Cheesy Vegan Fried Mushroom Burgers with Pesto Mayo
Author: 
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Vegan
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4 burgers
 
Ingredients
Burgers
  • 8 portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed
  • 1.5 vegan mozarella shreds
  • 1 vegan egg replacer, such as Bob's Red Mill, prepared according to package directions
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • ½ cup flour
  • 1½ - 2 cups Panko bread crumbs
  • 1 cup non-dairy milk
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • 4 Buns, Ciabatta buns, toasted
  • Fresh arugula, for serving
  • Sliced tomatoes, for serving
  • Sliced red onion, for serving
Pesto Mayo
  • 1 cup packed fresh basil
  • ½ cup vegan mayo
  • ¼ cup pine nuts
  • ¼ cup vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast
  • 2 TBS avocado oil
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
  2. Add mushroom caps onto a parchment paper lined baking tray, and bake gill side down for 20 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool. Keep oven on and reduce the oven temperature to 275 degrees.
  3. Meanwhile, prepare the pesto mayonnaise. In a food processor or blender, add all the pesto ingredients and pulse until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, add vegan mozzarella shreds, vegan egg, and Italian seasoning. Mix all the ingredients until they're well combined, lightly smashing the vegan egg into the cheese shreds with the back of a fork - the cheese should look chunky and kind of like a thick 'spread' after you smash it a bit.
  5. Place ¼ cup of the cheese mixture in the middle a mushroom cap, patting it down so it covers the entire surface area. Place another cap on top of it and press both caps together. Repeat with the rest of the mushrooms until you have 4 stuffed mushroom patties formed.
  6. With a piece of plastic wrap, tightly wrap each stuffed portobello individually, twisting the sides like a piece of candy to ensure all the air gets out. Lightly press down on the stuffed patty so it flattens a bit (this helps fry them faster and the cheese melt easier), making sure not to break the plastic wrap. Place wrapped portobellos in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes.
  7. While the mushrooms are in the freezer, prepare your dredging station. Add flour, non-dairy milk, and panko bread crumbs into three separate bowls. Season the panko bread crumbs with 1 teaspoon Kosher salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
  8. Remove plastic wrap from mushroom burgers. Place stuffed mushrooms into the non-dairy milk, then flour, back into the non-dairy milk, then into the panko bread crumbs. Make sure the mushrooms are fully coated in each part of the dredging process. Set aside and repeat with remaining stuffed patties.
  9. To cook the burgers, place the oil in a large skillet on medium heat, about 2 inches from the bottom of the pan. Once the oil reaches 365 degrees, cook one stuffed portobello at a time until it is golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes per side (so 6-7 minutes altogether). Transfer mushroom with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil. Keep warm in the oven at 275 degrees while you fry the rest of the mushrooms.
  10. To assemble the burgers, spoon some pesto mayonnaise on the bottom of your toasted bun. Add fresh arugula and stuffed mushroom patty. Spoon another dollop of pesto mayo, a couple slice of tomatoes and red onion, and top bun. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Recipe by Eat Figs, Not Pigs at https://www.eatfigsnotpigs.com/cheesy-vegan-stuffed-mushroom-burgers-with-pesto-mayo/