Indulge in the flavors of the sea without the shellfish with this delicious King Oyster Mushroom Vegan Scallops recipe! Made with 5 simple ingredients and pan-fried to perfection, this savory dish is a great dinner party appetizer or topping for your favorite main meals!
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Total Time20 minutesmins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: vegan king oyster mushroom recipe, vegan scallops
Servings: 4
Ingredients
1lblarge king oyster mushroomswiped clean
2tbspvegan butter
1/2tspgarlic powder
1/2tspsea salt
2clovesminced garlic
Chopped parsley and lemon wedges to garnish
Instructions
Cut off the tough lower 1-1.5 inches of the mushroom stalk. You can feel where the stalks get tougher by giving the mushrooms a light squeeze. Slice the mushroom into 1-1.5 inch thick medallions. Keep the mushroom caps.
Using a paring knife, score the sliced sides of the mushrooms in a checkered pattern. Be careful to score only 1/8 to 1/4-inch deep.
Melt 2 tablespoons of the vegan butter in a large cast iron skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms one at a time, cut side down, spreading the mushrooms in the pan so they all have contact with the skillet and are not crowded.
Sprinkle garlic powder and sea salt over the mushrooms. Place a heavy lid or a second cast iron skillet directly on top of the mushrooms as they cook. This will draw out the liquid and make them extra meaty. Cook the mushrooms for 8 minutes on medium heat.
Remove the heavy lid or pan from the mushrooms. Add minced garlic to the mushroom liquid. Use tongs to flip each mushroom. The cooked side should be golden and slightly crispy around the edges.
Continue to cook the mushrooms for another 5-10 minutes on medium heat until the mushrooms are tender and both sides are golden. Stir the garlic in the liquid as needed and be careful not to let it burn.
If all the mushrooms didn't fit in the pan, repeat these steps to cook the remaining mushrooms.
Serve mushrooms garnished with fresh parsley, lemon juice, and freshly cracked black pepper.
Notes
Storage Directions
Refrigeration: Allow this king oyster recipe to cool completely to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container and storing it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, as the scallops will lose their texture when thawed.
Reheating: Warm the scallops in a pan on the stove with a little olive oil or a splash of vegetable broth to restore the moisture until heated through. Or you can heat them in the microwave.
Recipe Pro-Tips
Avoid crowding the skillet. If you can’t fit all the mushrooms in the pan without overlapping one another, make this king mushroom recipe in batches. The scallops will form the best texture when they have room to breathe.
Wait to flip the mushrooms. When you first add each scallop mushroom to the skillet, avoid the temptation to move them – they need time to sear and form a caramelized exterior.
Don’t forget to score the mushrooms. The shallow cuts create more surface area for the seasoning and flavors to soak deeper into the mushrooms as they cook for elevated flavor.
Add more flavors of the sea. You can enhance the ocean-like umami flavor of these vegan scallops by adding dulse seaweed, nori flakes, kelp flakes, miso paste, or soy sauce to the mushroom liquid as they cook (after you’ve pressed and flipped them).