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We’ve eaten a lot of burgers over the years. Some were forgettable. Some were pretty great. But these? These were the kind we’ll talk about for a while.

There was something about the way the lion’s mane mushrooms blended into the beef, how they held the moisture just right and gave every bite that earthy, rich flavor without ever trying too hard. It felt like the kind of meal you stumble into when you’re not trying to impress anyone… just feed the people you love with something that tastes good and came from your hands.

And in this case, also from our countertop.

A whole lion’s mane mushroom sitting on a wooden cutting board.

First Time Mushroom Growers

Back in the spring, I sat in on a mushroom class at the Okie Homesteading Expo. I’d been slowly leaning into more holistic health things, and mushrooms had been showing up on my radar for a while. I didn’t go in planning to grow anything. But by the end of the class, I knew I would.

Not long after that, North Spore sent us one of their lion’s mane grow kits. I didn’t know what to expect—but I followed the directions, misted it each day, and hoped for the best. And then right as it started to flush… we were headed to church camp.

We weren’t staying in a dorm, we were sleeping on air mattresses in the church building, and I was teaching a group of teenage girls each morning. Right before camp, when it started to grow, I realized that if I left it behind we might miss the harvest window. So I brought it.

My friend, who was also teaching that week, was the one who came up with the name Judah. Lion’s mane. Of course. She even made him a little crown and a name tag, because why not?

Lion’s mane mushroom growing in a North Spore box with a gold paper crown and nametag that reads “Judah”

I set him up in the corner of my classroom, and the girls took to him immediately. Every day, they took turns misting him and checking his progress like it was the most normal thing in the world to be raising a mushroom at church camp.

Every day they took turns misting him and checking for growth, and by the end of the week, he had turned into the fluffiest, weirdest little mushroom puff we’d ever seen. We all got a little too invested. And I didn’t mind one bit.

We brought Judah home and turned him into dinner.

Hands using a knife to chop lion’s mane mushroom on a cutting board.

What is Lion’s Mane, Anyway?

I’m not a doctor or anything close, but I’d been hearing about lion’s mane for a while, mostly from friends into holistic health, and it kept popping up in podcasts and books I trust. People say it supports memory, focus, even mood. Some research points to benefits for the nervous system and brain function, which honestly just made me more curious.

Lion’s mane is one of those things that sounds a little odd at first, like something you’d buy on a whim and never actually use. But once you cook with it, you get it. The texture is rich and meaty, almost like crab, and it picks up savory flavors in the best way.

You could shred it and sauté it like seafood, mix it into pasta, or fry it up like a crab cake… but our first batch went into burgers.

And they were unforgettable.

Lion’s mane mushrooms cooking in a cast iron skillet with a wooden spoon.

Mushroom Burger Recipe (with Lion’s Mane)

This makes about six hearty burgers. The mushrooms get sautéed first, which brings out their flavor and keeps the patties from getting watery.

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef
2 cups lion’s mane mushrooms, finely diced
½ onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1½ tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tablespoons butter (for sautéing)

Instructions:

In a skillet, melt the butter and sauté the mushrooms over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, until they’re tender and browned. Let them cool completely.
In a large bowl, combine the cooled mushrooms with the beef, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix by hand.
Form into 6 patties.
Cook in a cast iron skillet or on the grill over medium heat until browned and cooked through—about 4–5 minutes per side.
Serve on buns with your favorite toppings.
Letting the mushrooms cool completely before mixing them in helps the beef stay firm and keeps everything from turning gummy. These patties hold their shape beautifully and stay tender all the way through.

Close-up of a lion’s mane burger with bold grill marks.

Worth Doing Again

We’re hoping for a second flush soon. The girls keep asking for updates, and we’ve already tossed around a few ideas, maybe tacos, maybe something fancier, maybe just another round of burgers.

But there’s something about that first time. The way he grew. The way those girls hovered over him every morning at camp. The way the whole kitchen smelled when those burgers hit the skillet. It made the whole thing feel worth it.

If you’ve never tried growing mushrooms before, or cooking with them, this is a good one to start with. Simple, low-fuss, and honestly kind of fun.

And if your mushroom block ends up with a name and its own following, well… you’ll be in good company.