Argentinian Inspired Chimichurri Mushroom Steak Sandwiches
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We’re pitting maitake mushrooms against brown oyster mushrooms in this sandwich battle to the no-death! Get your cast iron rippin’ hot for this vegan spin on the classic Argentinian steak sandwich made with chimichurri, an herb sauce that instantly boosts the flavor of anything it touches! Our patented mushroom press-and-sear technique is on full display here. Check out this YouTube video to see how it’s done!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 2 sandwiches 1x
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- Chimichurri
- 1/2 cup (50 g) chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 1/4 cup (25 g) chopped fresh oregano leaves
- 2 scallions (green onions), trimmed
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1–2 fresh red cayenne-type chile peppers (optional)
- 3/4 cup (175 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper
Mushrooms
- 2 clusters of oyster mushrooms (about 8 oz/225 g)
- 2 clusters of maitake mushrooms (about 8 oz/225 g)
- Vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 large steak roll or small baguette (about 12-inches/30-cm long)
- 4 slices of vegan cheese, such as Follow Your Heart smoked gouda
- 3–4 Tbsp vegan mayo, such as Wicked KitchenTM Garlic Mayo with Caramelized Onion
Instructions
- For the chimichurri, finely chop the parsley, oregano, scallions, garlic, and chile peppers (if using). Add that all to a mixing bowl as you chop. Then stir in the oil and vinegar and season, pretty generously, with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature. You could even make this a day or two ahead.
- For the mushrooms, trim the mushroom bases to remove any stray soil, keeping each whole cluster intact.
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, swirl in a glug of vegetable oil. Add all the clusters (oyster and maitake mushrooms) to the pan and let cook for a couple of minutes.
- Heat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Grab a second heavy pan and two kitchen towels: one towel to hold the hot pan handle and one to wipe the bottom of your second heavy pan.
- Put the second heavy pan over the mushrooms and let the weight of the pan begin to press the mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms are golden brown on the bottom, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove the top pan and wipe off any moisture from the bottom of that pan with your kitchen towel. Then flip the mushrooms with tongs and put the top pan back over the mushrooms to continue pressing. When they’re golden brown on the bottom, 2 to 4 minutes later, remove and wipe the top pan, and season the mushrooms with a little salt and pepper. Continue pressing, wiping away moisture, flipping, seasoning, and cooking until the mushrooms are deeply browned on both sides. You may need to add a little more oil as you go. You’ll know the mushrooms are done when they are pressed kinda thin and not releasing as much moisture. They should be a little crispy around the edges too.
- Transfer the pressed/seared mushroom clusters to a shallow baking dish or pie plate and spoon most of the chimi over the top, turning the clusters to get them evenly coated. Reserve a little chimi for later. Cover and let marinate for at least 15 minutes or a couple of hours if you have time. You could even chill it overnight for even more flavor.
- Pop the mushroom pan in the oven until the clusters are sizzling, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove the mushrooms from the oven and transfer them to a cutting board. Meanwhile, cut the bread in half crosswise to make two sandwich rolls. Cut each one lengthwise to open it up, leaving it attached on one long side. Toast the bread in the hot oven for a few minutes then remove to plates. Lay two slices of cheese on the bottom of each roll. Spread a little mayo on as well.
- Slice the mushrooms into strips about 1/2-inch/1.25-cm wide. Spoon the maitake slices into one roll and the oyster mushroom slices into another roll. Spoon the remaining chimi over the top of each.
- Taste each sandwich side by side. Which one do you like best? What’s our opinion? The maitake steak is slightly sweeter tasting and the oyster mushroom is a little meatier. They’re both amazing! No killing necessary!