Mushroom “Beef” Grounds

Ingredients

• 2 cup Baby Bella mushrooms (12–14 mushrooms, finely chopped; clean with a brush dipped in water and do not soak)
• 2 cup Vital wheat gluten
• 6 tbsp Nutritional yeast
• 2 tbsp Flaxseed meal
• 1 tbsp Chili powder
• 1 tbsp Granulated garlic
• 1 tbsp Dried minced onion
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1 tsp Dried thyme
• 2 tsp Ground cumin
• 1 tsp Red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Black pepper
• 0.25 cup Vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp Molasses
• 2 tbsp Water
• 3 tbsp Liquid aminos
• 0.25 cup Avocado oil (Plus a little additional oil for warming the finished grounds, if desired)
• Parchment paper (For wrapping the dough log 2–3 times)

Steps

1. 1

   Clean the mushrooms with a brush dipped in water. Do not soak them, as they can absorb excess moisture.

2. 2

   Add the cleaned mushrooms to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Measure out 2 cups of chopped mushrooms for the recipe.

3. 3

   In a large bowl, combine the vital wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, flaxseed meal, chili powder, granulated garlic, dried minced onion, paprika, dried thyme, ground cumin, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.

4. 4

   Add the finely chopped mushrooms to the bowl of dry ingredients and stir to distribute them evenly.

5. 5

   In a separate bowl, mix together the vegan Worcestershire sauce, molasses, water, liquid aminos, and avocado oil until combined.

6. 6

   Pour the wet mixture into the mushroom and dry-ingredient mixture. Mix, then knead for 2–3 minutes, until a cohesive dough forms.

7. 7

   Prepare and preheat a steamer pan so it is producing steady steam before the dough is added.

8. 8

   Place the dough on parchment paper and roll it into a log shape. Wrap the log in 2–3 layers of parchment paper, twisting both ends as tightly as possible to seal the package.

9. 9

   Place the wrapped log in the steamer. Steam for 1 hour, or until the log feels firm to the touch. Flip the log every 15–30 minutes so it cooks evenly.

10. 10

    Remove the steamed log and allow it to cool. Cut it into several large pieces.

11. 11

    Place the cooled pieces in a food processor and pulse until the texture resembles ground meat. Avoid processing continuously, or the mixture may become paste-like.

12. 12

    When ready to use, heat a little oil in a pan. Add the mushroom grounds and cook until warmed through. They are already seasoned, so additional seasoning is optional.

Notes

If not using immediately, wrap the grounds or the steamed log in parchment paper and store in a sealed container in the refrigerator to prevent drying. Use in tacos, nachos, sloppy joes, chili, or spaghetti.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• vegan
• plant-based
• dairy-free
• egg-free
• versatile
• steamed
• meal-prep