Lion’s Mane Steak – with Lemon Poached Vegetables
Learn how to cook the perfect Lion’s mane steak with delicious lemon and butter-poached vegetables.
Lion’s mane mushroom is used for culinary and medicinal purposes. In the culinary industry, lion’s mane is one of the most esteemed mushrooms, mainly because it has a firm and fibrous texture, which resembles a steak.
It has slightly sweet woody notes and the favor resembles a variety of light animal meats. It has a unique texture, that is fibrous -similar to shredded chicken.
With the increasing demand for meat alternatives, lion’s mane has been rapidly growing in popularity, and it’s about time you gave this lion’s mane mushroom steak recipe a go!
If you love simple vegan steak recipes like this one, you should also try our Roasted Swede steaks (with harissa), Gochujang and honey glazed roasted butternut squash, and Vegan Cabbage Steaks with Cashew Cheese Sauce.
Table of Contents
Lion’s mane mushroom benefits
This hairy mushroom has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries and has been increasingly used in alternative medicine, in the Western world. Here, lion’s mane tinctures and capsules are used for a variety of health concerns. Some of the most impressive health benefits that lion’s mane has been assigned to include:
- Contribution to brain and nervous system health, it supports nervous system damage as it regenerates (grows and repairs) nerve cells. It may support fighting dementia and related diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, it can improve our cognitive functions.
- Helping fight against milder cases of depression and anxiety.
- Contribution to heart and gut health.
You can read more about Lion’s mane mushroom health benefits here.
Where to buy lion’s mane mushroom
Lions mane mushrooms grow in forests across North America, Asia, and Europe. However, here in Slovenia they pretty rare and is a protected species that should not be taken from nature even when found.
Luckily, nowadays lion’s mane mushroom is pretty common to get by at mushroom farms. We’ve seen a rise in the number of grow kits sold online. We’ve purchased a few grow kits from different mushroom farms. This process takes a bit of time and patience, but it’s quite simple as everything is pre-prepared with a grow kit. To be a successful lion’s mane grower, you just need to follow the instructions in the grow kit. Growing food is an exciting and rewarding process, so give it a go, if you have the space and time!
Mushrooms soak toxins and pesticides around them, so we always buy organic mushrooms, and we encourage you to do the same.
There are two types available – one with longer hair and a less compact nature, and another with longer hair but a stronger and denser structure. The latter is commonly preferred in the culinary field due to its denser texture, although both have the same flavor.
Ingredients
- Lion’s mane mushroom – Should be as fresh as possible.
- Butter or oil – are used for cooking the Lion’s mane mushroom steak and poaching the vegetables.
- Carrots – Add a bit of crunch to the
- Zucchini – Pick medium-sized fresh zucchini, that is firm to touch. If you love zucchini, you should try our Stuffed Courgette.
- Salt, Smoked paprika, Lemon juice, and Rosemary – Add freshness and depth to the carrots and zucchini.
How to cook lion’s mane steak
Clean it
Mushrooms are an absorbent, they absorb water, so I never wash mushrooms to clean them. If there is any dirt on your Lion’s mane, remove it with a clean and dry brush.
Press it
- Place the Lion’s mane in a heated pan. If you’re using a non-stick pan don’t add any oil at this point. If you’re using a regular pan, add a tablespoon of butter or oil.
- While it’s cooking, press it down with another object – a skillet pan or a potato masher. If your mushroom is very thick, big, and dense, you’ll need to flip it and press down in the pan quite forcefully from each side.
- As you are pressing and grilling, it will release water. You want to grill it until it has released most of its water, which might take some time because Lion’s mane has a lot of water.
- Depending on the size and freshness of you mushroom, this may take between 5 – 20 minutes.
Grill it
When you get to the desired thickness, which is about half an inch, or 1 cm, it’s time to season your Lion’s mane steak. Sprinkle salt and smoked paprika on both sides and add in the butter for that extra crisp.
Cook the vegetables
- Cut the carrots and zucchini into uneven shapes but similar sizes.
- Add the juice of half a lemon and two tablespoons of water to a saucepan.
- Add the sprig of rosemary, salt, zucchini, and carrots.
- With a partially closed lid, cook on medium heat until the liquid has evaporated.
- Add butter once the lemon juice has evaporated and roast the veggies to achieve a golden sear.
Recipe adaptations
- Replace the carrots and zucchini, with any seasonal veggies, such as asparagus, peppers, or peas.
- Add miso to the butter used for grilling the lion’s mane (see the recipe video below), for an even more flavorful vegan steak recipe.
Video recipe for Lion’s mane steak with miso butter
Similar recipes you may enjoy
Gochujang pepper and honey roasted butternut squash
Roasted Swede Steaks
Vegan cabbage steaks with cashew cheese sauce
Vegan Swiss chard patties recipe
Lion’s mane steak – with lemon and butter poached vegetables
Equipment
- 1 Cast iron skillet pan
- 1 Cooking weight something to press down the mushroom while cooking
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Sauce pan
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting board
Ingredients
- 300 grams lion's mane mushroom
- 1 tablespoon butter vegan
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon butter vegan
- half lemon juice
- 1 spring rosemary
- 2 medium carrots
- 1 medium zucchini
Instructions
Clean
- Avoid washing mushrooms as they absorb water. Use a clean, dry brush to remove dirt,
Press & Grill
- Heat a pan. For non-stick, skip oil; for regular, add a tablespoon of butter or oil.
- Place the 300 grams lion's mane mushroom in the pan and press it down with a skillet or potato masher. If thick, flip and press both sides firmly. Grill until most water is released, about 5–20 minutes.
Season
- Once flattened to about 1 cm (½ inch), season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, then add 1 tablespoon butter for crispiness.
Cook the Vegetables
- Cut 2 medium carrots and 1 medium zucchini into similar-sized pieces.
- In a saucepan, combine half lemon juice, water, 1 spring rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt, zucchini, and carrots.
- Cover partially and cook on medium heat until the liquid evaporates. Add 1 tablespoon butter and roast until golden.
Assembly
- When cooked, plate the steak on a plate, Place the poached veggies next to the steak.
Notes
- Avoid washing Lion’s Mane mushrooms—use a dry brush to clean them instead.
- Flattening the mushroom while grilling helps create a steak-like texture. Use a skillet or potato masher for even pressure.
- Lion’s Mane contains a lot of water. Grill slowly until most moisture evaporates for the best texture.
- Adding butter at the end enhances crispiness and brings out the umami flavor.
Nutrition
FAQs
Where to buy Lion’s mane mushrooms?
Buy Lion’s Mane mushrooms from local mushroom farms or order an online grow kit. Since mushrooms absorb toxins and pesticides from their environment, buy organic mushrooms for the best quality and safety.
I had so much fun creating this recipe and sharing it with you! I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do. If you do, I’d love to hear your thoughts – please leave a comment and a star rating to let me know how it turned out! Your feedback not only makes my day but also helps other readers decide if they want to make it too. Happy cooking!