Why is it suggested that mushrooms be cleaned off with a wet paper towel instead of rinsing them off under running water?

Mushrooms are like little sponges! Rinsing them in water, or worse, soaking them in a bowl of water, just gives them a chance to drink up excess water like a dry dish sponge would. Because mushrooms already have a lot of water in their makeup, you typically give the moisture time to cook off, or add less liquid to a recipe if it's being baked with mushrooms. Rinsing them in water simply adds more, which in most cases we don't want!

Tara Teaspoon

I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!

More about Tara