Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Working with the most exciting ingredient in the kitchen right now. The most requested recipe shown in detail. Celebrating 10 years with this Steak and Mash With Caramelized Onion Gravy, featuring Oyster Mushrooms.
dereksarno.com
The real reason I don't cook animals.
youtu.be/pH2MS8i7Xz8?si=-6K7P8IaWwB6iEfC
Mushroom Steak and Mash with Caramelized Onion Gravy
Ingredients
Caramelized Onion–Shiitake Gravy
2 large onions, thinly sliced
About 3–4 tablespoons plant-based butter
6 dried shiitake mushrooms soak in 3 cups boiling water
2 garlic cloves, chopped
¼ cup red wine
¼ teaspoon white pepper
3 tablespoons Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Thicken with slurry of 1 teaspoon cornstarch and
1 teaspoon cold water, if needed
For the Mashed Potatoes
8 Yukon gold potatoes
1 LG sweet potato
¼ stick plant-based butter – (more if you like)
1–2 tablespoons plain unsweetened plant-based yogurt (such as Forager)
5 tablespoons nutritional yeast (your call)
Salt and pepper to taste
For the Mushroom Steaks
Large brown oyster mushroom clusters
Neutral oil
Steak seasoning (salt, black pepper, granulated garlic, granulated onion, smoked paprika)
2 garlic cloves, minced
Fresh thyme
Splash of red wine
Cracked Pepper
Cornstarch (for light dusting)
For the Swiss Chard
1 bunch Swiss chard
1 teaspoon oil
Salt and pepper
Preparation
Step 1 — Start the onions
Place sliced onions in a medium saucepot over low heat. Add the plant-based butter on top of the onions and allow it to melt slowly. Cook low and slow so the onions soften and gradually caramelize rather than sear. This takes time.
When the onions begin reducing, add a pinch of salt and continue cooking until deeply golden, stirring occasionally and scraping the pan.
Step 2 — Make shiitake broth
Place dried shiitake mushrooms in a heatproof container and pour 3 cups boiling water over them. Let soften until hydrated.
Squeeze the mushrooms dry, reserving the soaking liquid. Remove the tough stems and slice the mushrooms thin.
Step 3 — Finish the gravy
Once the onions are deeply caramelized, add the red wine and cook until reduced.
Add the chopped garlic and cook briefly. Pour in the reserved shiitake soaking liquid and the sliced shiitakes. Simmer and reduce. Season with black pepper and white pepper.
To thicken, mix cornstarch with cold water and stir into the sauce. Simmer a few minutes until the gravy thickens. Keep warm.
Step 4 — Cook the potatoes
Peel the potatoes. Cut into evenly sized chunks.
Place in a pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Cook until tender.
Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot.
Add salt, black pepper, nutritional yeast, plant-based butter, and plant-based yogurt.
Mash until creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Step 5 — Prepare the mushroom steaks
Trim only the tough base from the brown oyster mushroom clusters, keeping the rest intact.
Heat a cast-iron pan with oil over medium-high heat. Place the mushrooms in the pan bottom-side down and allow them to sear before pressing.
Once lightly browned, press with a heavy pan or weight to force out moisture. Press gradually in stages. Flip and repeat until both sides are well browned and flattened into steak-like pieces.
Season the mushrooms with steak seasoning.
Transfer to a bowl and marinate with minced garlic, fresh thyme, a splash of red wine, oil, and black pepper.
Step 6 — Crisp finish the mushrooms
Dust the mushrooms lightly with cornstarch on both sides.
Heat oil in a pan and fry the mushrooms until crisp on the exterior.
Step 7 — Cook the Swiss chard
Chop and separate the stems from the leaves. Slice the stems and blanch them briefly with hot water to soften.
Finish both stems and leaves in a pan with a little of the mushroom oil and season with salt and pepper.
Step 8 — Serve
Spoon mashed potatoes onto plates. Top with mushroom steaks and ladle the caramelized onion–shiitake gravy over the top. Serve the Swiss chard alongside.
