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    Home » Recipes » Sides & Appetizers

    Vegan Portobello Steak Au Poivre

    Published: Jul 11, 2021 · Modified: Aug 30, 2021 by Emily · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    This Vegan Steak Au Poivre is a plant-based take on a classic steakhouse favorite. This recipe uses meaty portobello mushroom caps to replicate steak, with a creamy pepper sauce over the top!

    photo of mushroom steak with sauce on a plate next to broccoli

    One of the things people miss the most when they cut back on meat is a hearty, juicy, savory steak. Most other animal products can easily be replicated into a plant-based version, but a steak is much more difficult.

    This is a plant-based version of the traditional French steak au poivre, which means pepper steak or steak with a lot of coarsely ground pepper. Traditionally, the steak is coated and seared in peppercorns. Then, a creamy white sauce is made with even more pepper.

    There are a lot of vegan meat alternatives, such as tofu in place of chicken or even watermelon tuna The caps of large portobello mushrooms have a very rich, meaty texture to them, making them the perfect steak alternative. Does it taste exactly like a steak? Of course not. But it does give that same meaty and umami flavor that steak-lovers crave! Try one bit and I promise you won't regret it.

    Why you'll love this recipe

    • Meaty & Flavorful - The portobello caps not only look meaty, but they taste meaty too! With the abundance of pepper it is also extremely flavorful!
    • Creamy Sauce - This luscious pepper sauce is creamy and delicious. The best part? This recipe makes extra, so you can use it for pastas, sandwiches, fries, or anything else!
    • Simple Steps - While making a steak out of a mushroom may sound daunting, this recipe couldn't be more simple!

    What you need for this recipe

    Ingredients and Substitutions:

    photo of ingredients with labels
    • Portobello Mushroom Caps - Buy them whole and remove the stems or buy them prepared without the stem. They almost always come is packs of two.
    • Black Pepper - Coarsely ground will work the best. Grind whole peppercorns yourself or buy them ground!
    • Cognac - Or bourbon, or apple cider vinegar.
    • Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Any neutral oil will work as well.
    • Vegan Butter - Earth Balance is my preferred brand, but any will work!
    • All-Purpose Flour - Use this to make a roux for the sauce. If gluten-free, use cornstarch instead by mixing 1 tablespoon with equal parts water and adding that to the sauce towards the end.
    • Dairy-Free Milk - I used almond milk, but any will work as long as it is unflavored and unsweetened.
    • Salt

    Equipment:

    • Stainless Steel Pan or Cast Iron Pan
    • Spatula
    • Whisk

    How to make this recipe

    Step 1: Prepare the Mushrooms

    Start by grinding 1-2 tablespoons of black pepper corns

    Brush the tops and bottoms of the mushroom caps with olive oil until fully coated.

    Using your hands, gently press the ground black pepper into the top of the mushroom caps as well as into the gills on the bottom.

    photo of mushroom cap with pepper on it

    Step 2: Cook the Mushrooms

    Get your stainless steel or cast iron pan very hot, then add enough olive oil to coat the pan.

    Once hot, but not smoking, place the mushroom caps top-side down. Allow this to sear for about 1 minute, while gently pressing down with a spatula.

    photo of mushroom top side down in pan

    After the minute, flip the mushrooms and press down again with a bit more pressure to slightly flatten the mushroom caps. Cook for 2 minutes.

    photo of mushroom flipped in pan

    If necessary, repeat these steps until the mushrooms are cooked all the way through. They will appear much darker and softer when cooked through.

    Once cooked, remove mushroom caps from the pan, but keep the pan warm and on the stove.

    Place the mushroom caps on a plate and allow them to rest for about 5 minutes while making the sauce.

    Step 3: Make the Sauce

    With the pan on medium heat, add ½ tablespoon of ground pepper. With a spatula, stir this around the pan to lightly toast.

    photo of pepper in a pan

    Add cognac to the hot pan and scrape the bottom of the pan to get all of the bits of pepper and flavor up. Allow the cognac to simmer and reduce.

    Add vegan butter and stir.

    photo of pepper-cognac sauce in pan

    Once the cognac and butter has mostly reduced, whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour until a thick paste forms.

    Then, whisk in 1 ½ cups of non-dairy milk slowly. Whisk this in ½ cup at a time.

    photo of pepper cream sauce

    Allow this sauce to come to a simmer and thicken to your liking. Season with salt and extra pepper if you would like.

