This oyster mushroom pasta is a flavor-packed delight that you won’t be able to resist. The recipe has crispy oyster mushrooms, vibrant bell peppers, sweet onions, and juicy chopped tomatoes, all tossed in a blend of aromatic Cajun seasonings and rich coconut cream. The best part is that you can enjoy it in 30 minutes!
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Since we discovered oyster mushrooms, we have been making lots of delicious recipes using them, like oyster mushroom noodle stir-fry, juicy oyster mushroom steak, or oyster mushroom tacos. We also collected more than 30+ oyster mushroom recipes to give you even more ideas to enjoy this awesome ingredient.
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What to expect?
Cajun is the name of a very special and absolutely tasty cuisine from Louisiana. It is influenced by West African, French, and Spanish flavors. Think of dishes like gumbo or jambalaya. Cajun spice mix relies heavily on cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and oregano. There are usually other spices added (as there is no fixed recipe), but these are the main flavors you can expect to taste.
The combination of the Cajun seasoning and coconut cream in this recipe creates a unique balance of spicy and creamy, as well as savory and sweet.
The cayenne pepper in the seasoning gives the dish a nice kick of heat, while the smoked paprika adds a smoky flavor. The thyme and oregano provide a fragrant and earthy aroma to the dish.
The sweet onions and juicy chopped tomatoes add a subtle sweetness to the dish, while the bell peppers provide a slight crunch and freshness. In contrast with the chewy, meaty oyster mushrooms, this recipe is really a perfect blend of different textures and flavors.
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Ingredients
As for any pasta recipe, once you make the sauce, you can add whatever vegetables and ingredients you want. However, this is our favorite combination to make a creamy vegan oyster mushroom pasta:
- Pasta – We chose penne pasta.
- Pearl oyster mushrooms – You can use any type of oyster mushrooms, though. Here is a list of where to buy them.
- Bell peppers – You can use red, yellow, or green bell pepper, whichever you have at hand.
- Red onion
- Canned chopped tomatoes – We usually use these canned tomatoes since it tastes ripe and comes with juices.
- Vegetable broth
- Canned full-fat coconut cream – Use a coconut milk product with more than 20% fat content, like this one. This recipe will not be the same if you use the light coconut milk you can drink.
- Homemade Cajun seasoning: cayenne pepper, sweet smoked paprika powder, dried oregano, dried thyme, garlic powder, and onion powder
- Scallion – optional for topping
🛒 You can find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Instructions
Marinating the mushroom shreds
- All you need to do are these 3 steps to prepare oyster mushrooms for cooking. Then cut the end of the stem of pearl oyster mushrooms and tear the cap into small shreds with your hands. If the stem is soft enough you can shred them as well.
- Take a small bowl and mix the marinade (olive oil, cayenne pepper, sweet smoked paprika powder, dried oregano, dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt)
- Add shredded oyster mushroom to the marinade and mix well. Leave it for 5-10 minutes.
Frying marinated oyster mushrooms
- Take a frying pan or a skillet and heat it to high heat. Add the marinated oyster mushrooms in one layer (work in batches if you plan to make more servings). The amount in the recipe card is for 2 servings, which can fit in one large skillet.
- Stir with a spatula and fry the shredded oyster mushrooms until nice and crispy. It took us about 10-15 minutes tops. Add a dash of (1 tsp) olive oil if the oyster mushroom feels too dry. Don’t they look deliciously crispy in the below photo?
Preparing the other ingredients
- Peel and chop the onion.
- Wash the bell pepper. Lay it on its side and cut off the stem. Now, cut it in half and take the seeds out. Now, place the half pepper on its open flat side and make horizontal cuts of ¼-inch (4-5 mm) wide.
- Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package instructions. Drain when ready.
Making creamy Cajun pasta
- Take the same frying pan or skillet you used to fry the mushroom and heat to medium.
- Add chopped onion with a dash of olive oil and fry them for approx. 2-3 minutes until the onion gets soft and tender.
- Add sliced bell pepper and fry them together for another 5 minutes. You are ready when the bell pepper slices soften and have little brownish edges. The same for the onions, when they become caramelized and brownish.
- Add canned chopped tomatoes and bring them to a boil. Cook until tomatoes soften.
- Add veggie broth and full-fat coconut cream and stir until combined. Bring it to a boil, and simmer it for a couple of minutes to get a creamy and rich sauce.
- Add cooked pasta, toss in the crispy oyster mushroom shreds, and enjoy!
Cooking tips
- Use high heat – Fry the oyster mushroom shreds on high heat, so the mushrooms are really fried rather than cooked. In our experience, oyster mushrooms release less moisture than cremini or portobello mushrooms, but still, high heat is what you need in this recipe.
- Don’t fry together onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms – Onion and bell pepper need medium heat as they will burn on high heat, while mushrooms need high heat to get them crispy. You can use the same skillet, though, as they can soak up each other’s juices.
- Don’t cook pasta in the sauce – We don’t recommend it. The pasta release too much starch and will thicken the sauce too much. It is harder to estimate how much extra liquid you need, so the pasta doesn’t absorb too much and dry up the sauce. This pasta dish will be way tastier if you cook the pasta separately.
Variations
- Baking instead of pan-frying. You can bake oyster mushrooms in the oven to get them crispy, as we did in our vegan gyros recipe. Spread the shredded oyster mushrooms (preferably in one layer). Bake them in a preheated oven of 425 Fahrenheit (ca. 218 °C) and bake them for approx. 30 minutes. Depending on the size, the baking time can vary.
