Vegan Mushroom Steak Diane is a vegan steak meal which is based on the retro dish Steak Diane. Mushroom Steak Diane features juicy, meaty, flat or Portobello mushrooms cooked within the best vegan cream sauce. However, the mushrooms can be switched out for cauliflower steaks, if preferred, as the Steak Diane sauce can be prepared separately and poured over any vegan steak both home-made or shop-bought. So good for a delicious vegan brunch or breakfast or for a special vegan steak dinner.
Origins of Steak Diane
Vegan mushroom steak Diane is an adaptation of the retro steak Diane meal that probably originated in New York during the 40 - 50s.
We say probably as the actual location is not generally agreed as some even argue London was responsible for steak Diane or even perhaps Belgium!
However, during 1950s New York, steak Diane was one of the most popular meals ordered with restaurant chefs often preparing the meal at the dining table before adding brandy to the sauce and spectacularly flambéing the sauce with a lighter. Steak Diane was likely influenced by continental European cooking methods and dishes.
Also, Steak Diane evolved from the 19th Century Diane sauces or a la Diane which predate the steak Diane and was used as a creamy sauce to pour over meat such as venison, and were dedicated to the goddess Diane.
Diane is the French word for Diana, who is the Roman goddess of the hunt, protector of deer and other wild animals, including the wilderness itself. Paintings of Diana often depict her with a crescent moon above her head, and dressed in a short tunic, hunting boots, and carrying a bow and quiver of arrows, and surrounded by animals.
The association between the steak Diane dish and the Roman goddess Diana is still debated and a clear consensus has not been agreed.
How to prepare mushroom steak Diane
Mushroom steak Diane is a delicious breakfast or brunch meal that is especially good for a special meal such as Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, Boxing Day or any day of the year. Or enjoy for a tasty vegan lunch or light dinner enjoyed with your favourite bread and lots of veggies.
Heat the vegetable broth in a non-stick pan.
Add the shallots [or onions] and garlic.
Pop in the mushrooms and place a lid over the pan and cook for 5 minutes.
After a while, flip the mushrooms over in the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Pour in the vegetable broth, soy sauce, vegan Worcester sauce [or replace with extra soy sauce] and the mustard, and cook for 5 minutes spooning some of the sauce over the mushrooms a few times.
Next, mix through the fresh chopped parsley and plant-based cream and cook for 3 minutes.
Flip the mushrooms back over, and gently boil or simmer for an extra 3 minutes, spooning the sauce over the mushrooms.
The mushrooms are ready when they are soft and cooked through so exact times will depend on the size and type of mushrooms used.
Serve the mushroom steak Diane with your favourite breakfast or brunch accompaniments such as roast tomatoes, toasted bread, etc. We love some roast asparagus as a simple side, whenever we find it reduced in the supermarket!
Recipe notes and FAQ's
Storage
Store leftover steak Diane in the refrigerator, within a covered container, for up to 3 days.
Or freeze the steak Diane for 2-3 months, although do keep in mind that the texture of the mushrooms may change a little as a result of freezing.
Reheating
Leftover steak Diane can be reheated by adding to a non-stick pan and gently reheating until piping hot, flip the mushrooms over a few times during cooking, and add extra vegan cream, plant-based milk or vegetable broth if the sauces is a little too thick.
The Diane sauce can be prepared without the mushrooms and can be used as a sauce to pour over anything you like such as mashed potatoes, vegan pies, vegan meatloaf, veggies, or you can replace the mushrooms with one of the following suggestions:
Aubergine [eggplant]: This is a great option, especially when you're looking for something that can hold its shape well and absorb flavours. You could pre-cook the aubergine such as pan-fry or grill thick slices before adding to the steak Diane recipe to finish off cooking in the sauce.
Tofu or Tempeh: Both of these can absorb a lot of flavour and provide a meaty texture. Add to the steak Diane recipe as you would the mushrooms.
Seitan: Seitan is made from wheat gluten and has a remarkably meat-like texture. Add cooked seitan directly to the steak Diane recipe when it calls for the mushrooms.
