Grilled lion’s mane steak ciabatta sandwiches are what you should be making for dinner tonight! They are packed with incredible flavor and texture and are so filling. Lion’s mane mushrooms are marinated and grilled with crispy onion straws, peppery arugula, creamy vegan garlic aioli, and a tangy BBQ sauce on grilled ciabatta buns. What is not to love?
We are still on our never-ending mushroom kick over here with our homegrown kits cranking out oyster and lion’s mane mushrooms, and trying to squeeze out the last bit of Summer barbeques before Fall fully kicks in. The kids are back in school which means we are looking for easy and crowd-pleasing dinners to make our weeknights easier. Cue these mushroom steak sandwiches! They are AMAZING and everyone loves them, even my meat-eating husband.
These vegan steak sandos pair perfectly with some cauliflower mac and cheese, potato wedges, or a crunchy salad. These are already vegetarian, dairy-free, and plant-based, but you can swap out the soy sauce in the marinade to make them gluten-free too!
I love these lion’s mane mushroom steaks on grilled ciabatta bread, but you can use whatever you like! I bet they would be amazing on a potato bun too. The mushrooms are meaty and mimic a steak texture perfectly. The combo of the creamy garlic aioli and tangy BBQ sauce knocks the flavor profile out of the park! Top these handhelds with crispy onion straws and peppery fresh arugula and there is just nothing better. Except maybe a cold glass of chardonnay for good measure. Try these out and let us know what you think!
Ingredients
Mushroom Steaks
- 2 large lion’s mane mushrooms
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt
- 2 tbsp barbeque sauce
Mushroom Steak Marinade
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
- 1/2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
Crispy Onion Straws
- 1/2 medium yellow onion-thinly sliced
- 1 cup vegan buttermilk or high-fat milk
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Assembly
- 2 ciabatta buns
- 1/2 cup arugula
- 2 tbsp vegan garlic aioli
- 2 tbsp barbeque sauce
Instructions
Crispy Onion Straws
- Thinly slice the onion and place the slices in a bowl or jar with the buttermilk. Let them soak for 10-20 minutes.
- Heat up frying oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When a small amount of flour tossed in the oil sizzles, it is hot enough to add the onions.
- Fry the onion slices until golden brown or about 5-10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Mushroom Steaks
- Heat up a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Lightly oil the pan and add one mushroom to the pan and get it used to the heat. Lightly salt the mushroom.
- Using a heavy dish or another skillet, begin pushing down on the mushroom and gradually increasing the pressure until it resembles a steak. You will want to push pretty hard to compact it down to a meat-like thickness. Sear the mushroom on both sides and remove it from heat. Repeat with the other mushroom.
- In a small bowl or tupperware, add the marinade ingredients and set your seared mushrooms in it. Cover and let sit for 10-20 minutes.
- While they are marinating, heat a grill to medium-high heat.
- Remove the mushrooms from the marinade and sear them on the grill over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes on each side until charred. Alternatively, you can return them back to a hot skillet and sear them that way. Add the mushrooms back to a hot pan and sear for a couple of minutes on each side until slightly charred.
- Baste with the BBQ sauce on each side and grill for another minute or two.
- Throw the ciabatta buns on the grill for the last few minutes to get a nice char. Remove from heat and set aside.
Assemble
- On the bottom of the bun smear some vegan garlic aioli. Top with some fresh arugula.
- Place the mushroom steak on top of the arugula. Add some crispy onion straws.
- Spread some BBQ sauce on the top bun and set on top of the onion straws. Serve warm with some potato wedges, cauliflower mac and cheese, or a fresh Summer salad.
Try these other related recipes:
Grilled Veggie Kabobs with Chimichurri
Black Bean Quesabirria Tacos with Consume
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Grilled Lion’s Mane Steak Ciabatta Sandwiches
Ingredients
Mushroom Steaks
- 2 large lion's mane mushrooms
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt
- 2 tbsp barbeque sauce
Mushroom Steak Marinade
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
- 1/2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
Crispy Onion Straws
- 1/2 medium yellow onion-thinly sliced
- 1 cup vegan buttermilk or high-fat milk
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Assembly
- 2 ciabatta buns
- 1/2 cup arugula
- 2 tbsp vegan garlic aioli
- 2 tbsp barbeque sauce
- oil for frying
Instructions
Crispy Onion Straws
- Thinly slice the onion and place the slices in a bowl or jar with the buttermilk. Let them soak for 10-20 minutes.
- Mix the flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish or bowl. Drain the onion slices and toss them in the flour mixture until well coated.
- Heat up frying oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When a small amount of flour tossed in the oil sizzles, it is hot enough to add the onions.
- Fry the onion slices in a single layer until golden brown or about 5-10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Mushroom Steaks
- Heat up a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Lightly oil the pan and add one mushroom to the pan and get it used to the heat. Lightly salt the mushroom.
- Using a heavy dish or another skillet, begin pushing down on the mushroom and gradually increasing the pressure until it resembles a steak. You will want to push pretty hard to compact it down to a meat-like thickness. Sear the mushroom on both sides and remove from heat. Repeat with the other mushroom.
- In a small bowl or tupperware, add the marinade ingredients and set your seared mushrooms in it. Cover and let sit for 10-20 minutes.
- While they are marinating, heat a grill to medium high heat.
- Remove the mushrooms from the marinade and sear them on the grill over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes on each side until charred. Alternatively, you can return them back to a hot skillet and sear them that way. Add the mushrooms back to a hot pan and sear for a couple of minutes on each side until slightly charred.
- Baste with the BBQ sauce on each side and grill for another minute or two.
- Throw the ciabatta buns on the grill for the last few minutes to get a nice char. Remove from heat and set aside.
Assemble
- On the bottom of the bun smear some vegan garlic aioli. Top with some fresh arugula.
- Place the mushroom steak on top of the arugula. Add some crispy onion straws.
- Spread some BBQ sauce on the top bun and set on top of the onion straws. Serve warm with some potato wedges, cauliflower mac and cheese, or a fresh Summer salad.