30 minute spicy black pepper mushrooms
Hellooo, lazy Wednesday eats.
I read someone’s testimony the other day that January is sort of a “false start” to the new year, and indeed a lot of goal-setting can happen sans guilt come February. I like that mindset. Takes the pressure off if January was less than stellar, which I know for many people was – largely because it’s such an awkward month and difficult to ramp back up after basically a whole period of disruptions.
I can’t say that, in my case, I struggled with establishing routine. It was more about setting boundaries after such a busy, high-pressure period. Getting my grip on self-care, swerving back into the direction I needed to both for FMG and for my own mind. I have a pretty solid schedule going nowadays, but little nuances are still a challenge.
So, it’s nice to think of February as the real “new year.” Now that I’ve scrambled like a beheaded donkey through Jan, I’ve given myself the time I need to find my focus, and I can put that into practice now.
What helps through the scuffle? Quick dinners. One pan dinners. Dinners with few ingredients but a punch of incredible flavor. Love these 30 Minute Spicy Black Pepper Mushrooms – they check off all those boxes. Oh, and the vegan box, too. Toss these juicy, sweet-heat saucy shrooms and brocs over hot rice and finish with plenty of crisp green onions and crunchy sesame seeds. Salivating.
Shrooms in the Room
Bruh. For real, this is so simple. Very few words needed.
For the mushrooms, I like to use a mix of shiitake and cremini, as I do with most of my mushroom dishes. You can use what you’d like though, including those fancy pantsy ones you can only find in Asian supermarkets. If they’re huge fuckers, halve them. I like to keep most of mine whole, though, to better mimic a “meaty” texture.
Start some oil in a pan, then throw in the mushrooms and a little salt and pepper. Cook the mushrooms with no touching for a few minutes, then add in some fragrant garlic, ginger, shallot, and a minced jalapeno. If you don’t enjoy spicier food, ignore the “Spicy” in the title and omit the jalapeno. The dish won’t suffer.
Pause for Sauce
Kinda bugs me those words don’t rhyme.
While the mushrooms saute, I mix up the black pepper sauce. The big key here is using fresh cracked pepper. If you add 1 teaspoon of the pre-cracked packaged stuff, you are not gonna have a good time. The stir fry will be way too strong and might burn a hole in your esophagus. If that’s all you have, I recommend starting with 1/4 teaspoon and working your way up as you cook.
Back to shrooms. Toss in some fresh broccoli – any crisp green veggie works, honestly, so use what’s about to rot in your fridge – and a couple spoonfuls of the black pepper sauce. Cover the skillet quickly and steam-saute for a couple minutes. That method is my favorite for a quick crisp of any veggie. It ensures shit doesn’t dry out.
Uncover the skillet, pour in your sauce, and mix it into the veggies. Make a slurry with cornstarch and water and add to the pan. A few minutes to heating later, the sauce thickens and laps over the mushrooms and broccoli, creating this wonderful, sticky finish.
Dish out those shrooms over lots of rice. I like to toss on some green onions and sesame seeds. If you’re feeling some protein, I’d do chicken for the meat eaters, or tempeh for the vegetarians. For either, brown it up first in the pan, remove, then proceed with the mushrooms. Add your protein back in once the broccoli is finished and before you add the sauce.
A good one to reach for when you’re uninspired. Keep it in your front pocket, yo.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
More mushrooms, please:
French Wine Braised Creamy Mushrooms
Spicy Ginger Teriyaki Mushrooms and Broccoli
No Stir Pesto Risotto with Butter Roasted Mushrooms and Chickpeas
30 minute spicy black pepper mushrooms
Ingredients
- 4 cups mixed mushrooms, halved if large (I used shiitake and cremini)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 jalapeno, deseeded (if desired) and minced
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 tbsp corn starch, mixed with 1 tbsp water
- steamed rice, green onions, and sesame seeds, to serve
Instructions
- In a jar or bowl, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, water, rice vinegar, and black pepper.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet. Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook undisturbed for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, ginger, shallot, and jalapeno for 2-3 minutes longer until very fragrant. Toss in the broccoli. Splash in 2 tablespoons of the sauce, cover, and cook 3-4 minutes until the broccoli is tender and the mushrooms begin to caramelize.
- Uncover the skillet and pour in the sauce. Stir. Add the cornstarch slurry and heat until the sauce coats the veggies, about 2-3 minutes.
- Divide the stir fry into bowls of rice. Top with green onions and sesame seeds, as desired.
