Umami Mushroom Burger — a plant-based Other recipe by BOSH!
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Umami Mushroom Burger

This is one of those burgers we keep coming back to, and honestly it's hard to explain until you've tried it. The mushrooms soak up the soy marinade and go beautifully deep and savoury when they hit the pan, and that Asian-inspired slaw cuts right through with a zingy lime and sesame kick. It's proper umami, proper satisfying, and it looks absolutely incredible stacked up. We've made this for meat-eaters who couldn't believe there was no meat involved. Make it tonight, trust us on this one.

Cook: 25 min
Serves 2

Before You Start

  • Marinade mushrooms for 10 minutes
  • Prepare slaw & leave for 10 minutes
  • Large frying pan
  • Shallow bowl for marinade
  • Mixing bowl for flour coating
  • Paper towels for draining

Ingredients

  • 4 brioche burger buns
  • 100g plant-based mayonnaise
  • lettuce
  • 1 red bell peppers
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 large carrot
  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp Kikkoman Soy Sauce
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 lime
  • 1 tbsp Kikkoman Soy Sauce
  • 100g cornflour
  • 100g plain flour
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 4 large portobello mushrooms
  • vegetable oil
  • pepper to taste

Method

1

Marinade the mushrooms

  • Place the mushrooms in a bowl and add the Kikkoman Soy Sauce and a dash of water
  • Mix well and leave to marinade for 10 minutes.
2

Make the slaw

  • Cut the red peppers, red onion and carrots into thin pieces (julienne style)
  • Place into a bowl and add the sesame oil, soy sauce, maple syrup and the juice of 1 lime
  • Mix well and leave to one side for 10 minutes
3

Cook the mushrooms

  • In a mixing bowl, mix together the flour, paprika and a pinch of pepper
  • Add the mushrooms and mix well until they are coated
  • Place a large pan over a medium heat and add approx. 1 cm of vegetable oil to the base of the pan. Once warm enough to fry, add the mushrooms and cook for about 2-3 minutes until golden brown and cooked through, turning over as you cook
  • Once done, transfer to the plate with the paper towel and leave to one side until needed
4

Assemble the burgers

  • Halve the buns and warm them through. Spoon over a good amount of the mayonnaise before topping with some lettuce, three of the cooked mushrooms and a large spoonful of the slaw
  • Repeat until all of the burgers are finished

Tips & Variations

  • Get the marinade time right: Don't rush the 10 minutes. We know it's tempting to skip ahead but letting the mushrooms sit in that soy sauce is what gives them that proper deep flavour.
  • Make the slaw ahead: The slaw actually gets better the longer it sits. If you've got time, make it 30 minutes before you need it and the veg softens slightly and takes on all that dressing.
  • Load up the toppings: We love adding a smear of sriracha mayo or a handful of fresh coriander on top. Ian swears by a slice of ripe avocado in there too.

Why This Works

The trick here is giving the mushrooms a proper marinade before they go anywhere near the heat. That 10 minutes in soy sauce and water makes all the difference, letting the mushrooms absorb all that salty, savoury depth so they taste incredible all the way through. The slaw does a lot of heavy lifting too, the sesame oil and maple syrup balance each other out perfectly and make every bite interesting.