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This month, in light of many people’s New Year’s resolutions (eat more veggies, eat less red meat, fill in the blank here), we’re featuring meatless meals — hearty dishes for vegetarians and carnivores alike. Today, Aimee from The Veg Life shares her recipe for meatless Salisbury steak — a weeknight staple in her house growing up. Here’s how she makes it…
Meatless Salisbury Steak by Aimee of The Veg Life
When I think of classic dishes from growing up, Salisbury steak was always among them. Ours is an even healthier version where instead of ground beef, we used coarsely chopped mushrooms, quick-cooking oats and breadcrumbs as the main ingredients. Traditionally, Salisbury steak is topped with either sauce or gravy, so I opted for a compromise — tomato onion gravy.
Just a handful of ingredients make up this flavorful version. The process itself is really not much different than making a meatloaf, except that we shape the patty into that classic Salisbury steak form.
Recipe: Meatless Salisbury Steak
What you’ll need:
For the tomato-onion gravy:
1 1/2 tsp. oil of your choosing
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 carrot, very finely diced
1 celery stalk, very finely diced
1 tbsp. flour
1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp. brown sugar
salt and pepper, to taste
For the mushroom steak:
1 tbsp. oil of your choosing
1 lb. mushrooms (such as button, baby bella or a mixture)
1 small onion, finely diced
minced garlic, to taste
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
2 tbsp. parmesan (or vegan cheese, like Go Veggie)
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/8 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. worcestershire sauce (Annie’s makes a great vegan version)
1 tsp. grainy mustard
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1-2 eggs
To begin, sauté onions, celery and carrots in a skillet using a small amount of oil until they are tender and golden. This will become the base for the tomato gravy, so you want them to caramelize, which adds even more flavor.
While the vegetables are sautéing, chop the mushrooms (using a sharp knife, not a food processor). Chop until there is still texture, but no large pieces. In a separate sauté pan, add a small amount of oil and one small finely diced onion. Cook for a few minutes and then add the mushrooms. Immediately season with salt, which helps draw out the moisture. Continue to cook until the onions soften and all of the moisture evaporates. Remove from heat and add the garlic.
Allow the mushroom mixture to cool slightly, then add two eggs and the remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or even overnight. This will allow the moisture to permeate the dry ingredients and the flavors to meld.
After the mixture has been refrigerated, using damp hands, firmly compact and form into that signature Salisbury steak patty shape. Bake at 425F for 15-20 minutes, taking care not to let the bottom get overly brown. Once they start to firm up, you can carefully flip halfway through the cooking process.
While the patties are baking, finish the tomato onion gravy. To the already-sauteed vegetables, add 1 tablespoon of flour and cook in a saucepan for 1 minute. Add the broth, red wine vinegar, tomato paste, brown sugar and season with salt and pepper. Cook until it is hot and bubbly. Finish with fresh parsley. The finished sauce is sweet, tangy and full of texture.
Serve atop garlic mashed potatoes with your favorite green vegetable.
Thank you so much, Aimee!
(Photos and recipe by Aimee of The Veg Life. Thanks to Caroline Donofrio for her help with this series)
