A traditional recipe for mushrooms on toast usually calls for butter and cream or crème fraîche. We did a little transition and developed an amazing vegan creamy mushroom topping! It can even be made ahead and refrigerated to cut down on prep time during a weeknight. It features blue foot mushrooms, which have a delicate periwinkle hue to their stems—almost as if someone brushed them with watercolor paint.
A tamer take
If exotic wild mushrooms aren’t available, any combination of firm mushrooms, like shiitake or portobello, will work in this recipe.
Ingredients
1/3 cup soft tofu
2 Tbsp almond milk or other nondairy milk
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 lb crimini mushrooms
1/2 lb blue foot mushrooms
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/4 tsp sea salt
3 Tbsp finely minced shallots
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
18 toasted regular or gluten-free crostini
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
Directions
In high-speed blender, combine tofu, nondairy milk, nutritional yeast and lemon juice. Whirl until smooth and creamy. The mixture should be like a very thick yogurt. Add a splash more nondairy milk if needed. Set aside.
Gently brush mushrooms clean and trim off any woody stems. If necessary, wash and blot dry. Thickly slice.
In large skillet, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms and sprinkle with salt. Cook for about 10 minutes or longer, stirring often, until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are golden. If mushrooms begin to stick, add another splash of oil.
Remove from heat and transfer mushrooms to cutting board to slightly cool. Coarsely chop.
Heat remaining 1Tbsp olive oil in skillet. Add shallots and thyme and sauté until shallots are soft and golden, about 3 minutes. Turn off heat. Add chopped mushrooms to pan along with tofu mixture. Fold together.
To serve, gently reheat mushroom mixture. Fold in chopped parsley. Spoon onto fresh, warm crostini and season with freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle each piece of toast with a few pine nuts.
