Vegan Bao Buns with Hoisin Mushrooms and Quick-Pickled Vegetables
These deliciously easy vegan bao buns are filled with portobello mushrooms baked in a simple homemade hoisin sauce and quick-pickled vegetables for the perfect sweet and savory bite!
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 330kcal
Ingredients
Quick-Pickled Vegetables:
- 2 mini English cucumbers
- 1 medium daikon radish
- 1 cup thinly sliced cabbage
- 1 medium carrot
- 1/2 cup sliced red onion
- 1/2 cup NAKANO Natural Rice Vinegar or NAKANO Organic Natural Rice Vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger sliced
- 1 teaspoon chopped hot chile pepper or to taste
- 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns optional
Hoisin Mushrooms:
- 3 tablespoons fermented soybean paste
- 6 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons NAKANO Natural Rice Vinegar
- 1 clove garlic grated
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce or to taste
- 6 large portobello mushroom caps
- 12 steamed buns suggested recipe
Instructions
Make the Quick Pickles:
- Start by preparing the quick-pickled vegetables. This can be done days ahead too. Slice vegetables into long thin strips and pack them into a quart-sized heat-safe glass jar.
- Add the remaining pickle ingredients to a small saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. As soon as the mixture boils remove it from heat.
- Pour the brine over the vegetables in the jar and cover the jar with a lid. Once cool transfer the jar to the refrigerator and use the pickles within 1 week.
Make the Filling and Assemble:
- Preheat the oven to 450˚F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Mix together the hoisin sauce ingredients (everything except the mushrooms) in a medium bowl until evenly incorporated.
- Clean the portobellos with a damp paper towel and slice them into 3/4"-1" thick strips.
- Add the mushrooms to the hoisin sauce and stir with a rubber spatula to coat them in the sauce.
- Spread the mushrooms and sauce onto the parchment paper-lined sheet pan.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the mushrooms are cooked through and the sauce has thickened into a shiny glaze.
- Remove the mushrooms from the oven and assemble the bao by filling each steamed bun with 2-3 hoisin mushroom strips and quick-pickled vegetables. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Each component can be made ahead. Do not assemble the bao until you are ready to serve them.
- Plan to make the steamed bun dough earlier in the day. Steam the buns after you make the pickles and while you prepare the mushrooms.
- For the fermented soybean paste use any of these options: black bean sauce, dark aged miso, black bean miso or doenjang.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bao bun | Calories: 330kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Sodium: 704mg | Potassium: 751mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 1836IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 3mg