Roasted Portobello Mushrooms with Walnut Coffee Sauce- a healthy delicious, vegan version or “steak and gravy” – but plant-based & quick, easy and delicious! Serve as a vegan main dish with cauliflower mash or roasted garlic mashed potatoes! Or try using Smoked Mushrooms!
After the holidays this year, Brian and I decided to try to eat mostly plant-based meals for the month of January, just to give our bodies a little break. Lots of soups and stews happening around here and of course healthy fresh buddha bowls and vegan salads! But because it is still so cold here, we’ve especially been craving heartier cozy meals too.
This is how this recipe for Roasted Portobello Mushrooms with Walnut Coffee Sauce came to be. Served over a bowl of creamy cauliflower mash, it is rich and heavenly, a “stick-to-your-bones” kind of meal, while remaining completely vegan. It is also a snap to make.
(And don’t the let the “coffee” part scare you. You can’t actually taste the coffee at all- but it does add a degree of depth and nuance that adds delicious umami flavor. But no, nothing like your morning coffee.) I asked my husband what he thought was in the sauce and he said “beef”. Never did he guess there was coffee in this. 😉
This week I’ve partnered with California Walnuts to create this cozy wintry dinner. The addition of walnuts gives the sauce such a delicious depth and richness- not to mention protein (4 grams/ounce) and healthy, plant-based fats (13g/oz polyunsaturated and 2.5g/oz monounsaturated fat) while keeping this completely vegan. It tastes “meaty”! Walnuts, if you didn’t know, have zero cholesterol and are the only nut with a significant amount of plant-based omega-3 ALA (2.5 grams/ounce).
To roast portobello mushrooms, preheat oven to 400 F.
Brush the portobello mushrooms with a mixture of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place gill-side down, on a parchement-lined sheet pan for 20-25 minutes (depending on their size).
While the Portobello mushrooms are roasting, make the walnut sauce. Sauté the shallots and garlic in a pan until fragrant and golden, then add the walnuts and coffee, de-glazing the pan.
Then blend until smooth with the remaining seasonings. So very simple!
You’ll end up with a flavorful walnut “gravy” or sauce.
Feel free to serve the roasted portobello mushrooms over the walnut coffee sauce, or plate this up with cauliflower mash or these roasted garlic mashed potatoes.
Wild rice would also be a good option here too!
Scatter some pomegranate seeds over top of the roasted portobellos, for a splash of color, bright flavor and great texture if you like!
Add a few sprigs of time, an optional drizzle of truffle oil ….and there you go!
A hearty, satisfying wintery meal that is vegan and gluten-free! I hope you like these Roasted Portobellos with Walnut Sauce as much as we have!!!
Have a great week.
xoxo
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Roasted Portobello Steaks with Walnut Coffee Sauce
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: vegan, main
- Method: roasted
- Cuisine: northwest
Description
Roasted Portobello Mushrooms with Walnut Coffee Sauce- a vegan main, like “steaks and gravy”, quick, easy and flavorful!
Ingredients
- 4 extra large portobello mushrooms ( try your hand at Smoked Mushrooms!)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- generous pinch salt and pepper
Walnut Coffee Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 extra large shallots, rough diced ( about 3/4– 1 cup)
- 4 garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 1 cup walnuts ( raw)
- 1 1/4 cup black coffee ( cold or decaf is ok) or sub broth
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon miso ( or sub GF liquid aminos )
- 1 teaspoon balsamic
Garnish with an optional drizzle of truffle oil, a spring of thyme or a green herb for color ( Italian parsley, scallions, chives) and optional pomegranate seeds.
Serve with cauliflower mash, or roasted garlic mashed potatoes , quinoa or wild rice!
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F
Mix oil and vinegar in a small bowl and brush the portobellos on both sides with this. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place gills side down, on a parchment lined sheet pan. Bake for 20 -25 minutes until tender. Wrap in foil until ready to use.
While the portobellos are roasting make the sauce.
Heat oil in a medium sauce pan, over medium heat. Saute the shallots and garlic until fragrant and tender, about 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Add the walnuts and stir for 2 minutes. Add the coffee, scraping up any brown bits. Pour all into a blender, add the salt, pepper, miso paste, balsamic and blend for a while, until silky smooth. Place the sauce back in the pan and heat up gently right before plating.
When the portobellos are done, either slice them and place over the Coffee Walnut sauce in a serving dish, or individually plate them with roasted garlic mashed potatoes, ( or cauliflower mash).
Top with a sprig of thyme and pomegranate seeds for color! Season with fresh cracked pepper. If you like truffle oil, a tiny drizzle is always a nice way to elevate even further!
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 408
- Sugar: 6.9 g
- Sodium: 307.1 mg
- Fat: 37.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 16.7 g
- Fiber: 4.6 g
- Protein: 7.9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
So quick, super delicious and filling!! I didn’t have any coffee, so I jus used veggie broth and it’s so tastyyyy.
Perfect Sasha Thanks!
So quick, super delicious and filling!!
I’m expecting house guests in a couple of weeks and am wondering if the Coffee Sauce can be made a day or two in advance of cooking the mushrooms. Thank you.
Yes Linda, the sauce should be fine made ahead and reheated- perhaps thin with a little water as you are heating it up.
Hi Sylvia: Thank you so much for your prompt.
This was a hit at my dinner party. My guests could not believe the sauce had coffee in it!!
Like all the recipes I’ve tried from your blog, this was mind-boggling and delicious.
