This vegan mushroom piccata sauce is so comforting and so easy to make. It’s the perfect vegan dinner recipe!
I absolutely love a good piccata sauce. The combination of lemon and capers in a smooth, velvety sauce is just the best. It’s a little spicy, acidic, and salty; all the best flavors! Converting this classic dish to a great vegan dinner recipe is a breeze, too!
In this vegan piccata sauce recipe, mushrooms are the star of the show. Their earthy flavor pairs perfectly with the bright, acidic piccata sauce.
The best part? For the sauce, you need only 5 core ingredients, including:
- Yellow onion, peeled and minced
- Oyster mushrooms, torn into strips
- Plant-based butter
- Capers, drained
- Lemon, juiced
You’ll also need a little cooking oil, water, and some salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste. For the purpose of 5-ingredient recipes, I don’t count those staples as ingredients.
How to make this vegan mushroom piccata sauce recipe:
This recipe couldn’t be easier.
First, start by sautéing the onion, and then add the mushrooms. Cook them until they turn deep golden brown. It will take 8–10 minutes, possibly longer depending on your mushrooms.
Once the mushrooms are golden, add the plant-based butter and the capers and cook them briefly.
From there, add water or vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes or until it thickens.
While the sauce simmers, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain but be sure to reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water.
To finish the sauce, add in the lemon juice, and pasta cooking water and bring to a boil. Add the cooked spaghetti and toss to coat.
You can also serve this with cooked white rice or roasted vegetables instead of spaghetti!
Vegan Mushroom Piccata Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion peeled and minced
- 16 ounces oyster mushrooms torn into strips
- 3 tablespoons plant-based butter
- 1.5 tablespoon capers drained
- 2 cups water or vegetable stock
- 1 lemon juiced
- Salt pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste
For serving:
- 16 ounces spaghetti
- Fresh minced parsley
Instructions
Cook the onion and mushrooms:
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a wide pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes until it softens.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for 8-10 minutes until they begin to turn deep golden brown all over. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
Simmer the sauce:
- Melt the butter into the mushrooms and add the capers. Cook for 1–3 minutes more.
- Pour in the water or vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until it thickens. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Cook the pasta:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to package instructions. Reserve 1/3 cup pasta cooking water. Drain the spaghetti.
Finish the sauce:
- Return the piccata sauce to a boil. Add the lemon juice and pasta cooking water and boil for 1–2 minutes. Add the spaghetti and toss to coat. Turn off the heat.
To serve:
- Divide the cooked pasta between shallow bowls. Garnish with freshly minced parsley if you like. Enjoy!
