Recipe: $6.12 | Per Serving: $1.53 | Yield: 3-4
I have a love-hate relationship with zucchini. I love that it is so cheap and abundant in the summer. I hate that it gets watery and soggy. I love that it has a mild flavor and is incredibly versatile (fritters? bread? noodles?). I hate that it is one of those recommended-you-buy-organic vegetables. LOVE-HATE. Which is one reason why I get so stoked to make a recipe that I LOVE with zucchini. For example: Tuesday's Zucchini & Tomato Summer Frittata is so so so good. I also love Chickpea Ratatouille with zucchini and/or summer squash. And today's INCREDIBLY EASY Vegan Portobello & Zucchini Stir Fry is so perfect for summer.
We are in the early stages of a new food budget and it is going really well. It helps that our pantry and freezer were both pretty well stocked, but we aren't struggling with hunger or lack of variety at all. I planned two breakfasts and 3 lunch/dinners, with the plan to supplement from the freezer/pantry as necessary.
Although I think this dish comfortably serves 3 people, we were able to stretch it to 4 since I bring a side of snacks with my lunch. Next time I might even toss in 1-2 cups of chickpeas to bulk it up even more without increasing the price too much. I really enjoyed this easy vegan and budget-friendly dish - it honestly tasted even better at work the next day after sitting in the delicious sauce overnight. So good!
You're basically just cooking a whole bunch of vegetables in a flavorful homemade marinade and then serving them over rice. This was actually inspired by this recipe by Minimalist Baker. She recommends searing the mushrooms, and I must say from experience that seared mushrooms are BOMB. However, I was looking for something completely low maintenance so there's no searing required in my version. Just a few sautéing steps and that's about it.
Try this vegan & gluten-free (if you use tamari) recipe and you won't be disappointed! You can use up just about any of your leftover veggies - try bell peppers, carrots, even corn and greens. As long as you use fresh ginger and fresh garlic, you really can't mess this up. Stir fries are the best!
Vegetarian: Yep!
Paleo: Swap the soy sauce for coconut aminos, and sub the brown rice for cauliflower rice.
Vegan Portobello and Zucchini Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice uncooked
For the Marinade:
- 3 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 Tablespoons ginger grated
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
For the Stir Fry:
- 2 large portobellos
- ½ medium onion sliced
- 2 medium zucchini
- 2 cups frozen cauliflower slightly thawed (feel free to sub with fresh or to use broccoli instead)
Instructions
- Cook the brown rice according to your preference/directions. I cook 1 cup short grain brown rice with 1.75 cups water, and simmer on low for about 25 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed.
- In a jar or large bowl, combine the ingredients for the marinade: soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar/lime juice, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes.
- Slice the portobello mushrooms into thick slices and place in a shallow dish. Cover with the marinade and let sit for about 15 minutes. Remove the cauliflower from the freezer and let it sit on the counter to start thawing.
- Add a few tablespoons of the marinade to a wok or large pan and sauté the onions over medium-high heat until translucent and cooked through. Add the cauliflower and stir-fry over medium heat until completely thawed and warm.
- Finally, slice the zucchini into quarters and cut into 2-3-inch pieces, add it to the pan and cook just until they’ve started to get a bit soft. You want them to have a good bite and not get soggy, so just a couple of minutes.
- Remove the vegetables from the pan and sauté the mushrooms until they’ve shrunk in size by about half. Optional: you can totally sear the mushrooms on both sides like this recipe recommends if you’re not pressed for time.
- Return the vegetables and any remaining marinade to the pan/wok and cook it all together for another 5 minutes or so. Serve over the brown rice, and garnish with sesaame seeds, green onions, Sriracha, or whatever you’d like!
Nutrition
Leave a Reply