Gochujang King Oyster Mushrooms Recipe | Easy Spicy Korean Vegan Dish
Meaty, caramelized king oyster mushrooms are seared and glazed in a spicy-sweet gochujang sauce for a fast, flavorful vegan main. Serve over rice, noodles, or in lettuce wraps.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 lb king oyster mushrooms (king trumpet)
- 1–2 tbsp neutral oil (avocado, canola, or grapeseed)
- 2 green onions, sliced (white and green parts separated)
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
- 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean fermented chili paste)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- 1 tbsp maple syrup or brown sugar
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), optional
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 3 tbsp water (plus more as needed to thin)
- 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water, optional
- 1 small shallot, thinly sliced, optional
- Steamed rice, noodles, or lettuce leaves, for serving
- Thinly sliced cucumber or radish, for serving
Instructions
Instructions
- Wipe the mushrooms with a damp towel, then slice the stems into 1/2-inch coins and halve or quarter the caps; optionally score the cut sides lightly.
- Whisk together the gochujang, soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, gochugaru if using, and water until smooth; adjust sweetness, acidity, or thickness to taste.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add neutral oil, and arrange mushrooms in a single layer; sear 3–4 minutes per side until deeply browned and crisp at the edges, working in batches as needed.
- Add the white parts of the green onions and the shallot if using, and cook about 1 minute to soften.
- Pour in the gochujang sauce and toss to coat; simmer 1–2 minutes until glossy and slightly thickened.
- If a thicker glaze is desired, stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 30–60 seconds until sticky.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the sesame oil and green onion tops.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and serve hot over rice or noodles, or tuck into lettuce leaves with cucumber or radish for crunch.
Notes
Cook mushrooms in batches to avoid steaming and ensure good browning. Adjust heat by reducing gochujang and omitting gochugaru for milder results. Tamari and a gluten-free gochujang make this gluten-free. Leftovers keep 3–4 days refrigerated; reheat in a skillet with a splash of water.