Vegan Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Panini With Sun-Dried Tomato Mayonnaise Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated August 29, 2018
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J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

A hearty vegan sandwich with a balance of sweet caramelized onions, savory mushrooms, and a tangy sun-dried tomato mayonnaise.

Recipe Details

Vegan Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Panini With Sun-Dried Tomato Mayonnaise Recipe

Active 35 mins
Total 45 mins
Serves 2 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

  • 2 medium onions, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 pound button, shiitake, cremini, or portabello mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced

  • 2 medium cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

  • 1/4 cup homemade or store-bought vegan mayonnaise

  • 1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

  • 2 small loaves ciabatta or other hearty rolls, split in half

Directions

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned and a pale brown patina builds up on the bottom of the pan, about 10 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon water and scrape up browned bits. Repeat, cooking, adding water, and scraping up bits until onions are soft and very sweet, about 30 minutes total. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

  2. While onions cook, heat remaining oil in a large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add sliced mushrooms, season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms have released all their liquid, the liquid has evaporated, and the mushrooms have deeply browned, about 15 minutes. Add half of garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add soy sauce and half of lemon juice and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

  3. Combine mayonnaise, remaining lemon juice, tomatoes, and garlic in a food processor. Process until a rough purée is formed, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides as necessary.

  4. Preheat a panini press. Spread both sides of rolls with sun-dried tomato mayonnaise, top bottom bun with onions and mushrooms, close sandwiches, place in press, close gently, and cook for 5 minutes. Press more firmly to compress sandwiches and continue cooking until crisp and fully heated through, about 5 minutes longer. Serve immediately.

Special equipment

Panini press, food processor

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
679Calories
34gFat
85gCarbs
16gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories679
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 34g43%
Saturated Fat 5g25%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 1522mg66%
Total Carbohydrate 85g31%
Dietary Fiber 12g41%
Total Sugars 20g
Protein 16g
Vitamin C 31mg156%
Calcium 180mg14%
Iron 5mg28%
Potassium 1397mg30%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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