This is something that I would make for me and me alone. My man isn’t a lover of mushrooms and seriously? How is it that none of my peeps see the gloriousness of the things-on-toast meal?! It’s a dish that lets me doctor up what I have by employing some other things that I have when there’s a golden pocket of me-time available. A thoughtful and meditative slap-dash, if you will.
I’m generally into this tray-lunch thing as of late. I roast a bunch of things with herbs, lemon, spice, or whatever’s around. Sometimes I transfer the goods to a bowl. Sometimes I eat right from the tray. It’s warm and I get to make some time for myself over it, while I bounce between the renovation duties, freelance work, emails, actual scheduled work, and tiniest fibre-like shreds of free time. I’ve never been “too busy to cook.” Maybe that’s obvious? When the world is spinning, I tend to go inward a bit and cooking helps. When I lived alone, I happily enjoyed a lot of solitary meals, but always looked forward to my post-school life where dining companions would surely be infinite and constant. My current schedule varies from the rest of my world’s seemingly unanimous 9-5, so yep. Still plenty of solo late lunches scarfed at 3 pm right before my shift starts on any given Saturday.
I’ve even been waking up earlier to cook alone too. I’m on this steel-cut oat porridge thing that demands a little extra time, which is kind of immediately annoying, but ultimately for the best. I sip a warm drink and stir, focused on that one thing. I don’t have the headspace for a large batch that can be pre-portioned and reheated throughout the week, and that’s honestly fine. The sleepy straining of tired eyes eventually fades, and I find there’s more strength for all of the things that need doing.
So this is a bit of a deluxe, but still completely simple, flying solo kinda meal (although I did design the recipe for two servings since it’s probably a bit more practical for most). Fun fact: the first restaurant family meal I ever enjoyed as an actual cook was a fancied-up version of mushrooms on toast. I remember being a bit rattled, sweaty, and slightly anxious when I sat down to the plate after service. It was calming in all of the predictable ways though. Holiday wildness is officially on us now, so it seems even more important to take advantage of those peaceful and simple moments. Seize them by putting the good stuff on toast, people :)
Rosemary Mushroom & Chickpea Ragout on Toast
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small shallot, fine dice
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves chopped fine
- 10 ounces (283 grams) mixed mushrooms, stems removed & caps sliced
- 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 1-2 teaspoons vegetarian worcestershire sauce (Annie's brand is my fave)
- 1 scant cup cooked chickpeas
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 2-3 tablespoons unsweetened non-dairy milk something rich like cashew or coconut is preferable
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
- sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 thick slices of delicious bread
Equipment
- Toaster
Notes
- Any mix of sliced mushrooms is excellent. I love shiitakes, but I’m also not a millionaire, so I mix them with creminis and button mushrooms.
- If you have time, simmering the vegetable stock with the mushroom stems for 10 minutes is an easy way to add a bit more mushroom flavour.
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large sauté over medium heat. Add the shallots and stir. Once those are a bit fragrant, add the rosemary. Sauté until the shallots are really translucent. Add the mushrooms to the pan and stir them around. Add the sherry vinegar, tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, and chickpeas and stir. Once the mushrooms have started softening just a bit, about 3 minutes, add the stock. Stir everything up and simmer until the liquid has reduced by a third and the mushrooms are quite soft. Add the splash of non-dairy milk and stir. Season the whole thing to taste.
- In a small bowl, combine the arrowroot with a little bit of the liquid from the pot. Make a little slurry and then add it back in to the pot. Simmer until lightly thickened. Keep warm.
- Toast or grill the pieces of toast. Lay them in shallow bowls. Ladle the mushroom and chickpea ragoût on top. Finish with a bit more black pepper. Serve hot.
I’m new to your site. I’d like to make this, but first, I have a question re: chickpeas. I like them when they’re cooked with other ingredients and I love a garlic-y hummus, but I’ve also thrown away some cooking attempts with garbanzos: do you use canned or dry beans as a rule? I’ve never worked w/dried beans but after my most recent experience with canned beans (not a name brand – was that the prob?), I’m a little nervous about another recipe down the disposal… Can you help? Oh, what I didn’t like is that, even after a bake in the oven, they tasted raw and mealy. Yuck. And no flavor. I would like to do better this time!
