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The Giant Puffball Mushroom: Finding, Harvesting, and Eating - with Cream of Giant Puffball Mushroom Soup Recipe

Recently, while checking my trail cameras for the upcoming deer season, I stumbled upon a giant puffball mushroom. And when I say giant, I mean giant—this thing was huge! As exciting as it was to find such a massive specimen, this particular puffball had passed its prime. Soft and slightly yellow, it had entered its final stage of life. So, instead of harvesting it, I left it behind to dry out and release its trillions of spores, helping to spread even more puffballs across the woods next season.

A little further into the woods I found many more giant puffball mushrooms.

When foraging, it’s crucial to ensure you’ve found the right species. True giant puffball mushrooms are round, with no gills, stem, cap. I came across a different fungus during my search that had a stem and brownish top—definitely not an edible giant puffball. I cracked it open to confirm, and sure enough, it was dark inside and filled with gills. Puffballs are smooth inside, with no internal structures like gills. So always double-check before cooking!

Not all puffballs or mushroom are edible. Always do your research and be 100% sure you’re harvesting the right thing. If you’re ever unsure, consult an expert or leave it be.

Once I got my puffball home, I prepared it for cooking. Here's a key tip: Don’t wash the outside! It has a leathery outer layer that easily peels off, taking all the dirt with it. Washing it can make it slimy and gross, so just peel and slice. I'm sure washing it isn't the end of the world, but this is just my advice.

The inside was perfect, pure white and meaty. I cut the puffball into thick steak-like slices, which is my favourite way to prepare it. Once you have your slices ready, you’re good to go!

Cooking Puffball Steaks

To cook the puffball steaks, I kept things simple but flavorful. Here’s the basic recipe I used:

Butter
Garlic or onion
Salt
Pepper

I heated the butter, onion and garlic in a pan until it was nice and hot, then added the puffball slices, searing them until golden brown, just like you would with a regular steak. Sprinkle on your salt and pepper while cooking. You’ll want to flip them to get both sides beautifully browned. They shrink down a bit during cooking, but the result is delicious.

Cream of Giant Puffball Mushroom Soup

5 cups of giant puffball mushroom, cubed
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cups beef or chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 tbsp sour cream (optional)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp dill (fresh or dry)

Instructions:

Start by cubing the giant puffball mushrooms, dicing the onion, and chopping the garlic.

In a large pot, melt 3 tbsp of butter over medium heat. Add the cubed puffball mushroom, diced onion, and garlic. Sauté until the mushrooms begin to brown. The mushrooms will shrink as they cook, so don’t be alarmed by their initial volume. Stir to avoid burning, about 8-10 minutes.

Once the vegetables are soft and browned, sprinkle 2 tbsp of flour over the mixture. Stir it in until the flour is fully combined, forming a thick, paste-like consistency. This will help thicken your soup.

Slowly pour in the beef or chicken broth while stirring constantly. Continue cooking over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to prevent lumps. The soup will begin to thicken as it heats. This will only take a few minutes.

Add 1 cup of milk, and mix in the salt, pepper, thyme, and dill. If you’re using sour cream, stir it in at this stage for extra creaminess. Let the soup return to a gentle simmer to heat everything through, about 5 minutes.

Give the soup a taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Add more salt, pepper, or herbs to suit your preference.

Enjoy!

Cream of Giant Puffball Mushroom Soup

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Ingredients

5 cups of giant puffball mushroom cubed
1 small onion diced
3 cloves garlic diced
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cups beef or chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 tbsp sour cream optional
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp dill fresh or dry

Instructions

Start by cubing the giant puffball mushrooms, dicing the onion, and chopping the garlic.
In a large pot, melt 3 tbsp of butter over medium heat. Add the cubed puffball mushroom, diced onion, and garlic. Sauté until the mushrooms begin to brown. The mushrooms will shrink as they cook, so don’t be alarmed by their initial volume. Stir to avoid burning, about 8-10 minutes.
Once the vegetables are soft and browned, sprinkle 2 tbsp of flour over the mixture. Stir it in until the flour is fully combined, forming a thick, paste-like consistency. This will help thicken your soup.
Slowly pour in the beef or chicken broth while stirring constantly. Continue cooking over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to prevent lumps. The soup will begin to thicken as it heats. This will only take a few minutes.
Add 1 cup of milk, and mix in the salt, pepper, thyme, and dill. If you’re using sour cream, stir it in at this stage for extra creaminess. Let the soup return to a gentle simmer to heat everything through, about 5 minutes.
Give the soup a taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Add more salt, pepper, or herbs to suit your preference.