Halloween decorations may still be gently swaying in the breeze, playfully teasing the onset of fall, but every serious cook and baker knows the truth: It’s game time.

Thanksgiving Menu Planning Starts Now

November marks the official start of The Holiday Season, replete with Thanksgiving feasts, Christmas cookies, and all the festive snacks in between. Now is your chance to map out a plan to maximize your meals with minimal effort. As such, the grand meatless entree is always a key consideration, prone to sending experienced hosts into fits of anxiety. There’s nothing wrong with grabbing a frozen roast at the grocery store, but given the opportunity to prep this far in advance, I’d implore you to consider a more thoughtful, homemade main dish.

Meet Your New Holiday Centerpiece

Rich with the heady umami flavor of Sugimoto shiitake mushrooms, this free-form pie folds silky caramelized onions into roasted garlic and sliced mushroom caps, celebrating the interplay between sweet and savory. Time, not skill, is the most essential ingredient in making this Caramelized Onion & Shiitake Galette, which is why I wanted to put it on your radar, post-haste. As an edible ode to the season, each slice embodies an ideal tapestry of autumn’s earthy, naturally comforting tastes and textures.

Why Pie?

Close your eyes and imagine the sound of flaxen leaves crunching beneath your feet. That’s the essence of this pastry foundation; crispy, golden, and somehow instantly nostalgic. As your fork glides through its layers, there’s a satisfying resistance, followed by a buttery surrender that melts into a crescendo of intense flavor from the filling.

Enhancing Inherent Sweetness

Garlic and onions are both remarkably sweet ingredients when treated with care. Cooked low and slow, the natural sugars come to the fore, caramelizing and intensifying like straight-up vegetable candy. What really sets this filling apart are the shiitake mushrooms, already known flavor enhancers, that are soaked in woodsy apple cider rather than plain water. Sugimoto koshin shiitake have broad, flat caps, perfect for slicing into meaty ribbons that mimic the shape of the onion strings. Their edges crisp gently in the oven, amplifying the whole experience. Subtly tart, with a splash of balsamic vinegar thrown in for good measure, crafting the perfect bite is all about balance.

But What About The Protein?

If you’re worried about fending off pointed questions from “concerned” family members about your protein intake, fear not. You can easily pack in the plant-based protein in a number of ways:

• Serve smothered with chickpea gravy
• Top with crumbled tofu feta
• Mix cooked black lentils into the filling
• Use the leftover cider to make Cider-Marinated Tofu Turkeys

Make-Ahead and Storage Tips

No one wants to spend the holiday in the kitchen while the rest of the family gets to relax around a crackling fire. Lay out your agenda days or weeks ahead of time to simplify the whole process, and make sure you get to enjoy the occasion too.

1. Make the pie crust first since it needs to chill. You can prep it up to 6 months in advance and store it in the freezer. Simply thaw at room temperature before rolling.
2. Prep the filling up to 5 days in advance. Simply transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge.
3. Once assembled, the unbaked galette can be loosely covered with plastic wrap and frozen on the sheet pan for up to 1 month. You can bake it directly from frozen; just increase the bake time by about 10 minutes.
4. Leftovers, if you have any, can be stored in a covered container for up to 3 days. To reheat, pop individual slices into the toaster oven at 350 degrees for 8 – 12 minutes, until hot and crispy.

Fall For This Autumnal Comfort Food

As you stand on the threshold of the holiday season, looking ahead at all the festive meals to make and share, remember that the best meals unfold slowly, with care and creativity. As such, a holiday entree like this caramelized onion and shiitake galette isn’t just sustenance; it’s a celebration of textures and flavors that captures the essence of autumn. May its rustic beauty, with a golden, flaky crust and rich, earthy filling, be the beginning of a joyous Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hannukah, or any festive occasion.