Hi Christina!
Thanks for your comment. I pretty much always cook chickpeas/beans from scratch for the best texture. I agree that canned ones can be grainy/mealy at times. I use Flourist brand dried chickpeas and they have great instructions for cooking them here: https://flourist.com/products/kabuli-chickpeas-3
-L
So delicious! I doubled it and served it over wild rice because I have a teenage boy whom I never sure whether he’s going to show up for dinner or not. I had to sub a few things like onions for shallots and evoo for grapeseed oil but this is going on regular rotation in my house. Could this be made with dried mushrooms (after they’ve been soaked)? I have a big container of mixed ones I should use up. I have pinned about 20 of your other recipes already. I’m new to whole foods plant based eating and can’t wait to try more of your recipes! Thanks!
Hi Kimberley!
Thanks for your comment. I think rehydrated mushrooms would be great here. Definitely save some of the soaking liquid to splash into the ragout as well.
-L
Hi, being of Lithuanian descent, I LOVE mushrooms
Mushroom <3 You can't go wrong with them. This sounds delicious btw. Thank you :)
Thank you for this recipe; I’ve had it pinned for ages and finally made it tonight. It was a hit! My husband had it with toast, and I took it with rice to absorb the extra liquid. We each loved our versions. So easy too!
Does this freeze well? I’m looking for good protein meals for my sons lunches but need to make in batches and freeze.
Hi April, since this dish is thickened with arrowroot, I’m not sure how well it would perform after freezing. After a little bit of googling and reading, it seems like arrowroot is fine to freeze and doesn’t lose its thickening powers after thawing. I haven’t tried this myself though, so can’t speak from personal experience.
-L
Thanks for a fantastic recipe! I made it over polenta instead of toast, which fancied it up a bit. A bowl full of comfort.
This was really delicious! And so filling! thanks so much for the recipe!
My husband and I made this last night and it was delicious! Hit the spot! Thanks for the beautiful pics and delicious inspiration!
What a dish, thanks for the recipe!!!! It’s delicious! I made a couple of substitutes:
* added handful of re-hydrated porcini mushrooms,
* used the soaking liquid for porcinis as the basis for the ‘veg stock’ (added another depth of mushroom flavour), and
* doubled the fresh rosemary as I love herbs.
To serve I sprinkled more fresh rosemary leaves and freshly picked rocket from our garden to add an edge of pepper. I’m saving this recipe and making it again, and again,….and again. Thanks so much
Eating this right now for a late lunch. Holy moly, it’s goo-oood! Definitely making this one again!
Made this tonight for dinner, using portobellos! Instead of bread, I reserved two of the portobellos and roasted them, then topped with this ragout. Oh my goodness! It was fantastic!
Thanks!
I made this tonight… it was so simple and delicious! We ate it up. Thanks!
My hubby and I have already made this four times! We love this recipe as a quick dinner, especially with sliced tomatoes. Also great for a traditional English-style breakfast too! We love your blog and have made a number of the recipes. When are you coming out with your cookbook? :)
This is my lunch for the rest of my life.
Hi, being of Lithuanian descent, I LOVE mushrooms, and this recipe sounds intriguing, but I don’t particularly like rosemary; is there a milder herb you would recommend to substitute?
Thanks, MaryJane
Hi MaryJane, you could certainly use thyme or sage in place of the rosemary.
-L
I’m all about putting things on bread… and when mushrooms are involved, well, let’s just say I don’t think I could be married to someone who didn’t eat them. But that’s just me. I’m judgy like that. ;-)
Well I for one adore all things mushrooms! I honestly think this is my idea of a perfect comfort dish. Pinning it to make next week. Thanks for sharing. Stunning photos!