Jackfruit: This is less steak-like and meaty compared to mushrooms but is a nice alternative. For an easy guide on preparing Jackfruit for cooking and how to pull it apart to create a pulled pork texture have a look at the recipe FAQs section for our Campfire Stew recipe.
Cauliflower Steaks: Cauliflower sliced into steaks, can be pre-cooked and then the steak Diane sauce poured over.
Creating a cauliflower steak involves slicing and cooking a head of cauliflower in a specific way. Here is a simple method for preparing cauliflower steaks:
Ingredients:
*1 large head of cauliflower
* Olive oil
* Salt and pepper
* Your choice of herbs and spices (like garlic powder, paprika, thyme, etc.)
Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 180 Fan, 200C, Gas 6, 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Pull the outer leaves of the cauliflower, but don't slice the stem off.
3. Stand the cauliflower upright on the stem, and slice down through the middle of the head to create two thick slices and then if your cauliflower is large enough slice the two pieces in half so that you have 4 steaks.
4.You might be able to get more or less steaks depending on the size of the cauliflower, but do keep in mind that any outer slices may not hold together as well and could crumble a little.
5. Place the cauliflower on to a baking tray, along with any small pieces of cauliflower that may have broken apart, etc. These can still be roasted along with the steaks and used in a different dish, for example roasted cauliflower is especially tasty as a pizza topping.
6. Brush both sides of each slice with olive oil, and season with salt, pepper, and your chosen herbs and spices.
7. Roast the cauliflower steaks for about 15-20 minutes, and then carefully flip them over, and cook for another 10 minutes or until they are tender and cooked through.
Use these tasty cauliflower steaks instead of the mushrooms, cook the Diane sauce and then pour over the cooked cauliflower.
For a tasty vegan breakfast or brunch try one of the following sides:
* Vegan scrambled eggs using tofu or chickpeas
* Hash browns, roast potatoes, or air-fried potato cubes
* Vegan 'corned beef' hash, prepared with tempeh and potatoes
* Grilled or roast asparagus
* Roast tomatoes
* Canned plum tomatoes heated up
* Toasted bread, bread rolls or baps
* American biscuits or as an alternative these Buttermilk Scones
* Boston brown bread
* Kedgeree, which is a traditional Scottish breakfast dish
* Fruit salad
For lunch or dinner try one of the following sides:
* potato fries, potato chips, potato wedges
* mashed potatoes
* baked potatoes
* peas
* sweetcorn
* corn-on-the-cob
* salad
* steamed or roasted vegetables, especially some leafy greens
* baked beans in a tomato sauce
* Boston baked beans
* Quinoa, for an easy method for preparing fluffy Quinoa have a look at our recipe for vegan Chilli.
* Rice, for an easy guide on preparing rice have a look at the recipe FAQ section of our Red Beans and Rice post.
* Crusty bread or a wedge of our Irish Soda Bread
Yes, mushroom steak Diane is perfect for gluten-free diets with a few considerations. First use a gluten-free vegetable stock or broth, and a gluten-free soy sauce such as Tamari. Also, if you cannot source a vegan Worcester sauce this can be replaced with extra Tamari.
***please note: for US measurements click the 'US customary button' within the recipe and the measurements will switch to tablespoons, cups, and ounces.***
📖 Recipe
Vegan Mushroom Steak Diane
Equipment
- Skillet, non-stick fry pan, or similar with a lid
Ingredients
To saute the shallots and garlic:
- 125 mililitres vegetable stock [broth]
- 2 shallots Fine chopped, or use a small-medium onion.
- 4 garlic cloves or 2 teaspoons garlic powder. Fine chopped or minced.
Steak Diane:
- 4 large flat mushrooms The label on our mushrooms stated 'British Flat Mushrooms' which are similar to Portobello mushrooms. Alternatively use any large mushroom or the equivalent in weight of a smaller type of mushroom.
