meal, ready in minutes!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Quick and effortless — The foil pack serves as both cookware and serveware, making cooking and cleanup a breeze. It’s truly a ‘one and done’ technique. So flavorful — The steam inside the foil packets retains freshness, moisture, and flavors. Easily adaptable — I like to keep this recipe simple to savor the succulent, earthy flavor of Japanese mushrooms. However, you can throw in other veggies or seafood to make it more substantial.
Miso Butter Seasonings
In Japanese cooking, salty condiments like soy sauce and miso often go together with sweet and creamy butter. The combination brings out the best flavor! If you are going to get one tub of miso, I highly recommend finding Kodawattemasu by Hikari Miso. It’s been the No. 1 organic miso for a long time (see that label on the tab?). You can find this brand of miso at Japanese/Korean/Chinese grocery stores. I’ve been using it for 15 years or more. It’s my go-to miso for a lot of recipes I share on the website.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Onion Japanese mushrooms: enoki, king oyster (trumpet), maitake, shimeji, shiitake Condiments: miso, sake, butter, soy sauce Garnish (optional): chives, green onions, etc.
How to Make Miso Butter Mushrooms in Foil
Substitutions & Variations
Butter adds a sweet richness to the dish, but you can omit it or use vegan butter for a vegan version. Use broth if you don’t have sake on hand (or if you don’t consume alcohol). Drizzle additional seasonings for more flavors. I love adding a dash of soy sauce or ponzu to the mushroom mixture after the parcel is cooked. To spice things up, feel free to sprinkle in some shichimi togarashi. Feel free to add other vegetables such as thinly sliced asparagus, bell peppers, zucchini, or carrots. For added substance, you can also include seafood such as white fish, squid, or shrimp.
Q: Can I use parchment paper instead of aluminum foil? In Japan, we typically use aluminum foil as it is durable and can hold the ingredients better, especially liquids. However, if you prefer, you can use parchment paper instead of aluminum foil. Be sure to use double layers for support, as I did in this recipe. Q: I don’t have access to Japanese mushrooms. Can I use regular mushrooms like portobello? Yes, portobello mushrooms will work fine with the same method and seasonings. Q: Can I cook the packets over the grill? Absolutely! That’s the beauty of hoiru yaki, or foil cooking!
What to Serve with Foil-Packed Mushrooms
Vegetarian Dishes
Japanese Sweet Potato Rice Gluten-Free Korean Veggie Pancake Chrysanthemum Greens and Tofu Salad (Shungiku Shiraae) Soy-Glazed Eggplant Donburi Vegetable Gyoza
Additional Meat and Seafood Dishes
Garlic Saikoro Steak (Diced beef steak cooked in garlic infused oil) Teriyaki Salmon Shio Koji Chicken Ginger Pork (Shogayaki) Shio Koji Salmon