Laura,
I love beans and bread! The combination of flavors in this recipe are fabulous! Love the site…keep it coming!
Elle
Tray-lunch! Now I have a name for the thing I haven’t stopped doing since the weather turned. Lately, my favorite consists of mushrooms, onion, garlic, and sweet potatoes with thyme (spooned over a soupy pot of beans). Before that it was fennel and apples with fennel seeds and chili flakes.
I do love a good solo meal; there’s something so luxurious and decadent about spending that time cooking for your own pleasure alone. Things on toast is always a good way to go.
i love everything about this post. thank you, once again.. for marvellous recipes and for reminding me to slow down & savour what i put into my body.
Chickpeas are one of my most favourite foods – so flavoursoem and such a wonderful texture. Love how you’ve cooked them here with rosemary – what a fabulously rustic touch.
I’m so the same way. Cooking always helps to centre me. I can never too busy to make a meal… even if it’s just a simple one… which can often involve something on toast (NEVER too busy for avo toast, am I right?) This looks delicious, Laura! Thanks for sharing.
YES, GIRL, YES. I would come over and eat toast with you any day if I could. xo
This looks crazy delicious! I’m a big fan of solo meals, and usually things end up being poured into bowls or over toast. Thank you for your wonderful words that I connect with in a million different ways X
I dig this so hard! Yum!!
Wow, this looks so rustic and delicious. What a great recipe! I just used up a bunch of mushrooms in a spaghetti sauce and I wish I had see this sooner. Yum!
so sad your man doesn’t love mushrooms!! This looks stunning, I’ll definitely be making it soon. (ps. mushrooms + sherry vinegar is the best, isn’t it?)
“I love shitakes, but I’m also not a millionaire” <– yes, so true, I often do this with food. It's too bad amazing food can be super expensive sometimes. This looks delicious and I love the idea of a tray lunch, roasting veg on toast. Nice to have a vegan option. Pinned!
I agree with you! Having time to cook is making time to cook. And it’s therapy! Thanks for the inspiration!
Oh lord, this is so the thing I want to eat right now. I am currently without chickpeas in the house — an occasion so rare that I keep forgetting to buy them when I’m at the store. And mushrooms. There are so many mushrooms, but they’re all reserved for Thanksgiving dishes. UGH. (One of my usual bouts of hangriness came on quick this morning, so the fact that I can’t eat this asap feels like a horrible cosmic injustice.)
P.S. Tray lunches (and dinners) for life. My favorite.
Hi! Have you tried/thought about using chia seed gel (strained of the seeds) as a thickener???? I’ve tried it for some things but not others – I want to try it for this! Thanks for a great recipe. Pinning it now!
Heck yeah to all of this. I love mushrooms on toast, and the chickpeas sound a brilliant addition.
I made some Cook’s Illustrated recipe once with mushroom stems simmered in vegetable stock. I was skeptical, but HOLY COW does it give that stock killer mushroom flavor! I picked up ingredients of a similar vein as this for a fancy dinner for one last week–my home is 1.5 hrs south of where I go to school, so I’m alone in a strange kitchen on weeknights–but it did not turn out as indulgent as this. I know what to do differently next time!
Love this lunch! Beautiful simple ingredients and delicious images, just glorious.
mushrooms and chickpeas are two of my favourite foods, but i rarely put them together while cooking. this ragout is beautiful, and looks absolutely delicious! i can’t wait to try this out. happy thanksgiving!
I could eat mushrooms straight from the pan. Like it so much. Nice idea for a breakfast. I like to experiment in the morning.
Laura! Oh, love! I have spent the past couple of free time moments (pretty fleeting with little Caspian) reading your a-amazing texts, drooling over your insanely gorgeous food photos, loving the pics from your home (congratulations!!!) and just wish I could HUG you! Maah!! I am grateful for the energy you put into this space, all your vibe-y stuff (haha we are so much alike!) all of it infused with all kinds of gooooodness.
Take care, honey! Take a sip of that energy drink and pause. Wish I could hop over and help you paint and stuff!
E