Portobello Mushroom Steaks with Peppercorn Sauce

GFGluten FreeGRGrain FreeNFNut FreeVVegan

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These Portobello Mushroom Steaks with Peppercorn Sauce are juicy and meaty, with a creamy black pepper sauce. The ultimate date night main! Vegan & Gluten-Free. 

I’ve never found a better steak substitute than portobello mushroomsthey’re meaty in texture and pack a savory umami flavor! These Portobello Mushroom Steaks with Peppercorn Sauce are pan-seared until they’re juicy and tender, then topped with a spicy peppercorn drizzle that will leave your mouth watering. Perfect for date nights or elegant weekend dinners!

Portobello mushroom steak sliced with a fork taking one of the slices

INGREDIENTS + INSPIRATION

If you’ve never had portobello steaks before you might be thinking, “Does it taste exactly like a steak?” No, but this vegan steak substitute does vary slightly from the real thing, but it’s delicious in its own right!

Ingredients for mushroom steaks in small bowls on kitchen countertop. Clockwise text labels read red wine, tamari, smoked paprika, vegan worcestershire sauce, vegan beef broth, full-fat oat milk, brandy, black peppercorns, oil, garlic,

The marinated mushrooms have a deep, juicy flavor and a hearty, meat-like texture that’s both filling and delicious. The flavor is taken to the next level with the peppercorn sauce! It’s a classic steak condiment that we’ll be veganizing by swapping out the cream and using a dairy-free milk instead 🙂

HOW TO MAKE PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM STEAKS WITH PEPPERCORN SAUCE

side-by-side photos of marinated mushrooms before cooking next to cooked peppercorn sauce in cast iron pan

Just 20 minutes of prep time and 30 minutes of cooking before your vegan steak dinner is ready to enjoy! All you do is shake up all of the ingredients for your marinade, add your mushrooms, and pan-sear them to meaty perfection.

  1. Mix the tamari, wine, paprika, and Worcestershire sauce in a jar and shake well.
  2. Place the mushroom caps and marinade in a bag/small bowl and let sit for 10+ minutes.
  3. In an oiled cast-iron skillet, sear the mushrooms cap-side up, flip and brush with marinade, and flip one final time. Once cooked, transfer to a covered dish.
  4. Add the oil, garlic, and peppercorns to the same pan and sauteé, scraping up all of the cooked brown bits and ensuring they don’t burn.
  5. Deglaze the pan with brandy and remaining marinade, then add vegan beef broth and simmer. Add the coconut milk and continue simmering until reduced.

Two mushroom steaks topped with peppercorn sauce on white plate

COOKING TIPS + FAQ:

  • What is the best pan to use? I prefer to cook the mushrooms in a cast iron pan as it sears better and adds a smoky flavor, but a stainless steel pan will work as well. You can use a nonstick pan, but they don’t brown as well.
  • Want a thicker sauce? Make a cornstarch slurry by dissolving 1 teaspoon of cornstarch in 2 teaspoons of water, then add to the pan and stir well. Simmer until the sauce reaches your desired thickness, about 2-3 minutes.
  • What non-dairy milk can I use? you can use coconut milk, oat milk, or even an unsweetened vegan creamer. You can also make a cashew cream by blending 1/4 cup of cashews and 1/3 cup of water.

sliced portobello mushroom steak topped with peppercorn sauce

These vegan steaks make the ultimate date night main! Go classic and serve them with creamy mashed potatoes or vegan potato salad and your favorite vegetables – asparagus or roasted peppers would be delicious here!

Or, turn up the elegance with a few next-level sides like these Dijon Garlic Roasted Potatoes, this Everyday Kale Salad, or maybe even some Crispy Tofu for an extra boost of protein 🙂 Although these mushroom steaks are best served fresh, any leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

If you’re looking for more cozy date night recipes, you’ll also love this Vegan Cacio E Pepe With Garlicky Mushrooms, this Sweet Pea & Corn Risotto, and these Healthy Two-Person Berry Crumbles for dessert!

Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂

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Portobello Mushroom Steaks with Peppercorn Sauce

These Portobello Mushroom Steaks with Peppercorn Sauce are juicy and meaty, with a creamy black pepper sauce. The ultimate date night main! Vegan & Gluten-Free. 

  • Author: Caitlin Shoemaker
  • Prep Time: 20 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 Minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 2 to 4 1x
  • Category: Main
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Scale

For the Mushroom “Steaks”:

  • 4 portobello mushroom caps, stems removed
  • 3 tablespoons low-sodium tamari*
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) dry red wine
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil, for cooking

For the Peppercorn Sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 23 teaspoons black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
  • 1 clove garlic, minced 
  • 1/3 cup (85 ml) brandy or cognac (or use more wine)
  • 1/2  cup (125 ml) full-fat coconut or oat milk*
  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) imitation “beef” broth (or sub vegetable)
  • Optional: 1 teaspoon cornstarch, for a thicker sauce

