They don’t look it, but these po’boys are vegan and they are the first recipe I am sharing from my MY NEW COOKBOOK! Weeeeeeeeee! Great Vegan Meals for the Carnivorous Family is due out this December and is filled with carnivore-approved plant based meals for the whole family. This vegan po’boy is meatlessly meaty and full of bold traditional flavours.
The first time I tried a po’boy was in Tennesse and it blew my mind. My husband and I had already eaten our way from New York to Nashville and we didn’t think the food could get any better but the po’boy proved us wrong. We didn’t stay long in Tennessee long, but boy it made an impression.
When it comes to comfort food you can wrap your fingers around, the po’boy reigns supreme in this house right next to my mushroom reuben sandwich and vegan burgers. And burritos…burritos are pretty awesome. While traditional po’boys are famous for their breaded fried oysters or shrimp fillings, hot juicy beef or chicken is also popular.
This “These Po’ boys are Vegan” recipe draws from the succulent chicken version using shredded king oyster mushrooms to mimic the texture and flavour of meat.
Rubbed in traditional spices, roasted in the oven and sautéed in BBQ sauce, the mushrooms are the star of this meaty but vegan po’boy. Wrapped in a soft French baguette and nestled in swirls of vegan mayonnaise and mustard this vegan po’boy recipe is a delicious taste of the South. Topped with sweet sliced tomatoes and crunchy dill pickles, these sandwiches are a flavour-packed meal fit for a carnivore.
Great Vegan Meals for the Carnivorous Family. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used, in any form or by any means, electronically or mechanically, without prior permission in writing from the Publisher. Published by Page Street Publishing. Distributed by Macmillan.
Like this vegan po’boy recipe? Try the book.
You can pre-order great vegan meals for the carnivorous family here.
These Po'boys are Vegan
Ingredients
King Oyster "Chicken"
- 8 king oyster mushrooms
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1/2 tsp celery seeds
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil
Po'Boy
- 1 French baguette
- Creole or Dijon mustard
- vegan mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp BBQ sauce
- dill pickles
Instructions
- Wipe the king oyster mushrooms down with a clean cloth to remove any grit. Chop off 1 inch (2½ cm) of the stalk to remove the tough base. Carefully but firmly drag the prongs of a fork down the length of each mushroom to shred the “meat” (this is easier if you lay the mushroom down). Place the shredded mushrooms in an ovenproof dish.
- To make the rub, combine the paprika, onion powder, mustard powder, celery seeds, cinnamon, garlic powder, cayenne, sea salt and brown sugar in a bowl. Drizzle the mushrooms with the sunflower oil and sprinkle three heaping tablespoons (45 g) of the rub over the top. With clean hands, massage the oil and spice rub into the mushrooms before baking them in the oven for 25 minutes.
- To prepare the po’boys, slice the baguette into three sections and slice each section in half lengthways. Smear a good dollop of mustard on the base half and lay a few slices of ripe tomato on top. Add a dollop of vegan mayonnaise to the top half of the baguette.
- When the mushrooms are ready, remove them from the oven and transfer them to a large non-stick pan and stir with the BBQ sauce to warm for a minute.
- To finish the po’boys, add a few good spoonfuls of the mushrooms mixture on top of the tomato followed by sliced pickles if using. Top with the other baguette half and serve.
