kung pao mushrooms

In my recent mission to make more Chinese vegan dishes, I’ve created Kung Pao Mushrooms, a vegan version of the classic Kung Pao Chicken. You will not miss the meat with these Kung Pao Mushrooms!

Kung Pao Mushrooms (Vegan!)

peanuts ((shelled and peeled,

soy sauce

sugar

rice vinegar

water

cornstarch

vegetable oil ((divided))

mushrooms

ginger ((minced))

garlic ((smashed and chopped))

scallions ((white parts only, diced))

Sichuan peppercorns

chili peppers

red bell pepper

sesame oil

To save time, use plain roasted peanuts (shelled and peeled). If you want to use fresh peanuts that have not yet been roasted, add them to a wok with 1 teaspoon of oil over medium heat, and toast them for about 10 minutes. Set aside.

Prepare the sauce by mixing together the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, ¼ cup water, and cornstarch.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok over medium heat, Add the king mushrooms, and cook until they’re caramelized and any liquid has cooked off. Don’t stir them too much, or the mushrooms won’t caramelize! Transfer to a dish and set aside.

Now heat another tablespoon of oil in the wok over medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic, scallions, Sichuan peppercorns, and dried chilis. Cook for about 1 minute, and take care not to burn the spices.

Now add the red bell peppers and the cooked king mushrooms. Turn up the heat, and stir to mix everything together. Add the prepared sauce (stir it again before adding it to the wok, as the cornstarch will have settled to the bottom of the bowl).

Stir everything together quickly. Finally, add the roasted peanuts and sesame oil. Mix one more time to make sure everything is coated with sauce, and transfer to a serving dish.

Kung Pao sauce hits all of the right notes–it’s a perfect blend of spicy, savory, and sweet. Kung Pao sauce is usually served with chicken, but we’ve made a great mushroom version.

Kung Pao Mushrooms

½ cup low-sodium soy sauce

rice vinegar vinegar

brown sugar

cornstarch or arrowroot starch

mushrooms,

vegetable oil

red bell pepper, diced

green bell pepper, diced

green onions, trimmed, cut into 3-inch pieces

peanuts

ginger

garlic cloves,

red chili peppers, halved (or ¼ teaspoon chili flakes)

rice,

Holly Erickson and Natalie Mortimer became friends over a shared love for food and hosting. The Modern Proper exists to empower people to cherish their loved ones and feed them well by providing a large library of beautiful and delicious recipes.

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In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and cornstarch until smooth

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat

Once the oil is glistening, working in batches, use a slotted spoon to transfer the mushrooms to the skillet in a single layer

Cook undisturbed, until golden and crispy on one side, about 4 minutes

Stir and continue cooking until mushrooms have softened, about 3 minutes more

Heat the sesame oil in the same skillet over medium heat

Once the oil is glistening, add the bell peppers and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes

Add the green onions, peanuts, ginger, garlic, and chili peppers; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes more

Return the mushrooms to the skillet, add the remaining marinade and stir to combine

Bring the sauce to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 2-3 minutes

This was great! I added both a small eggplant and zucchini to make it super veggie-filled. Doubled the sauce and added some ginger to it. Will make again when I have farmer's market wild mushrooms!

Great recipe! I made it last night! My daughter announced she is now a "flexitarian" and wants to be vegetarian at my house, and a meat eater at her dad's! I love kung pao and it was awesome with mushroom! I left the mushrooms chunky. Next time, I'll make with a tad more sauce. Recommend!

Oh my! This was so good. There is not a thing that I would change about it. Thank you for a great recipe!

These were sooooooooo good. Just as good as takeout. I also love your easy orange chicken so will definitely make both next time and have an all out "take out" party!

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Kung Pao Mushrooms (Vegan!)

Kung Pao Mushrooms

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