Instructions

  1. Make the Marinade: add the tamari, wine, paprika, and Worcestershite sauce to a small jar and shake until emulsified. Add the mushroom caps to a bag or small dish and pour the marniade over them; marinate for at least 10 minutes. Note: if you are using the pan method, I like to coat the mushroom tops in marinade, flip them, and then pour the rest over the caps, which act as a well and hold the extra liquid. 
  2. Sear: Coat cast iron with oil and add mushrooms cap-side up, sear 2-3 minutes to get color. Flip and add remaining marinade and cook 2-3 more minutes. Flip one final time and cook an additional 2-3 minutes, until most of the marinade has evaporated from the pan. Use tongs to remove the mushrooms from the pan and place in a covered dish to keep warm.
  3. Start the Pan Sauce: moving quickly, add the oil to the same pan. Once warm, add the garlic and peppercorns and swirl around, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan as well. Sauté  for 45 to 60 seconds, making sure the other sauce remnants do not burn.
  4. Deglaze: deglaze the pan with brandy and add the remaining marinade. Sauté for 1 minute or so, until the alcohol has cooked off and the bottom of the pan has been scraped. Add the “beef” broth to the pan and bring to a simmer, then add in the coconut milk. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, until the sauce has reduced. If you’d like a thicker sauce, dissolve 1 teaspoon of cornstarch in 2 teaspoons of water, then add to the pan and stir well; simmer for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
  5. Serve: Divide the mushrooms onto serving plates and top with peppercorn sauce. Serve warm; leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes

  • Milk: coconut milk will give the peppercorn sauce a richer mouthfeel, but it does leave a subtle coconut taste. If that bothers you, use oat milk instead. You can also make a homemade cashew cream (1/4 cup cashews + 1/3 cup water), or use an unsweetened vegan creamer.
  • Other Substitutions: vegan Worcestershire sauce can be replaced with a steak sauce. Cornstarch can be replaced with arrowroot powder. If you do not cook with alcohol, replace it with equal parts vegetable broth. I would recommend adding 2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar to the peppercorn sauce to give it more depth of flavor.

Keywords: vegan mushroom steaks, vegan peppercorn sauce, portobello steak

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About the Author

Hey there, I’m Caitlin! I make easy-to-follow, wholesome, and budget-friendly vegan recipes that are mostly gluten-free and refined sugar-free. I’m also an avid yogi, love the great outdoors, am chocolate-obsessed, and enjoy eating almond butter straight off of the spoon.

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Comments

  1. I stumbled upon your site earlier this week, I’ve made nothing but From My Bowl recipes since trying the first one. Flavors explode in your mouth, nothing tastes vegan. The portobello mushroom steaks were so tasty & the added peppercorn sauce brought that familiar steakhouse flavor right to my table. I paired this with your roasted parsnips & had an incredible meal. Thank you for all of your easy, full of flavor recipes!!

  2. It’s been challenging to transition away from meat dishes for my entire family. I have learned a lot from your cookbook and Instagram postings though. My husband, who is a meat and potatoes kind of guy, loved this recipe though! I have loved all of the recipes I have tried from your cookbook and here! Thanks so much!

    1. Thank you so much for the review Elisa! I’m glad you and your husband are enjoying the recipes 🙂

  3. I have not tried this yet I just found this recipe. I have been looking for a more savory (less tangy) recipe for my portobellos. OMG I cannot wait to try this one!! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!

  4. I used sliced baby bella mushrooms because that’s what I had on hand and served it over polenta. It’s was delicious. Will definitely be making this again!

    1. ooooh! New idea! I love baby Bellas. will definitely try this and over polenta is genius!

  5. this was actually really delicious! I had to flatten and break the mushrooms a bit so that more surface area could cook in the pan. the sauce was great. it actually gave that umami that steak evokes. i did marinade the mushrooms for 3 hours and they were very flavorful

  6. Yum! I used small portobello mushrooms because I couldn’t find large cups but they were still delicious. Thanks for the Great recipe.

  7. My husband and I made this for our valentines dinner and it was so tasty! Our first time making mushroom steaks and it was a success. Really yummy and a really easy to follow recipie. We used red wine vinegar and veggie broth instead of red wine, worked great.

  8. I made this all the way in Liverpool England! This was so so so delicious!! I never used the wine or brandy just added 2 tsp red wine vinegar like suggested and stock! Used oat milk for the sauce and corn flour and honestly one of my fave meals in a long long time! I made with the Dijon garlic potatoes done in the acti fry for around 25/30 mins! Delish!! Thank you!

  9. I made this all the way in Liverpool England! This was so so so delicious!! I never used the wine or brandy just added 2 tsp red wine vinegar like suggested and stock! Used oat milk for the sauce and corn flour and honestly one of my fave meals in a long long time! I made with the Dijon garlic potatoes done in the acti fry for around 25/30 mins! Delish!! Thank you!

  10. This was so damn delish and I’m going to make it again for Valentine’s Day cuz ya know he’s guna ask after nosh’n on this. May add a little extra brandy😉

  11. Perfect easy dinner to have with a glass of red wine. Made as written with the addition of a little extra oat milk with the cornstarch.