Vegan Scallops made with all plant-based ingredients! This quick and easy recipe is made with king oyster mushrooms, seared to perfection in a delicious savory pan sauce. Healthy vegan seafood that's naturally gluten-free, keto, paleo, and allergy-free, the meaty texture of these perfectly marinated and cooked mushrooms scallops will impress everyone on the guest list!
Elegant vegan seafood that can fool anyone! Vegan Scallops made with king oyster mushrooms (also known as trumpet mushrooms). These mushroom scallops are so incredibly similar in texture and meatiness to real scallops and the mushrooms take on any flavors and seasonings you throw at them! Seared perfectly and served with a delicious garlicky pan sauce. It's 4-star vegan dining right at home without the cost, time, or meat!
Why This Is The Best Vegan Scallop Recipe
No fake ingredients needed, only whole real-food ingredients! Super meaty king oyster mushrooms are a perfect size, texture, and color to doup anyone! They sear perfectly in your skillet and soak up whatever flavor you want them to be. I was shocked and know you will be too. Plus they're so healthy and allergy-free so they can be served to all your guests as a showstopping entree or delectable appetizer! These mushroom scallops are:
- Gluten-Free
- Vegan & Vegetarian
- Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Fish-Free, Shellfish-Free, Coconut-Free, Corn-Free)
- Paleo & Grain-Free
- Keto & Low-Carb
- Sugar-Free
- Kid-Friendly
- Simple, Quick, & Easy
- Elegant Entree or Appetizer
What Are King Oyster Mushrooms?
King Oyster Mushrooms also go by the names King Trumpet Mushrooms, Trumpet Mushrooms, and Trumpet Royale (the latter two are a bit smaller in size than the king versions). These large hearty mushrooms are safe to eat raw and have a slight umami taste that intensifies when cooked. When purchasing them, look for mushrooms with thick and firm, unblemished stems that should have a slightly off-white color with a light grey/brown cap. They also have a long shelf-life relative to other mushrooms and should be loosely wrapped in a paper towel and stored in the fridge for up to 1-2 weeks.
King Oyster Mushrooms are perfect for making vegan scallops because they retain their shape when cooked and have a uniquely similar texture to abalone or scallops. When sliced lengthwise, you can even serve them as vegan or vegetarian steaks!
Ingredients To Make Vegan Scallops
- King Oyster Mushrooms: The star of the show for these meatless scallops! They are a bit pricier than your normal button mushrooms, but you only need about 1 or ½ of the mushrooms per person depending on the exact size.
- Vegan Butter: For that iconic buttery scallop taste and mouthfeel, a quality vegan butter is used to sear and flavor the mushrooms.
- Olive Oil: A combination of butter and olive oil yields the richest and most flavorful result so I recommend you use both in this recipe.
- Minced Garlic: Fresh garlic is a must for these vegetarian scallops! Not only will it flavor the mushrooms, but it will be used for the quick pan sauce at the end of cooking.
- Seasonings: Any combination of simple seasonings like onion powder, black pepper, and salt is fantastic. Season to taste and go wild with any other spices or dried herbs you'd like!
- Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar is naturally gluten-free and adds just the right amount of tang and acid to the scallops and pan sauce.
- Vegan Fish Sauce: This ingredient is optional, but it adds a perfect salty umami punch! You can also use coconut aminos instead!
- Fresh Parsley: Adding some fresh bright parsley before serving gives your seafood-free scallops a beautiful pop of green and adds freshness to the palette.
Ingredient Variations & Substitutions
- If you would rather use all vegan butter or all olive oil, you can replace one for the other. The combination really does create the perfect richness and butteriness, so combining the two is ideal.
- Other dried spices and herbs like paprika, lemon zest, rosemary, chili powders, and herbs de province can be used!
- If you don't have rice vinegar, you can swap this acid with an equal amount of fresh lemon juice!
- Other fresh herbs and garnishes can be used when serving. Great ideas include fresh dill, lemon wedges, capers, vegan pesto, or roasted garlic!
How To Make Vegan Scallops
- First, brush off any dirt and debris from the mushrooms.
- Slice the top cap and bottom portion off the stem of the mushrooms.
- Slice the mushroom stems into 1-inch thick discs.
- Toss the sliced rounds in a bowl with your choice of seasonings and garlic. Use your hands to rub the flavors in.
- Add the vegan butter and olive oil to a skillet and heat on the stove until the butter has melted.
- Add the other liquid flavoring ingredients and stir to combine.
- Cook the mushroom scallops in the hot pan for about 3-4 minutes.
- Use tongs to flip the vegan scallops and sear the other side for another 3 minutes, until both sides are seared and golden brown.
How To Make The Pan Sauce
- Remove the scallops from the hot pan and set them aside on a plate.
- Add about ¼ cup of water or vegetable broth to the pan and use a spatula to loosen up the seasonings from cooking the scallops.
- Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or more vinegar and adjust the pan sauce to taste before removing the skillet from the heat and pouring the sauce over your vegan scallops to serve.
Tips & Tricks For Cooking The Best Vegan Scallops
- Make sure the liquids in the pan are hot before adding the raw mushroom slices. You are searing these mushrooms in a very thin layer of liquid so make sure to use a large pan. You don't want the mushrooms to end up boiled.
- Let the mushrooms sit in the hot pan to sear and cook. Don't move them around until you are ready to flip them to the other side. You want each side to get a nicely browned golden ring around the edges.
