BBQ Mushroom Sandwich With Carrot-Apple Slaw And Homemade Aioli Recipe

Finding new and delicious vegetarian sandwich options can be a bit of a challenge at times; cheese and tomato, anyone? The fact is, vegetarian diets often have a bad reputation for being boring and bland, but that doesn't need to be the case. Vegetarian dishes can be exciting and creative: packed full of flavor as well as nutrients.

This BBQ mushroom sandwich with carrot-apple slaw and homemade aioli, created by Tasting Table recipe developer Jennine Rye, is a real flavor-fest of a dish. Portobello mushrooms are shredded before being oven-baked and mixed with a barbecue sauce, to make a rich, smoky, and saucy sandwich filling. This is paired with a fresh and crisp carrot-apple slaw to add both flavor and crunch. The sandwich is finished off with a thick, garlicky homemade aioli that can be whipped up in just a few minutes. Once you serve this sandwich, there won't be any further questions about whether vegetarian options are lacking in flavor! So whether you choose to follow a strict vegetarian diet, or simply wish to find new and exciting vegetarian recipes to cut down on your meat intake, this sandwich won't leave you wanting.

To begin this BBQ mushroom sandwich with carrot-apple slaw and homemade aioli recipe, first, you will need to gather the ingredients. For the homemade aioli, you will want egg yolks, garlic, Dijon mustard, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. For the carrot-apple slaw, you will need carrot, apple, red cabbage, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, more lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper. For the rest of the sandwich, you will want portobello mushrooms, barbecue sauce, hamburger buns or sliced bread, and gem lettuce.

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

To make the aioli, add the egg yolks, crushed garlic, and 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard to a bowl and whisk well.

Very slowly drizzle 1 cup of olive oil into the bowl, whisking continually. Continue to slowly incorporate the oil until it is all combined and a thick garlicky sauce has formed.

Whisk in 2 teaspoons lemon juice and a pinch of salt.

Transfer the aioli to the fridge until you are ready to serve the sandwiches.

To make the carrot-apple slaw, in a large bowl, combine the grated carrot, apple, and red cabbage.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper, to taste.

Add the dressing to the carrot and apple slaw and mix well. Store in the fridge until ready to serve the sandwiches.

To make the BBQ mushroom filling, scrape out the brown gills inside of the mushrooms and discard.

Use a fork to shred the mushrooms.

Place the shredded mushrooms on a baking tray, coat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and bake for 15 minutes until wilting and starting to brown.

Remove the mushrooms from the oven and coat with the barbecue sauce before returning to the oven for another 10 minutes.

Take the mushrooms out of the oven and stack the sandwiches on buns with the homemade aioli, lettuce, BBQ mushroom filling, carrot-apple slaw, and more aioli, before serving.

Sandwiches are one of those meals that are very simple to adapt depending on what you have in the cupboards at home, what your taste preferences are, and whether you need to consider any dietary needs. To make this BBQ mushroom sandwich for a gluten-free diet, simply swap out the bread or buns you use to serve the dish with a gluten-free variety. You may also need to check that the barbecue sauce is gluten-free to ensure it's safe for those with allergies. To make the sandwich completely plant-based, use a vegan mayonnaise in place of the aioli or dress the slaw with a simple vinaigrette. 

If you are unable to find portobello mushrooms to make the BBQ mushroom filling, you can use oyster mushrooms in much the same way. Similarly, any of the ingredients for the carrot-apple slaw can easily be substituted with another fresh vegetable to add crunch. Some good options are bell peppers, fennel, cauliflower, scallions, or radishes. To make life a little easier, you can always use a store-bought slaw or even a store-bought aioli sauce; it won't taste as fresh, but you might save yourself an aching arm from all that whisking!

Each component of this BBQ mushroom sandwich recipe can be made in advance and stored, making it a great option for quick packed lunches throughout the week. To store the aioli and the carrot-apple slaw, simply whip them up and then transfer them to airtight containers and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. To store the BBQ mushroom sandwich filling, it is important to wait for it to cool completely before similarly transferring it to an airtight container and storing it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

We recommend storing the components separately until you assemble your sandwich to maximize the freshness of the meal and to make sure your bread doesn't get soggy. However, it is possible to assemble your sandwich and wrap it well, to take out and enjoy as a packed lunch on the go. However you choose to enjoy your sandwiches, it is important to note that this dish isn't freezable.