Continue to Content

Yield: Makes 6 - 8 Servings

Caramelized Onion & Shiitake Galette

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This free-form pie folds silky caramelized onions into roasted garlic and sliced mushroom caps, celebrating the interplay between sweet and savory. It's the perfect plant-based entree for holidays or any special occasion.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Additional Time 2 hours

Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

Classic Crust:

• 1 1/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 Teaspoon Granulated Sugar
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
• 6 Tablespoons Vegan Butter, Chilled, Cut into Small Pieces
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice
• 1 – 2 Tablespoons Ice-Cold Water

Shiitake Mushroom, Roasted Garlic, and Caramelized Onion Filling:

• 1 (2.74 Ounce) Package Koshin Shiitake Mushrooms
• 2 Cups Apple Cider or Apple Juice
• 2 Heads Garlic
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 3 Medium Yellow, White, and/or Red Onions, Halved and Thinly Sliced
• 1/4 - 3/4 Teaspoon Salt, Divided
• 2 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
• 1/2 Teaspoon Poultry Seasoning
• 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
• 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper or Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• Fresh Parsley, Minced (Optional, To Serve)

Instructions

1. To make the crust, place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of your food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse 6 – 8 times, until the mixture resembles very coarsely ground almond meal. A few small chunks of butter should remain visible, but nothing larger than the size of peas. Sprinkle lemon juice and the first tablespoon of water in while pulsing a few times to incorporate. If the dough holds together when squeezed, you’re good to go. If it remains crumbly, keep adding water while pulsing, just a teaspoon at a time, until the dough is cohesive.
   
   
2. Press the dough into a smooth ball and flatten it into a disk, about 1/2 inch in thickness. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and let chill for at least an hour in the fridge, or up to a week. To save the unbaked dough even longer, store the pieces in your freezer for up to 6 months.
   
   
3. For the filling, begin by placing the mushrooms in a glass jar or airtight container and adding the apple cider or juice. Seal or cover with plastic wrap to keep all the mushrooms submerged, and soak for at least 1 hour, and ideally overnight.
   
   
4. Prepare the roasted garlic by wrapping both heads in foil and baking at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. I find that this is the easiest approach, without cutting the heads or adding any oil, for getting whole, roasted cloves. Let stand until cool enough to handle, then peel the cloves and discard the papery skins. Set aside.
   
   
5. To caramelize the onions, drizzle the oil into a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the onions and begin to saute. After about 10 minutes, they should begin to soften and wilt; season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and continue to cook, stirring periodically. Deglaze with the vinegar and soy sauce after around 25 - 30 minutes, or earlier if you see the onions starting to stick. Sprinkle in the poutry seasoning, thyme, and pepper.
   
   
6. Meanwhile, prep the mushrooms by cutting off the stems (save them for another recipe, like shiitake tacos) and slicing the caps into 1/4-inch strips.
   
   
7. After about 45 minutes, the onions should be silky in texture and amber-brown in color. Remove from the heat and fold in roasted garlic cloves and mushrooms. Add more salt to taste, if needed. Let cool completely before proceeding.
   
   
8. When you're ready to assemble the galette, roll out the pie dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about an 1/8th of an inch in thickness, as round as you can possibly make it. Don’t fret if it’s a bit misshapen; that will only add to the charm. Transfer the flat circle of crust to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and add the filling to the center, piling it up high. Leave a border of about 1 inches of the dough clean. Fold over the sides to contain the filling. Place the baking sheet in your fridge to stay cool while you heat the oven.
   
   
9. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and bake the galette in the center for 35 – 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the mushrooms on top of the filling lightly crisped around the edges. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before topping with a pinch of fresh parsley, if desired, and serve immediately while still warm.

Recommended Products

Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have experience with all of these companies and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links.

• 
  Forest-grown Japanese Shiitake Powder 40g, Natural Umami Booster
• 
  Japanese Dried Shiitake DONKO, 25-42mm, 70g
• 
  Japanese Dried Shiitake KOSHIN, 42-75mm, 70g

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 246Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 383mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 1gSugar: 11gProtein: 3g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.