use th.While carnivores chomp on slaughtered animals at a Korean BBQ bash, the vegans do need something to eat besides bean sprouts. These mushrooms mimic the same flavors and cook in just about 15 minutes.
With tender melting onions and that classic Korean BBQ flavor, serve your vegans this “meaty” mushroom main dish.
Pair these Korean BBQ mushrooms with a side of sesame spinach, vegan cucumber kimchi, and of course don’t forget those bean sprouts.
American vs. Korean BBQ
American BBQ has a few definitions, one of which aligns with the Korean one.
- Per the dictionary, barbecue is meat cooked over an open fire or hot coals.
- A large social gathering where this meat is cooked.
- A rich, thick, tangy tomato based sauce that is slathered onto that meat.
- Often shortened to the three letter word “BBQ” where you’re somehow supposed to know that the first B is pronounced “bar”.
Korean barbecue refers to #1 above and often consists of meats marinated in a sweet, soy based sauce cooked on a tabletop grill.
These mushrooms mimic those sweet-soy flavors and are meant to act as an apt substitute to chew on as a main dish but could also be used as a side one.
Serve atop rice or noodles. Brown rice is shown here which is a lighter colored variety and unfortunately looks like white rice (which we try not to feature on this blog).
Kinds of Korean mushrooms
Since this will be served as a main dish, take care to use some special mushrooms (i.e. anything except button mushrooms).
Below are six commonly found mushrooms in Korean cuisine.
The funny thing I have found is that they are not much more expensive from button mushrooms, as long as you buy them from an Asian supermarket.
Clockwise from top left: 1. King oyster mushrooms. 2. Regular oyster mushrooms 3. Enoki mushrooms 4. Woodear mushrooms 5. Bunapi mushrooms 6. Shiitake mushrooms
King Oyster Mushrooms
If you can find them, these king oyster mushrooms cost just $3-4 for a half pound.
According to the Great British Chefs, these mushrooms:
- Are native to the Mediterranean but are more commonly found in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cuisines
- Have a “pronounced umami flavor,” and don’t lose their shape when cooked
- Have a texture similar to abalone or scallops and make great “mushroom steaks” or “vegan scallops”
King oyster mushrooms are also known as King Trumpet mushrooms. They are the largest of mushrooms I’ve seen in the Asian market and just seem like a real treat to have whenever I buy them.
They are also sometimes called King Trumpet Mushrooms.
I like them because they are big, easy to cut up instead of chasing in button mushroom across the cutting board, and do have a toothsome chew more than other mushrooms that are more silky in texture.
Do you wash mushrooms?
Well, they say you’re not supposed to wash them.
Just wipe them off with a damp towel.
Otherwise, if you rinse under water, they will absorb all the moisture which will be released when you cook them and result in a watery dish.
You also won’t get them browned or crispy.
Step by Step Process
#1 Chop all the veggies
Nip off about 1/4 inch of the stem that might have some funny business from the compost it grew in.
- Cut the mushrooms into 1/4″ slices on the bias
- Slice the onion
- Chop the green onion
- Mince the ginger (Make this easier with a microplane.)
- Mince the garlic. (I find this easies to do with a garlic press)
#2 Brown mushrooms
Heat up the pan with oil until shimmering over medium heat.
Add the mushrooms, and wish for 1-2 minutes so they get a nice brown color.
#3 Add aromatics
Everyone else into the pot!
Add all the veggies that were chopped in Step #1. (But save some green onion for garnish).
Stir fry for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
#4 Add seasoning
Add the soy sauce and brown sugar for that characteristic Korean BBQ flavor.
Cook for 3-4 minutes while stirring, until the mushrooms are cooked through and soft.
The water in the mushrooms will start to leach out and create a little sauce.
#5 Serve hot
I like to drizzle on toasted sesame oil to many Korean dishes. It reminds me a bit of classic Italian dishes where you drizzle on extra virgin olive oil.
Serve on a plate and garnish with any or all of the following:
- green onion
- sesame seeds
- a drizzle of toasted sesame oil
Spicy Mushrooms
To make these mushrooms spicy, you can do a couple things:
- Stir fry in a sliced jalapeno or other fresh chili with the onion.
- Top the finished dish with a squeeze of chili sauce.
This 1/2 pound of king oyster mushrooms don’t cost much if you buy them from the Asian market such that this whole meal can be made for $5 or less.
Helpful Tips
- King oyster mushrooms, shiitake, or regular oyster mushrooms would also work well in this dish.
- To make this spicy, stir fry with a sliced jalapeno or top the finished dish with chili sauce.
- Asian mushrooms are much cheaper when sourced from an Asian market. However button mushrooms will work for this dish too.
- Avoid washing the mushrooms, and wipe them off with a damp towel. Otherwise, they will add too much extra liquid to the dish.
More Vegan Korean Food
Vegan Kimchi Fried Rice is Fast & Luscious
Top 7 Vegan Korean Recipes for Beginners
Vegan Korean BBQ Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb king oyster mushrooms sliced 1/4" thick on the bias
- 1 Tb olive oil
- 1/4 ea onion sliced
- 1 ea green onion chopped save some of the green part for garnish
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tsp ginger minced
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp brown sugar
Optional Garnish
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- green onion saved from the main ingredients
- black pepper
Instructions
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a skillet or wok until shimmering.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 1-2 minutes until browned. Stir once or twice, so they cook on both sides.
- Add the onion, ginger, garlic, and green onion to pan. Stir fry for 30 seconds to 1 minute just to bloom the flavors.
- Add the soy sauce and brown sugar. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes until the mushrooms are soft and cooked through. If the pan gets too dry or the soy sauce starts to burn, add a little bit of water to moisten the pan.
- Taste and check if any additional salt is needed.
- Serve hot and top with optional garnishes.
Notes
- King oyster mushrooms, shiitake, or regular oyster mushrooms would also work well in this dish.
- To make this spicy, stir fry with a sliced jalapeno or top the finished dish with chili sauce.
- Asian mushrooms are much cheaper when sourced from an Asian market. However button mushrooms will work for this dish too.
- Avoid washing the mushrooms, and wipe them off with a damp towel. Otherwise, they will add too much extra liquid to the dish.
Nicole Ruiz Hudson
These look so yummy — like one wouldn’t miss the meat at all!
asiantestkitchen@gmail.com
Thanks Nicole! 🙂
eddy
Absolutely delicious! Especially with toasted sesame seeds. Had to use shiitake mushrooms instead of king oyster mushrooms, was still fantastic though. Used some chili flakes with it that went great with its bbq flavour. Just wish I bought more mushrooms, need almost a pound and a half of shiitake to feed two to three people in my house. Perhaps some green and red peppers would go great with this. Really good recipe.
asiantestkitchen@gmail.com
Hi Eddy! Thank you so much for your thoughtful comments and helpful tips. Really appreciate it, and so glad you liked the recipe! 🙂