Vegan Sweet Chilli Beef
These vegan sweet chilli “beef” strips are made with crispy lion’s mane mushrooms tossed in a sticky, savory-sweet sauce with peppers and onions. It’s easy, satisfying, and tastes just like your favorite takeout—but totally meatless!
Servings: 3
Ingredients
Base for beef:
- 12 ounces lions mane
- 1/4 large red bell pepper
- 1/4 large green bell pepper
- 1/4 yellow onion
- 1 red chilli
Sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce (plus 1 extra tsp)
- 2 tbsp sweet chili sauce
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp vegan oyster sauce
- 2 tsp minced garlic paste
- 1/2 tsp minced ginger paste
- 1/2 tbsp corn starch
- 3 tbsp water
Instructions
- Prepare mushrooms: Tear lion’s mane into bite-sized pieces. Pat dry if they’re too wet—this helps them crisp instead of steam.
- Marinate the mushrooms: In a bowl, whisk together sweet chilli sauce, dark soy sauce, ketchup, vegan oyster sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic paste, ginger paste, and a cornstarch slurry (mix cornstarch with a few tablespoons of water). Massage the mushrooms with the sauce and let them sit for a couple of mintues.
- Sauté aromatics and veggies: In a pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil. Add sliced onion, bell peppers, and red chilli. Cook for 3–4 minutes until slightly softened but still vibrant.
- Sear mushrooms: In a separate pan, heat the remaining 1 tbsp of oil. Add the marinated mushrooms and sear until they crisp up. Mushrooms release a lot of water so this could take 10-12 minutes or more. Keep the heat at a medium and be patient!
- Combine everything: Add the crisped mushrooms into the veggie pan and stir fry everything for 1-2 minutes.
- Serve: Pour the chilli beef over a bed of rice before serving or add to noodles!
Notes
(1) This technique takes some time so be patient! In the alternative, instead of marinating the mushrooms in the sauce you can sear them first before adding the sauce and letting everything thicken - this will give a slightly different texture.
(2) Want extra heat? Add sriracha or crushed red pepper flakes.
(3) Don’t overcrowd the pan—mushrooms need space to brown.
(4) Pairs well with rice, noodles, or wrapped in lettuce for a fresh twist.
(5) You can find lion’s mane at Asian grocery stores, farmer’s markets, or grow-your-own kits!
Nutrition
Calories: 118kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 719mg | Potassium: 506mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 816IU | Vitamin C: 49mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg
