Mushroom Scallopini

Baby portobello mushrooms are tossed in zippy lemon garlic cream sauce and served over pasta to make this luscious vegan scallopini!

I was going to wait until fall to post this one because between the mushrooms, the creamy sauce, and the pasta, it's rather hearty. Also, I was considering not posting it at all because as soon as I started cooking it up I realized I've already shared recipes for tofu scampi, cauliflower piccata, and mushroom marsala, and they're all kind of similar to scallopini.

But they're not exactly the same thing. Also, this stuff is delicious. So here I am with the recipe. You're going to want to make this one.

Honestly, I'm not 100% clear on all the differences between the dishes I mentioned above and scallopini. They all traditionally involve chicken or veal in lemony sauce over pasta. But I have noticed that some scallopini recipes use cream sauce, and I didn't use cream sauce for any of the others, so I did that here.

Was this sauce ever good! It has all the lemony garlicky deliciousness of all my favorite veganized lemony garlicky dishes with extra richness, thanks to a bit of coconut milk. The creaminess is light! It's not like an Alfredo sauce — more like bathing the noodles in a silky coating.

You'll start by sautéing some cremini mushrooms. The goal here is to brown your mushrooms, so you want them all to be in contact with the skillet. This might mean working in batches. Let them sit in the skillet for about 5 minutes on each side and resist the temptation to stir, which can disrupt the browning process.

Next, either remove the mushrooms from the skillet, or do what I did and push them to the side, so you can sauté a bit of garlic. Then you'll mix the mushrooms back in and simmer them with some white wine. Last comes the coconut milk, lemon juice, and some capers.

Simmer a few minutes more and serve over pasta.

Tips for Making Perfect Mushroom Scallopini

• When cleaning your mushrooms, simply wipe them with a damp cloth. Cleaning them under running water can cause them to become water-logged and soggy.
• I mentioned above that the sauce is light and creamy. For an extra creamy sauce, use a bit more coconut milk and let it simmer down for a few extra minutes.
• I served my mushroom scallopini over pasta, but it would be awesome over polenta, potatoes, or crusty bread slices too.
• This dish calls for dry white wine. Check Barnivore to ensure yours is vegan.

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5 from 1 vote

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Mushroom Scallopini

Baby portobello mushrooms are tossed in zippy lemon garlic cream sauce and served over pasta to make this luscious vegan scallopini!

Course Entree

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword lemon, mushrooms, pasta

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 438 kcal

Author Alissa Saenz

Ingredients

• 8 ounces dried spaghetti, or your favorite type of pasta
• ¼ cup olive oil, plus a dash
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup dry white wine
• ½ cup full-fat coconut milk
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon capers
• ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
• ½ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
• Fresh basil or parsley, for serving

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook it according to the package directions.

2. Drain the pasta into a colander, return it to the pot, and toss it with a dash of olive oil.

3. While the pasta cooks, coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil and place it over medium heat. 

4. When the oil is hot, add the mushroom slices in as even a layer as possible. Avoid crowding the skillet and cook the mushrooms is as many batches as needed, adding oil to the skillet between batches.

5. Cook the mushrooms for about 5 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. If cooking in batches, transfer the mushrooms to a plate as they finish cooking.

6. Push any mushrooms in the skillet to the side and add the garlic to the center of the skillet. Sauté it for about 1 minute, until very fragrant.

7. Return all mushrooms to the skillet, and distribute them evenly. Add the wine to the skillet, bring it to a simmer, and allow it to cook for about 4 minutes, until reduced by about half.

8. Add the coconut milk, lemon juice and capers to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow it to cook for 3-4 minutes, until the sauce thickens up just slightly.

9. Remove the skillet from the heat and season with salt and pepper.

10. Divide the pasta onto plates and top with the mushrooms and sauce. Sprinkle with parsley or basil and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Mushroom Scallopini

Amount Per Serving

Calories 438 Calories from Fat 197

% Daily Value*

Fat 21.9g34%

Saturated Fat 8.5g43%

Sodium 389mg16%

Potassium 628mg18%

Carbohydrates 46.3g15%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 3.5g4%

Protein 12.6g25%

Calcium 20mg2%

Iron 6.3mg35%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.