- The pan sauce should only take a minute or two to heat through. You can place your scallops on plates to serve and then spoon the sauce over the scallops. Garnish with fresh herbs and enjoy!
What To Serve With Vegan Scallops
You can serve your flavor-packed garlicky vegan scallops as an entree or appetizer. Pair these delicious meaty mushroom scallops with:
- Over delicious gluten-free pasta dishes like Pasta al Limone, Tomato Basil Farfalle, or some Red Pepper Pasta.
- Perfect to top some Rosemary Thyme Mashed Potatoes or Mashed Sweet Potatoes!
- Scallops are fantastic with creamy Beetroot or Carrot Risotto.
- You can serve them alone on a platter with sauces and fresh greens, herbs, veggies., and some crusty garlic bread!
- They're also perfect for lunch over a green salad, pasta salad, potato salad, or grain bowls!
Storage Instructions
Vegan mushroom scallops are best served and eaten right away, however, you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. To reheat the cooked mushroom scallops, add them to a pan on the stove over low to medium heat, and warm them through before serving. You can also reheat leftover pan sauce right in the skillet with the reheating vegan scallops.
More Vegan Seafood Recipes:
- Easy Vegan Maine Lobster Rolls
- New England Vegan Clam Chowder
- Air Fryer Vegan Calamari
- Easy Spanish Vegan Paella
- Vegan Carrot Lox & Cream Cheese
Vegan Scallops
Vegan Scallops made with all plant-based ingredients! This quick and easy recipe is made with king oyster mushrooms, seared to perfection in a delicious savory pan sauce. Healthy vegan seafood that's naturally gluten-free, keto, paleo, and allergy-free, the meaty texture of these perfectly marinated and cooked mushrooms scallops will impress everyone on the guest list!
- Prep Time: 2 Minutes
- Cook Time: 6 Minutes
- Total Time: 8 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
- Category: Main, Appetizer
- Method: Stove-Top
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 LB King Oyster Mushrooms
- 1 TB Vegan Butter
- 1 TB Olive Oil
- 1 Tsp Minced Garlic
- ½ Tsp Onion Powder
- ¼ Tsp Black Pepper (to taste)
- Salt (to taste)
- 1 TB Rice Vinegar
- 2 Tsp Vegan Fish Sauce* (optional)
- Fresh Parsley (to garnish)
- ¼ Cup Water or Vegetable Broth (if making pan sauce)
Instructions
- Brush any debris off the mushrooms and slice the top cap and bottom stem off each mushroom. Slice the white stem into about 1-inch thick rounds.
- Place the sliced mushroom scallops in a bowl and rub in the onion, salt, pepper, and minced garlic.
- Add the butter and olive oil to a large skillet and let it melt over medium-high heat before adding the vinegar and vegan fish sauce.
- Now add the sliced mushroom scallops to the hot pan to sear on the first side for about 3-4 minutes until the surface is golden brown. Flip the mushrooms over using tongs and allow the other side to sear for another 3-4 minutes.
- Carefully remove the cooked scallops from the pan and plate them to serve.
- Add the water or veggie broth to the hot pan and use a spatula to scrape up the flavoring bits to create a quick pan sauce.
- Pour the pan sauce over the plated vegan scallops and serve with a garnish of fresh parsley.
Notes
- You can swap in any dry spices and herbs you'd like to flavor your mushroom scallops with.
- You can use lemon juice instead of vinegar if desired.
- You can swap the vegan fish sauce with coconut aminos to achieve a similar salty, umami flavor.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. To reheat the cooked mushroom scallops, add them to a pan on the stove over low to medium heat, and warm them through before serving. You can also reheat leftover pan sauce right in the skillet with the reheating vegan scallops.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Serving
Keywords: vegan scallops, mushroom scallops, king oyster mushroom scallops, vegan mushroom scallops, trumpet mushroom scallops, vegetarian scallops
I was shocked, just like you are, over how similar these look to real seared scallops!? It's uncanny! The texture is so similar too, but only in the good delicious ways. Meaty, tender, not slimy or chewy! You will impress everyone, even the biggest seafood lovers!
So tell me:
+ Do you like real scallops? If not, will you try these?
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Helen
Wow, they look like the real thing!
★★★★★
Rebecca Pytell
They do!
Cheryl Weeks
Sounds yummy, can't wait to try this
Rebecca Pytell
Yes, Enjoy.
Judy
These scallops sound like a great way to eat vegan. I'm trying to most eat plant based these days, so I appreciate your post.
Rebecca Pytell
Even meat-eaters will love them!
Jenna
I absolutely love oyster mushrooms and your idea of turning them into vegan "scallops". Going to give your recipe a try, thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
Rebecca Pytell
Enjoy!
Petra
Wow! I really need to try this!
Rebecca Pytell
You sure do!
Linhy
I would love to try to make these! Thank you for sharing the recipe
★★★★★
Rebecca Pytell
Hope you enjoy!
Patrick
I'd be more prone to call these "Vegan Mock Scallops", but they still sound amazing! Especially since we LOVE mushrooms!
★★★★★
Rebecca Pytell
No mock here when we never use fake processed ingredients!
Sam
This looks amazing and so simple to make!! I can’t wait to try it!
Rebecca Pytell
Yes, so much easier than you'd think!
Natasha Mairs
I have never seen anything like these before, They sound great. And I never knew there was such a thing as vegan fish sauce
Rebecca Pytell
So similar to coconut aminos but with more umami and savory flavor!