Working with the most exciting ingredient in the kitchen right now. The most requested recipe shown in detail. Celebrating 10 years with this Steak and Mash With Caramelized Onion Gravy, featuring Oyster Mushrooms.
dereksarno.com
The real reason I don't cook animals.
youtu.be/pH2MS8i7Xz8?si=-6K7P8IaWwB6iEfC
Mushroom Steak and Mash with Caramelized Onion Gravy
Ingredients
Caramelized Onion–Shiitake Gravy
2 large onions, thinly sliced
About 3–4 tablespoons plant-based butter
6 dried shiitake mushrooms soak in 3 cups boiling water
2 garlic cloves, chopped
¼ cup red wine
¼ teaspoon white pepper
3 tablespoons Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Thicken with slurry of 1 teaspoon cornstarch and
1 teaspoon cold water, if needed
For the Mashed Potatoes
8 Yukon gold potatoes
1 LG sweet potato
¼ stick plant-based butter – (more if you like)
1–2 tablespoons plain unsweetened plant-based yogurt (such as Forager)
5 tablespoons nutritional yeast (your call)
Salt and pepper to taste
For the Mushroom Steaks
Large brown oyster mushroom clusters
Neutral oil
Steak seasoning (salt, black pepper, granulated garlic, granulated onion, smoked paprika)
2 garlic cloves, minced
Fresh thyme
Splash of red wine
Cracked Pepper
Cornstarch (for light dusting)
For the Swiss Chard
1 bunch Swiss chard
1 teaspoon oil
Salt and pepper
Preparation
Step 1 — Start the onions
Place sliced onions in a medium saucepot over low heat. Add the plant-based butter on top of the onions and allow it to melt slowly. Cook low and slow so the onions soften and gradually caramelize rather than sear. This takes time.
When the onions begin reducing, add a pinch of salt and continue cooking until deeply golden, stirring occasionally and scraping the pan.
Step 2 — Make shiitake broth
Place dried shiitake mushrooms in a heatproof container and pour 3 cups boiling water over them. Let soften until hydrated.
Squeeze the mushrooms dry, reserving the soaking liquid. Remove the tough stems and slice the mushrooms thin.
Step 3 — Finish the gravy
Once the onions are deeply caramelized, add the red wine and cook until reduced.
Add the chopped garlic and cook briefly. Pour in the reserved shiitake soaking liquid and the sliced shiitakes. Simmer and reduce. Season with black pepper and white pepper.
To thicken, mix cornstarch with cold water and stir into the sauce. Simmer a few minutes until the gravy thickens. Keep warm.
Step 4 — Cook the potatoes
Peel the potatoes. Cut into evenly sized chunks.
Place in a pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Cook until tender.
Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot.
Add salt, black pepper, nutritional yeast, plant-based butter, and plant-based yogurt.
Mash until creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Step 5 — Prepare the mushroom steaks
Trim only the tough base from the brown oyster mushroom clusters, keeping the rest intact.
Heat a cast-iron pan with oil over medium-high heat. Place the mushrooms in the pan bottom-side down and allow them to sear before pressing.
Once lightly browned, press with a heavy pan or weight to force out moisture. Press gradually in stages. Flip and repeat until both sides are well browned and flattened into steak-like pieces.
Season the mushrooms with steak seasoning.
Transfer to a bowl and marinate with minced garlic, fresh thyme, a splash of red wine, oil, and black pepper.
Step 6 — Crisp finish the mushrooms
Dust the mushrooms lightly with cornstarch on both sides.
Heat oil in a pan and fry the mushrooms until crisp on the exterior.
Step 7 — Cook the Swiss chard
Chop and separate the stems from the leaves. Slice the stems and blanch them briefly with hot water to soften.
Finish both stems and leaves in a pan with a little of the mushroom oil and season with salt and pepper.
Step 8 — Serve
Spoon mashed potatoes onto plates. Top with mushroom steaks and ladle the caramelized onion–shiitake gravy over the top. Serve the Swiss chard alongside.