    Plate the mushroom caps and spoon the pepper sauce over the top of them.

    closer photo of mushroom caps with pepper sauce

    Expert Tips

    • For the best pepper texture, buy whole peppercorns and grind them yourself. Use a mortar and pestle, a spice or coffee grinder, a food processor, or just a sharp knife to create a coarse grind.
    • If you are gluten free, omit the flour in the sauce. Instead, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water. Add this slurry to the sauce after the almond milk has been added. Allow it to simmer and it should thicken.
    • I don't recommend using any type of mushroom aside from portobello. There aren't many other mushrooms that have the same size/shape as well as meaty texture.

    Recipe FAQs

    What is au poivre?

    Au Poivre refers to a style of cooking where a dish is prepared with a large amount of black pepper. Steak au Poivre is the most common dish.

    How do you know when a portobello mushroom is cooked?

    Portobello mushrooms are cooke through when you can push down on the center and it feels soft and juicy. It is best to allow them to rest for about 5 minutes before eating.

    What is a vegan substitute for steak?

    Steak is one of the hardest proteins to replicate a vegan version. There are some vegan steaks made out of seitan or even soy. However, I think portobello mushrooms are the best tasting steak alternative, and they are much more natural.

    If you enjoyed this recipe, you may also like:

    Creamy Dairy-Free Mushroom Stroganoff (Instant Pot)

    Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup

    Vegan Jalapeño Popper Pasta

    Vegan Portobello Steak Au Poivre

    This Vegan Steak Au Poivre is a plant-based take on a classic steakhouse favorite. This recipe uses meaty portobello mushroom caps to replicate steak, with a creamy pepper sauce over the top!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American, French, Vegan
    Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 2 people
    Calories: 382kcal
    Author: Emily

    Equipment

    • Stainless Steel Pan or Cast Iron Pan
    • Spatula
    • Whisk

    Ingredients

    • 2 Portobello mushroom caps
    • 1 tablespoon Coarse-ground black pepper
    • Extra virgin olive oil
    • ¼ cup Cognac or bourbon, or apple cider vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon Vegan butter
    • 2 tablespoon All-purpose flour
    • 1 ½ cups Non-dairy milk unsweetend, unflavored
    • 1 teaspoon Salt

    Instructions

    • Start by grinding 1-2 tablespoons of black pepper corns
    • Brush the tops and bottoms of the mushroom caps with olive oil until fully coated. 
    • Using your hands, gently press the ground black pepper into the top of the mushroom caps as well as into the gills on the bottom. 
    • Get your stainless steel or cast iron pan very hot, then add enough olive oil to coat the pan. 
    • Once hot, but not smoking, place the mushroom caps top-side down. Allow this to sear for about 1 minute, while gently pressing down with a spatula. 
    • After the minute, flip the mushrooms and press down again with a bit more pressure to slightly flatten the mushroom caps. Cook for 2 minutes. 
    • If necessary, repeat these steps until the mushrooms are cooked all the way through. They will appear much darker and softer when cooked through. 
    • Once cooked, remove mushroom caps from the pan, but keep the pan warm and on the stove. 
    • Place the mushroom caps on a plate and allow them to rest for about 5 minutes while making the sauce. 
    • With the pan on medium heat, add ½ tablespoon of ground pepper. With a spatula, stir this around the pan to lightly toast. 
    • Add cognac to the hot pan and scrape the bottom of the pan to get all of the bits of pepper and flavor up. Allow the cognac to simmer and reduce. 
    • Add vegan butter and stir. 
    • Once the cognac and butter has mostly reduced, whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour until a thick paste forms. 
    • Then, whisk in 1 ½ cups of non-dairy milk slowly. Whisk this in ½ cup at a time. 
    • Allow this sauce to come to a simmer and thicken to your liking. Season with salt and extra pepper if you would like. 
    • Plate the mushroom caps and spoon the pepper sauce over the top of them. 

    Notes

    Recipe copyright Legally Healthy Blonde. For educational or personal use only.
      • For the best pepper texture, buy whole peppercorns and grind them yourself. Use a mortar and pestle, a spice or coffee grinder, a food processor, or just a sharp knife to create a coarse grind.
      • If you are gluten free, omit the flour in the sauce. Instead, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water. Add this slurry to the sauce after the almond milk has been added. Allow it to simmer and it should thicken.
      • I don't recommend using any type of mushroom aside from portobello. There aren't many other mushrooms that have the same size/shape as well as meaty texture.
      • Nutrition Information is for 1 serving, which is ½ of this recipe. 
        • Calories: 382 cal
        • Total Fat: 29.2 grams
        • Total Carb: 10.3 grams
        • Protein: 3.3 grams

      Nutrition

      Calories: 382kcal
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