I just love the originality of your cooking and this was a great example of a real feast of flavours.
I had Jerusalem artichokes at home, so I made a puree from these, and it was a lovely combination.
I had to add some maple syrup to the sauce as it turned out quite bitter in the beginning. Maybe it was my quite strong coffee or maybe my walnuts turned a bit bitter? Anyhow, with the added sweetness and some more balsamic, it was delicious. I have quite some leftover, and will either buy some more mushrooms or think of some other way to use it.
Any suggestions?
Perfect- love how you adjusted to taste. Yes, sometimes walnuts can be bitter.
Are you saying it’s 408 calories per serving?
Yes, per serving.
Gurrrrrllll, If you are trying to impress anyone with your vegan cooking, make this. I was entertaining my spouse’s co worker (they are chefs 🙄) for dinner. I wanted something vegetable forward and that was not trying to be any kind of meat substitute or second rate replacement leaving my guest wanting more. We started out with a butternut squash soup as well as a mixed green salad with pomegranates, almonds, chickpeas and a lemon vinaigrette (soup and dressing from scratch). Then I presented our 2 main features. This mushroom dish as well as a cauliflower and shishito pepper dish (https://www.saveur.com/article/recipes/charred-cauliflower-and-shishito-peppers-with-picada-sauce/) and brown rice. Everything complimented each other extremely well. THIS SAUCE is so rich without being heavy or over bearing. I’m curious about what else I can use it with besides mushrooms. We ended the meal with a chocolate avocado mouse I whipped up with vegan whipped cream and pomegranate. I mention all of the other food, in case anyone’s having a hard time curating a multi course vegan meal (did I mention our guest was also gluten free?). My partner and her chef co worker raved and raved at every step of the way. I was so pleased! This will be my go to impress anyone menu, next stop my in laws!
Thank you, Krys. I’m trying to put together a vegan dinner for fussy eaters & I’ve been inspired by yours!
I made your Warm Winter Salad last week and my father-in-law said it was the best salad he has had in his life (I also thought it was amazing)! Thank you!!
I’m excited to try more of your recipes, and I’m considering this mushroom dish as part of our Christmas dinner. I would like to double the sauce and include a meat option in addition to the mushrooms. Do you have a meat suggestion that would pair well with the walnut-coffee sauce? (I’m not really interested in roasting a whole turkey.) Thank you again!
You could do a turkey breast? They usually have those frozen- much smaller. Otherwise…meatballs would taste good. Not sure if that is Christmas-y enough.
Great, thanks! I didn’t realize frozen turkey breast was available- I’ll look for that!
This Roasted Portobello Steaks with Walnut Coffee Gravy recipe is AMAZING!!! WOW!!! Thank you SO Much for sharing it!!! This is literally the BEST gravy I have ever had in my life (& I’m a 66 year old woman)!!! I had to sub in some pure almond butter in place of some of the walnuts b/c we ran out, but it was still just perfect. I’m So Happy to have found your site–I will be back to visit again & again to try more of your Wonderful recipes! Thanks again!!! <3
Original & interesting recipe. I never taste something like that, and I like it!
I don’t know why but I imagine really well some pork meat marinated into this sauce before to get grill .
Thanks again Silvia !
Thanks so much Leonie!
Very interesting and original. Full of umami flavor. I did have to add a bit (1 tsp) of lemon and sugar because it was a bit bitter prob because I brew my coffee pretty strong but I thought it was amazing on mashed potatoes. Thank you for the recipe
What cN I substitute coffee with?
decaf or veggie broth would work!
The taste was good but I can’t say mine was sooth…the walnuts just didn’t grind down to silky smooth still a little chunky…also I have left over sauce and I’m wondering what else it would be good on? Other than that I’ve loved your recipes!
Hummmm, not sure why they wouldn’t blend? Sorry about that!
Glad I found this. I’m trying to figure out how to replace ham w/ red eye gravy for vegan brunches that I want to host, and this looks like it might do the trick!
One quick question: is the flavor of the walnuts really pronounced? I don’t always enjoy the flavor of walnuts. Could pecans be used instead?
I think it tastes pretty mild but gives an earthy quality.
I just stumbled across your blog and I’m so happy I did! I love the uniqueness of your recipes. They sound delicious and the pictures are gorgeous! I’m so excited to try all these recipes! Thank you for sharing your talents with us!
Thanks Megan!
I loved this sauce! The coffee added a deep flavor. I’m going to make this in the summer when I grill my portobello burgers. After toasting the bun, I’ll add the sauce. I can’t wait to try using the sauce in more ways. So good!
Amazingly good!!!! I could eat this every day ❤️
Im so glad you enjoyed it!!!
Of course this is fabulous! I made it exactly as stated, as well as making the roasted garlic mashed cauliflower. An amazing filling dinner. Thank you Sylvia you are just awesome!
Im so glad you enjoyed it!
I love mushrooms and agree that when cooked just right are a great replacement for meat. Your recipe sounds delicious as I love both mushrooms and walnuts, however, I’m not a lover of coffee. Is there anything that you might suggest as a substitute or is the coffee flavour subtle in this gravy?
You really can’t taste the coffee! Seriously. 😉
What about roasted chicory root as a replacement for coffee?
Love that idea!does it come in powder form?
Hi Sylvia, this recipe looks fantastic! Just a quick question – what kind of miso do you use for this or does it even matter?
Any kind. I think I had and used white, but any color will work.