King Oyster Scallops with Bulgur Risotto Recipe

This king oyster scallops with bulgur risotto recipe transforms thick slices of king oyster mushroom into beautifully browned, buttery plant-based “scallops” served over creamy bulgur with edamame, nutritional yeast, soy milk, and bright lemon. Featured on VEGANnotvegan with hosts Maddie and Kiki Longo, this impressive vegan main combines savoury mushrooms, nutty grains, aromatic herbs, and ocean-inspired dulse for a restaurant-style meal made entirely from plants.

The Inspiration

King oyster mushrooms have become a favourite ingredient in plant-based cooking because their thick, firm stems have a naturally meaty texture that responds exceptionally well to searing. When sliced into rounds, browned in a hot pan, and basted with vegan butter, thyme, and garlic, they take on an appearance and texture that makes them an inspired plant-based interpretation of seared scallops.

This king oyster mushroom scallops recipe from VEGANnotvegan, hosted by Maddie and Kiki Longo, builds on that idea by pairing the mushrooms with a creamy bulgur risotto. Instead of relying on traditional Arborio rice and dairy, the dish uses coarse bulgur, soy milk, nutritional yeast, and vegan butter to create a rich, comforting base with plenty of plant-forward flavour.

The result is a vegan main course that does not simply depend on imitation. Instead, it uses vegetables, grains, legumes, herbs, and thoughtful cooking techniques to create a satisfying dish with its own distinctive character.

Ingredients

For the King Oyster Scallops

4 king oyster mushroom stems, sliced 1 inch thick
2 tbsp olive oil
¼ cup vegan butter
2 sprigs thyme
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp dulse powder
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large pinch microgreens, for garnish
2 tbsp toasted slivered almonds

For the Bulgur Risotto

2 tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, diced
3 king oyster mushroom caps, diced
1 cup coarse bulgur
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup frozen shelled edamame
1 cup soy milk
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
6 tbsp vegan butter
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Make the Bulgur Risotto

Keep the vegetable broth warm but not boiling in a small pot on the stove.
Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium low heat.
Add the shallot and mushroom caps and cook for 2 minutes, or until the shallot starts to turn translucent.
Add the bulgur and cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes to toast.
Add the white wine vinegar and stir until evaporated.
Slowly ladle in the vegetable stock ¼ cup at a time, stirring between each addition until the liquid has mostly reduced.
Once all the vegetable stock has been added (this should take about 20 minutes), stir in the edamame.
Stir in half the soy milk, let it reduce, then stir in the rest of the soy milk.
Once the liquid has reduced, take the bulgur risotto off the heat and stir in the nutritional yeast, vegan butter, and lemon zest until the vegan butter has all melted.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Make the King Oyster Scallops

Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms cut-side down and sear on the first side for 3-4 minutes, pressing down on them slightly with a spatula occasionally to help them brown evenly.
Flip the mushroom stems over and cook on the second side for 3-4 minutes.
Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper.
Add the vegan butter, thyme sprig, and garlic clove to the pan and baste the mushrooms with the butter for 2-3 minutes.
Take off heat and add in the lemon juice.

Assemble

Serve the risotto in the center of a plate or shallow bowl, topped with the king oyster scallops and some of the pan sauce.
Sprinkle the dulse powder on top of the king oyster scallops.
Garnish with toasted slivered almonds and a small bunch of microgreens.

Serving Suggestions

This king oyster scallops with bulgur risotto recipe works beautifully as an elegant vegan dinner, date-night meal, dinner-party main, or plant-based centrepiece when you want something more refined than an everyday grain bowl. Because the bulgur risotto contains mushrooms, edamame, soy milk, vegan butter, and nutritional yeast, it is already hearty enough to stand on its own as a complete main course.

For a larger meal, pair it with a crisp green salad dressed with lemon vinaigrette, roasted asparagus, charred broccolini, sautéed greens, or simply prepared seasonal vegetables. The freshness of green vegetables provides a useful contrast to the creamy bulgur and buttery mushrooms.

For entertaining, serve the dish in warm shallow bowls so the risotto stays creamy for longer. Arrange the golden king oyster scallops across the top rather than mixing them into the grain so their caramelized surfaces remain visible. A spoonful of the thyme, garlic, vegan butter, and lemon pan sauce can be drizzled over the mushrooms just before serving.

Final Thoughts

This king oyster scallops with bulgur risotto recipe demonstrates how plant-based cooking can use familiar techniques in entirely new ways. Rather than simply replacing an animal-based ingredient with a substitute, the recipe works with the natural strengths of king oyster mushrooms, bulgur, edamame, nutritional yeast, and aromatic seasonings to create a dish that feels complete on its own.

Find more recipes from VEGANnotvegan here!