Teriyaki Mushroom Bowls! Sweet and salty homemade teriyaki glaze coats hearty portobellos, caramelized onions and broccoli, served over rice or noodles. Faster than takeout, these mushroom bowls take no time at all to prepare, making it a perfect dinner for meatless Mondays.
I'm just going to come right out and say it: January was not kind to me. My fresh outlook and enthusiasm for the new year was quickly snuffed out by a very rough first few weeks, and I'm still struggling to find my footing.
If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen me mention that my dad passed away unexpectedly a few weeks ago. As you can imagine, it's been a difficult time of dealing with a spectrum of emotions. What you may not be able to imagine is just how difficult having an already-complicated relationship has made the grieving process. It's one of those things you just don't know unless you know.
Needless to say, cooking, creating and updating the blog have not been top priorities, and the radio silence during the month of January is proof of that. As the month came to a close, I started feeling that pull toward the kitchen again -- perhaps because it's one of the only places where things make sense to me, even when nothing else does.
When I finally felt the urge to prepare something, I wanted to make something satisfying and earthy, and that's how this Teriyaki Mushroom Bowl came to be.
Mushrooms are one of those foods that tend to get strong reactions one way or the other from most people, and to some extent, I can see why. They can be a little intimidating if you're not sure about how to prepare them or what to do with them, but a little practice will show you that there's nothing to fear.
Personally, I love their flavor, texture and versatility. For vegetarian dishes, they can add that bit of heartiness that can go missing when you exclude meaty proteins, and act as an anchor and even a main focus for a dish.
In this particular case, "meaty" portobello mushrooms stand in for chicken or beef, and work perfectly with caramelized onions and broccoli. The whole thing comes together with an easy-to-prepare teriyaki glaze that I adapted from Food Network. {They made theirs with sugar, but I used honey instead.} If you're looking to bump up the protein factor, a grilled chicken breast or some shrimp can easily be added to the dish without adding too much time to preparation.
Serve this mixture over rice {I almost always have frozen brown rice in my freezer for convenience} or noodles {rice noodles take no time to prepare} for a quick weeknight meal, or prep it ahead and take it for a homemade lunch on the go.
I think getting back to cooking and sharing is going to help me heal, and I can't thank those of you enough who have connected with me on Instagram with your stories and words of encouragement for helping me through this time. I'm grateful for the amazing community that has grown over the last 8 years of blogging, and I hope to create recipes that nourish the body and soul for many years to come because, for me, food fills the heart as much as it does the stomach. <3
Teriyaki Mushroom Bowls
Ingredients
For Sauce
- ½ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon minced {or grated} fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
For Mushroom Mixture
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 medium portobello mushrooms wiped clean & gills removed, cut into 2 inch strips
- 1 medium onion sliced to medium-thick pieces
- 2 cups fresh broccoli florets
- Optional: Sesame Seeds
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients except for the tablespoon of water and cornstarch in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the mixture begins to simmer and the honey is fully dissolved.
- In a small dish, mix together the water and cornstarch to form a slurry. Add to the soy mixture and whisk until the sauce is thickened into a glaze, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced mushrooms and onions and cook until the mushrooms have released most of their liquid and the onion is tender and beginning to caramelize, about 7-8 minutes.
- Add in the broccoli and cook for another 2 minutes or until they begin to soften.
- Pour in the teriyaki sauce {you may not need all of it} and toss to coat all the vegetables. Bring to a simmer and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked to desired tenderness.
- Serve hot over rice or rice noodles. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving if desired.