- 1 tablespoon Vegan Worcester sauce or replace with an extra tablespoon of soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce [or tamari if requiring gluten-free]
- 1 teaspoon English mustard [or Dijon mustard]
- 125 millilitre vegetable stock [broth]
- 20 grams parsley ½ cup fine chopped. Plus a little extra for garnish.
- 190 millilitre vegan cream such as Alpro soya single cream or Oatley oat cream
Instructions
- Add the shallots and garlic to a non-stick pan and pour in the vegetable stock and over a medium heat bring the stock to a simmer.125 mililitres vegetable stock, 2 shallots, 4 garlic cloves
- Next add the mushrooms closed cap side down.Add a lid to the pan and cook for 5 minutes.4 large flat mushrooms
- Remove the lid and flip the mushrooms over and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add an extra 60ml or ¼ cup of vegetable stock if required to avoid the mushrooms sticking.
- Pour in more vegetable stock, vegan Worcester sauce, soy sauce, and mustard.Give it a stir and simmer for 5 minutes, spooning the sauce over the mushrooms a few times.1 tablespoon Vegan Worcester sauce, 2 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon English mustard, 125 millilitre vegetable stock
- Next, add half the chopped parsley and the vegan cream stirring them through the sauce. Cook for another 3 minutes.20 grams parsley, 190 millilitre vegan cream
- Flip the mushrooms over and stew for another 3 minutes, again spooning some of the sauce over the mushrooms.
- Again turn the mushrooms over and cook for another 3 minutes and repeat the scooping of the sauce over the mushrooms.
- The mushroom steak Diane s ready when the mushrooms are soft which will depend on how large they are and the type of mushroom. The Diane sauce will be nice and thick but if you find it too thick simply thin it down slightly with a small splash of extra vegetable stock or vegan cream.
- Serve sprinkled with the rest of the fresh parsley and some salt and pepper to taste, although do taste the sauce first as it may be salty enough.
Notes
- Nutritional data is provided for guidance only and is not a strict calculation as ingredients vary.
- Leftover mushroom Diane can be cooled and refrigerated, within a covered container, for up to 3 days.
- I wouldn't recommend freezing as the mushroom texture may be altered during this process, but if you have to freeze I would advice to freeze for up to 1 month.
- To reheat, add to a non-stick skillet or fry pan and gently reheat until piping hot. Extra vegan cream or vegetable broth can be added to the sauce if it has become too thick to easily heat.
- Leftover mushroom Diane is tasty for lunch the next day, especially served with a wedge of crusty bread and a crispy side salad.
- Try sprinkling some vegan grated cheese over leftovers and grilling until heated through and the cheese melted.
Nutrition
Do let us know if you tried the recipe! And if you share your re-creations on social media, don't forget to tag us (@traditionalplantbasedcooking) and use the hashtag #traditionalplantbasedcooking, so we can see your delicious dishes!
As always, Thank you, and happy cooking!
Love, Jacq x
Mahy
I got a bit hungry after reading your post. Can't wait to give the recipe a try now.
Jacq
LOL! Reading recipes does that to me also! I end up soooo hungry 🙂
Beth
Yum! This was such a lovely dinner and so delicious! My hubby and I enjoyed this dinner the other night. Definitely making this again soon!
Jacq
So glad you both enjoyed the mushroom Diane 🙂
Sandhya
These mushroom steaks look delicious and this will be great to make for the backyard barbecue. Love the creamy sauce and that will pair so well with the mushrooms.
Jacq
These mushrooms would be amazing cooked on a BBQ and then topped with the Diane sauce. Think I will do that for our next barbecue. Could even make for a tasty veggie burger served on a bread roll. Thanks so much for the idea 🙂
Meenakshi
Oh wow, these mushroom stakes look delicious! thanks for the recipe.
Jacq
Thanks! The mushroom steaks are definitely delicious 🙂
Kechi
This mushroom steak looks incredibly delicious! WOW. Making it this weekend!
Jacq
Awesome. Hope you enjoy. These mushroom steak Diane's are perfect to enjoy at the weekend 🙂