Thinly sliced shiitake and baby portobello mushrooms slathered in flavorful BBQ sauce makes this meaty and chewy vegan pulled pork sandwich the perfect addition to any party. Forget the grill and grab some buns!
This is a cookbook review written by me on behalf of Linda and Alex Meyer, for which I received a free copy of the book. All the opinions and text are all mine.
If you're a mushroom lover, and love the flavor of rich barbecue sauce, then you're going to love these. It's the perfect addition to your summer meal plan (or really any meal plan); easy to make, comes together in no time and topped with peppery arugula, fresh tomatoes and tangy pickles. Perfect for any crowd!
Veganosity's Great Vegan BBQ Cookbook
This delicious recipe comes from the new cookbook, Great Vegan BBQ Without A Grill, by mother and daughter team Linda and Alex Meyer, otherwise known as Veganosity. Linda and I connected through a FB blogger group and became instant friends. She is not only the nicest most supportive person, but she is a talented chef (and she loves mindless reading, shopping and trash TV so obviously we'd get along). So it comes as no surprise that she and her daughter created this amazing book!
If you're a fan of barbecue then you need this book. It has you covered with everything from baked beans to their take on vegan ribs. The chapters cover it all:
- vegan versions of classic meaty BBQ
- burgers and sammies
- food on sticks
- fun takes on stuffed and foil foods
- sides
- dips
- sauces and rubs
And of course, photos for every recipe! This is a deal breaker for me. I need photos with my food. The other hook, line and sinker with this book: no fillers. They have one page of notes on ingredients and tools, then they get straight to business, food. It's why we buy these books right?
How to make vegan pulled pork
So, let's get to it. There are loads of ways to get vegan versions of traditionally meaty recipes, mushrooms being the focus in this one. I am personally a mushrooms lover, so this was a no brainer for me. Plus seeing the simple list of ingredients drew me in.
The key here is to thinly slice the mushrooms so they almost make ribbons. This helps give these vegan pulled pork sandwiches a meaty chewy texture that makes your taste buds dance. Once you add the BBQ sauce and cook it down a bit until sticky, the texture is amazing!
Side note: I used my own BBQ sauce since I had it in the freezer, but their list of sauce options is incredible and I will definitely be trying them soon. If you get your sauce prepped ahead of time then this meal pulls together in no time! The arugula gives these a bite that counters the sweetness of the barbecue, a perfect combo. Then you add the tang of pickles and OMG, hello mouth party.
Vegan Pulled "Pork" Mushroom Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 cups homemade BBQ sauce or store bought
- 22 oz shiitake mushrooms
- 22 oz baby Portobello mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (see note for oil free)
- 1 large white or yellow onion , finely diced
- Salt and pepper , to taste
- 4 hamburger buns
Toppings
- Arugula
- Tomato slices
- Sliced dill pickles
Instructions
- Make the BBQ sauce, if you don’t already have some on hand, to allow the flavors to infuse while you prepare the mushrooms.
- Thinly slice the mushrooms. They should look shredded. Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Depending on the size of the pan, you may need to cook the mushrooms and onions in two batches. When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and onions and stir frequently until the mushrooms lose their water and the onions become translucent and soft, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
- Turn up the heat to medium-high and add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the onions caramelize and the edges of the mushrooms begin to crisp up, approximately 5 minutes.
- When the mushrooms and onions are done cooking, add the BBQ sauce to the pan and stir until the mushrooms are completely coated in the sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil on medium heat and then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thick and sticky.
- Serve the mushrooms on the buns and top with the arugula, tomato and sliced pickles.
Notes
- Nutrition info is calculated without the BBQ sauce since it will differ depending on which one you use. It includes sprouted wheat burger buns.
- To make this oil free simply sauté with broth or water.
Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.
Nutrition
Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.
Marisa
Hi! I’m looking forward to making this! Has anyone tried it in a slow cooker?
veggiesdontbite
Hi Marisa! My only hesitation in the slow cooker would be the end texture. I sautee the mushrooms and onions until almost caramelized and crisp on the edges. So it would end up being softer if you cook them in the slow cooker But it would work.
Heidi
Can you make this ahead and reheat or does it lose texture? It’s a great idea!
veggiesdontbite
Hi Heidi! You can definitely make it ahead of time. Like many things, fresh is always best but I eat the leftovers and think they are still great!
carol
Just tried the mushroom BBQ' it was fantastic. Really better than with pork. I fed a person who hates mushrooms and she even even went in for a second. She said best BBQS shad tasted in forever. I did tell her eventually. She is still speaking to me. Lol
veggiesdontbite
Hi Carol! I am so happy you guys liked it! And wow, better than pork. Amazing! That's funny because my husband hates mushrooms and liked it as well! I am laughing so hard, glad she is still talking to you! Hahaha!
Paula
I made this yesterday. We eat plant based and I love to cook with mushrooms. My husband is not fond of mushrooms but will eat them occasionally. He ate this BBQ sandwich without saying a word and I didn't tell him what it was. He usually scrutinizes everything I fix. I think he thought it looked like BBQ pork. It was very tasty.
Veggiesdontbite
Hi Paula, I'm so happy you both enjoyed it and yay you for sneaking the mushrooms in unnoticed! Thanks so much for stopping by.
Kelly Woods
This looks delicious. My hubby is our grill master. Thank you!
veggiesdontbite
You are so welcome Kelly!!
Cassie Thuvan Tran
These barbecue mushrooms look to die for! I would totally eat this just as protein for salads, Buddha bowls, stir-fries, or even on top of toast! Mushrooms are one of my favorite vegetables--oyster mushrooms have the heartiest texture of them all!
Sharon
Love grilled veggies!
Deanne O'Donnell
I love both! We make Vegan Potato Salad, Vegan Macaroni Salad, Vegan Baked Beans, and grilled Veggie pasta salads as sides. Seitan, Tempeh and Mushrooms on the grill are the best. We also do a really nice flat bread and pizzas. NEED THIS BOOK!! ]
Johanna M Woodbury
Yum and super yum! I've also seen this done with King oyster mushrooms but those are really hard to find these days around here.
Bob Bush
Put me down for BBQ, grilled zucchini and fried green tomatoes! But the recipe is a must! Love shrooms. I don't like jackfruit.
Chelsea m
Jackfruit rootbeer bbq sandwiches are my favorite. And I love both bbq & the sides.
Chelsea M
My favorite bbq meal is root beer bbq jackfruit sandwiches ❤️
Linda from Veganosity
Thank you so much, Sophia! Your review of our cookbook is great. I especially love the pictures of those mushrooms. I'm drooling!
Yes, we have a lot in common other than food blogging. You forgot one thing that we both agree on. Wine!!! 😉
veggiesdontbite
You are more than welcome! My kids are huge BBQ lovers, weirdly enough LOL. And yes, how could I forget the wine?!
Susana
Looks delicious
Eve B.
Seitan with barbecue sauce, served with sides of vegan mashed potatoes and beet greens. Thanks!