Colder weather can only mean one thing: comfort food! And nothing comforts quite like warm steaks… especially ones that taste as good as these! I found a fantastic recipe on The Foodie Takes Flight website while looking for a vegan Salisbury Steak recipe (https://thefoodietakesflight.com/salisbury-steaks-with-mushroom-gravy-vegan-recipe/) and decided to adapt my own version. I personally do not always have the patience to make a gravy, so I use A-1 steak sauce (yes, it’s vegan!). Pair this with some steamed peas or, even better, mashed potatoes and you are all set to have comfort on a plate. You can even make this recipe gluten-free by substituting the flour with a gluten-free option (check out Bob’s Red Mill), the breadcrumbs with gluten-free breadcrumbs (check out Target), and the soy sauce with tamari (or a gluten-free soy sauce). I hope you make this and enjoy!

Vegan Mushroom and Onion Steaks

• 8 oz. Crimini or Baby Bella mushrooms
• 1/2 large yellow onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 16 oz. block extra firm tofu
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 cup breadcrumbs (Panko works great!) (sub. gluten-free breadcrumbs)
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (sub. gluten-free flour option)
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce (sub. tamari or gluten-free soy sauce)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Pinch fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• Additional vegetable oil for frying

1. Drain and press the tofu to remove excess water. You can use a tofu press or wrap the tofu in a dish cloth or paper towels and place some weight on it.
2. In a food processor, add the mushrooms, onion, and garlic and pulse until chopped into small, mostly even chunks. Do not over-process or the result will be too mushy.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-heat and add 1 Tbsp vegetable oil. Once hot, add the mushroom/onion/garlic mixture and cook until the onion is translucent and some of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
4. In a medium bowl, break up the block of tofu with your hands or a large fork into small crumbles.
5. In a large bowl, add breadcrumbs, flour, cornstarch, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix until thoroughly combined.
6. Add the mushroom mixture and tofu to the flour mixture, mixing well to combine. The texture should be firm enough to form into patties. If the mixture is still too watery, add small amounts of flour and/or cornstarch until firm.
7. Shape the patties into flat ovals (think Salisbury steak shape!) and set aside.
8. Using the same skillet, heat the pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil and fry the patties in batches. I can usually fry them all in two separate batches, adding additional oil as needed. They will only take a few minutes each side so check them often!
9. Serve with steamed veggies, mashed potatoes, or by themselves with your favorite vegan steak sauce and enjoy!

These little steaks are in our regular meal rotation and they never disappoint! They are savory and have a soft texture that makes them a delight to eat. I highly recommend these if you want to try something different with tofu and mushrooms and if you have a craving for something comforting. If you do make these, please let me know how they turned out. I hope you enjoy them as much as my household does. Have a lovely day, and keep warm! ❤