- Other vegetables. We love to mix and match depending on what we have in the pantry. This oyster mushroom pasta pairs perfectly with spinach, zucchini, asparagus, sweet corn, or even broccoli.
- Other mushrooms. If you don’t have oyster mushrooms, you can choose any of these oyster mushroom substitutes.
- Other add-ins. Think of beans, lentils, or vegan sausages. Or frozen tofu crumbles, which we use in our plant-based chorizo recipe.
Serving ideas
- Fresh herbs: Chopped fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro would add freshness and color to the dish.
- Vegan Parmesan cheese: Sprinkle some on top before serving.
- Sliced avocado: Its creamy, buttery texture will complement the spiciness of the Cajun seasoning.
- Garlic bread: Serving some warm garlic bread on the side would provide a satisfying crunch and a garlic flavor that would pair well with the dish.
- Salad: Serving a fresh green salad can be a nice contrast to this creamy and spicy oyster mushroom pasta.
Storing tips
You can store oyster mushrooms easily for up to a week in the fridge, or at room temperature for 1-2 days. For more tips, read our how to store oyster mushrooms article.
If you’ve already mixed the penne pasta with the delicious vegan Cajun sauce, you can easily store it in the fridge overnight without any concerns.
However, if you intend to store the dish for multiple days, we recommend keeping the pasta and sauce with the other ingredients separate. This is because the pasta will soak up the sauce over time, resulting in a mushy texture and a sauce that’s too thick and almost non-existent.
FAQs
Yes, especially if you shred them with your fingers. You can pan-fry them and add them to any sauce you want. They have a chewy, meaty texture but don’t have strong earth, mushroom flavor. They are perfect add-ins without deflecting the original flavor.
More oyster mushroom recipes
Don’t know what else to cook with oyster mushrooms? You can find several delicious oyster mushroom recipes here or check out one from the below list:
More pasta recipes
You can browse through these 30+ vegan pasta recipes or our quick vegan meals collection or check out:
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Creamy Cajun Oyster Mushroom Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 servings Pasta we used penne, but you can choose any other pasta
- 4 Tbsp Olive oil
- 10 oz Oyster mushrooms
- 1 Onion (medium)
- ½ Bell Pepper
- 1 14-oz can Chopped tomatoes
- ⅓ cup Veggie broth
- ⅓ cup Full-fat coconut cream (canned)
- 2 Spring onion
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Homemade cajun seasoning
- ¼ tsp Cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp Sweet smoked paprika powder
- 1 tsp Oregano dried
- 1 tsp Thyme (dried)
- ½ tsp Garlic powder
- ½ tsp Onion powder
- ¼ tsp Black pepper
- ¼ tsp Salt
Instructions
Pan-frying oyster mushrooms
- Cut the end of the stem of pearl oyster mushrooms and tear the cap into small shreds with your hands. If the stem is soft enough, you can shred them as well.
- Take a small bowl and mix the marinade (olive oil, cayenne pepper, sweet smoked paprika powder, dried oregano, dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt)
- Add shredded oyster mushroom to the marinade and mix well. Leave it for 5-10 minutes.
- Take a frying pan or a skillet and heat it to high heat. Add the marinated oyster mushrooms in one layer (work in batches if you plan to make more servings).
- Stir with a spatula and fry the shredded oyster mushrooms until nice and crispy. It took us about 10-15 minutes tops. Add a dash of (1 tsp) olive oil if the oyster mushroom feels too dry.
Prepare the other ingredients
- Peel and chop the onion. Wash the bell pepper. Make ¼-inch (4-5 mm) wide slices. Quick tips: If you have large bell peppers, you might want to cut the strips in half.
Making the Cajun pasta sauce
- Take the same frying pan or skillet you used to fry the mushroom and heat to medium. Add chopped onion and fry them for approx. 2-3 minutes until the onion gets soft and tender.
- Add sliced bell pepper and fry them together for another 5 minutes. You are ready when the bell pepper slices soften and have little brownish edges. The same for the onions, as they become caramelized and brownish.
- Add canned chopped tomatoes and bring them to a boil. Cook until tomatoes soften.
- Add veggie broth and full-fat coconut cream and stir until combined. Bring it to a boil.
- Add cooked pasta and pan-fried oyster mushroom shreds, and enjoy!
Notes
- Use high heat – Fry the oyster mushroom shreds on high heat, so the mushrooms are really fried rather than cooked. In our experience, oyster mushrooms release less moisture than cremini or portobello mushrooms, but still, high heat is what you need in this recipe.
- Don’t fry together onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms – Onion and bell pepper need medium heat as they will burn on high heat, while mushrooms need high heat to get them crispy. You can use the same skillet, though, as they can soak up each other’s juices.
- Don’t cook pasta in the sauce – We don’t recommend it. The pasta release too much starch and will thicken the sauce too much. It is harder to estimate how much extra liquid you need, so the pasta doesn’t absorb too much and dry up the sauce. This pasta dish will be way tastier if you cook the pasta separately.
- Alternatively, you can bake them as we did in our vegan gyros recipe.
Video
Nutrition
UPDATED: This recipe was originally posted in Feb 2021. More info and details were added, and it was republished in April 2023.
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