This vegan po boy is filled with breaded oyster mushrooms and served on toasted hoagie rolls with red onion, scallions and capers. A vegan remoulade adds the right amount of creaminess and spice to this awesome perfect-for-summer sandwich!
I’ve never had a traditional po boy, which is filled with what Wikipedia calls “sloppy roast beef” or fried seafood, depending on who you ask. It’s also served with lettuce and tomato. None of those things are going to go in this sandwich, so I guess this vegan version is more of an “inspired by” than a traditional po boy recipe.
What I was going for in this veggie po boy was crispy, cornmeal-battered, meaty mushrooms dressed on toasted buns with vegan remoulade, paper-thin red onion, and pickles. It’s so perfect for summer with a cold beer and friends.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
The mushrooms are air-fried: No need to heat up a batch of oil for this recipe. These mushrooms are tossed in a seasoned batter and crisped up. Perfect for when the summer temps are high.
It’s easy to customize: Oyster mushrooms work perfectly here, but you cab use whatever you like. You can even try hearts of palm or cauliflower for a different taste and texture. If you like tomato and lettuce in your po boys, go for it!
Perfect for guests: Once you air-fry a batch of the mushrooms, set up a station for the rest so guests can assemble their own po boys. This makes a great vegan seafood dish!
Key Ingredients for these Oyster Mushroom Po Boy Sandwiches
Cornmeal: We use fine cornmeal (not polenta) here to add an awesome crunch that works so well with the mushrooms.
Panko: This Japanese-style breadcrumb is light and crisp. When blended with the cornmeal here, it creates a light yet sturdy texture.
Garlic and onion powder: This adds a bit of umami and butter flavor to the batter.
Paprika: This spice is made from dried and ground mild red peppers. It adds a clean and smoky note into the batter.
Plant-based milk and an acid: Cashew, oat, soy or almond all work well here. When combined with an acid like apple cider vinegar or coconut vinegar, it creates a “vegan buttermilk” that’s perfect for battering and breading.
Ener-G or the VeganEgg: This is going to add a little barrier between the mushroom and batter, preventing the oil from being absorbed into the mushrooms. This creates a lighter, tastier, crispier mushroom.
Mushrooms: Oyster mushrooms are perfect here, because they are airy yet firm. Feel free to use softened cauliflower florets or chopped hearts of palm if you’d like.
Vegan remoulade: This remoulade uses garlic and green chilis sautéed in olive oil, horseradish, sambal and vegan Worcestershire. It’s blended with a vegan mayo to create a creamy sauce with umami, spice and crunch.
For More Vegan Sandwich Ideas, Check These Recipes Out!
There’s nothing more satisfying than a hearty sandwich. Here are a few ideas that are fun to make and so delicious!
- This Crispy Vegan Fish Sandwich is so easy because the hearts of palm are air fried. You can serve it with a traditional vegan cheese slice and tartar sauce to whatever you’d like.
- I love these Pulled Jackfruit Sandwiches. The taste and texture is amazing and so perfect for summer. I used a spicy bbq sauce, but you can use your favorite brand or homemade bbq sauce here.
- This Vegan French Onion Soup Sandwich takes all of the components of french onion soup and adds in a sandwich! This is one of my favorite recipes to make in the Fall. So cozy and comforting!
- These Vegan Crab Cake Sliders are tiny sandwiches that pack big flavor. Crispy hearts of palm-based crab cakes and a spicy mayo sauce are mind-blowingly delicious on toasted slider rolls!
- Buffalo Cauliflower Steaks are SO GOOD! This recipe is made in the air fryer, making it also very easy and non-fussy. Dig in!
Vegan Po Boy
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 sandwiches
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This vegan po boy is filled with breaded oyster mushrooms and served on toasted hoagie rolls with red onion, scallions and capers. A vegan remoulade adds the right amount of creaminess and spice to this awesome perfect-for-summer sandwich!
Ingredients
for the dry mix
- 1 cup fine cornmeal (not polenta)
- 1 cup panko
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp white or black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
for the wet mix
- 2 cups plant-based milk
- 1 TB Ener-G (or a 1/2 TB VeganEgg)
- 1 TB coconut or apple cider vinegar
for the mushrooms
- 4 cups oyster mushrooms, rough stems cut away (reserve and freeze them for making broth in another application later)
- cooking spray
for the vegan remoulade
- 1 TB olive oil
- 1/8 cup minced garlic
- 1, 4 oz. can of diced green chilis, drained
- 1 cup vegan mayo (I like Hampton Creek or Follow Your Heart)
- 1 TB prepared horseradish
- 1 TB sambal (more or less, depending on how spicy you’d like it)
- 1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
to serve
- 4 hoagie rolls
- vegan butter or olive oil, for toasting the rolls
- 1 small red onion, mandolined and soaked in cold water, drained and patted dry
- 2–3 scallions, chopped
- 1 TB capers, divided 4 ways
- bread and butter pickles
- lemon wedges
Instructions
to prep your batter station
- In one large bowl, combine the dry mix ingredients. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, combine all of the wet mix ingredients. Throw in the mushroom tops and toss them around with your hands to make sure the wet mixture gets into all of the nooks and crannies of the mushroom tops. Toss a few times while it marinates for about 20 minutes.
to make your vegan remoulade
- While your mushrooms are marinating, heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add in the oil and the garlic, and stir to coat the garlic in the oil. Once just softened, but not golden (no more than 2-3 minutes), add in the canned diced chilis and allow to saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.
- Once cooled, add in the rest of the remoulade ingredients and place into the refrigerator to chill. (This can also be done the day before to allow the flavors to fully blend)
to air fry the mushrooms
- Transfer your two batter bowls near the sink. Take out a handful of mushrooms, letting the wet mixture drip off the mushrooms a bit. Place them into the dry mixture and shake or toss with a spoon to coat, pressing dry mixture to any exposed areas.
- Now holding one breaded mushroom over the sink, lightly spray with the cooking oil, flip and spray again.
- Place the mushrooms into a single layer of your air-fryer basket, taking care not to overcrowd them. Repeat this process as needed based on the size of your air fryer.
- Bake in your air fryer at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until your mushrooms are golden and look crispy.
- Transfer to paper towels and repeat the process with the remaining mushrooms.
to toast your hoagies
- Split but do not separate the hoagie rolls.
- Place a little vegan butter or olive oil onto the interior, place in your air fryer interior-side up, and toast at 350 for 3-5 minutes, or until the interior is slightly crispy.
to serve
- Spread the desired amount of the vegan remoulade over one side of the toasted hoagie.
- Place 1/4 of the fried mushrooms into the roll, adding red onion, scallions, capers and pickles as desired. Serve with the lemon wedges.
Notes
Any leftover battered mushrooms can be stored in the refrigerator. Reheat in your air fryer, no oil needed!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Battered, Air-Fried
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: oyster mushroom po boy, mushroom po boy, vegan remoulade, po boy recipe, vegan po boy sandwich
Stef says
Everything about this sandwich is awesome…that sauce though! Perfection!
★★★★★