Recipes

Vegetarian Mushroom Larb

Serves 3-4

| Prep Time: 15 mins

| Cook Time: 15 mins

| Total Time: 30 mins

You may need: Laotian Larb

Discover The Recipe

'Larb' is a meat salad from Laos that is popular around Southeast Asia and traditionally made with ground pork, beef, duck, or chicken. In our vegetarian version, we substitute mushrooms for ground meat without sacrificing flavor. Seasoned with lime juice, toasted rice powder, spices, and plenty of fresh herbs, this Vegetarian Mushroom Larb is loaded with flavor, healthy, and easy to make. If you prefer to try an authentic meat-based version, check out our Laotian Larb recipe.

In this dish, earthy mushrooms contrast with bright lime juice and a kiss of heat from chilis. We use Oyster mushrooms in this recipe, but you can substitute or combine any common variety of mushrooms. Chop the mushrooms fine enough to stand in for the texture of ground meat. Our Laotian Larb spice blend features toasted rice powder, a common pantry ingredient in Thai and Laotian cuisine. It’s made by toasting raw sticky rice in a hot wok until golden, then grinding it into a powder. It adds a unique nutty flavor to larb and just a hint of texture. It can be a little fussy to make rice powder at home, but we have you covered! It’s all done for you in our Laotian Larb blend. Serve with lettuce cups for handheld bites or over sticky / steamed rice.

Ingredients

1 lb oyster mushrooms (any mushrooms will work)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons Piquant Post Laotian Larb
1/4 cup chopped Thai basil
1/4 cup chopped mint
1/4 cup cilantro
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons red onion, sliced
1 Thai chile, seeded and chopped (optional)
2 scallions, chopped

Notes

One delicious way to eat the Mushroom Larb is to use the lettuce leaf as a cup / wrap and fill it with the mushrooms and top with fresh herbs.

You can also serve this dish with steamed rice on the side.

Fresh herbs like cilantro, basil, and mint are essential condiments for Southeast Asian cuisine. Load up a plate with leaves and add to your lettuce cups before you eat.

Instructions

First, chop the mushrooms into small pieces and add to a hot sauté pan with the olive oil. Sauté until tender and lightly browned.

Next, whisk together the lime juice, Piquant Post Laotian Larb, basil, mint, cilantro, soy sauce and sugar. Then, add the cooked mushrooms, red onion, Thai chile and scallions. Toss well.

Next, place the Mushroom Larb on a serving dish and garnish with lime wedges, more herbs and chopped scallions.

Finally, serve with sticky rice and fresh lettuce leaves.

Alternatives & Substitutions

Laotian Larb is traditionally made with ground meat like pork, duck, or beef. Make the traditional meat-based Laotian Larb recipe instead, or try our Crying Tiger Steak with Thai Dipping Sauce. If you love that combination, try our Pineapple Fried Rice with Larb Tofu recipe.
Hate mushrooms? You can use tofu instead! Use extra firm tofu and simply crumble it in a bowl and use it the same way you would the mushrooms.
Thai basil is most commonly found in Asian markets and large supermarkets in urban areas. If you can't find Thai basil for some reason, feel free to use regular basil, or just add in more mint and cilantro.
Thai chiles are extremely hot, so if you prefer your food on the milder side, you can skip this altogether or just use a pinch of chili powder like cayenne pepper, to taste. Jalapeños are a great option as well if you have a hard time finding Thai chiles.
Want something a little crunchier than Laotian Larb lettuce cups? Make Southeast Asian-style tacos using our Laotian Larb meat filing from our meat Larb recipe to fill hard taco shells. Bake the meat-filled shells in an oven for 8-10 mins at 350 deg then fill with your choice of cheese, fresh chopped herbs like cilantro, mint, and basil, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, and/or hot sauce.
Fish sauce is a common ingredient in Asian cuisine. It adds a salty, umami flavor to any dish and should be used in small quantities (as in this recipe). If you can’t get fish sauce it’s widely available online from Amazon, WalMart, etc. You can also substitute 1 TBSP soy sauce and add to the mushrooms during the stir-fry.
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