Mushroom on Rye with Pickled Celery – a cheesy, easy and tasty sandwich; perfect for pairing with your favorite soup and a fresh green salad. Simple and satisfying…
Sometimes, I’m in the mood for a classic, no-fuss, easy-prep meal: soup, salad and sandwich. If I have some leftover soup and fresh greens in my refrigerator, all I have to “do” is make a simple sandwich.
For a “hot” sandwich, I top the bread with whatever I’m in the mood for, sprinkle some cheese and toast it. One of my favorite combinations is mushroom and Parmesan. I just love the taste of Parmesan cheese melting through succulent mushrooms, with all the flavorful juices trickling down into the bread.
I also enjoy experimenting with different breads and interesting add-ons with the basic mushroom and cheese theme. Somewhere along the line, I hit upon this delightful combination: dark rye bread, sliced mushrooms, pickled celery tops and Parmesan cheese. Throw it in the oven for a few minutes, take it out and devour!
Pickled Celery Tops – a Tasty and Versatile Condiment
Every time I buy celery, I have these leafy tops that I don’t really like using as crudites because I find the flavor a bit too intense. Of course, I don’t like to throw them away either, because they are packed with vital micro-nutrients. So I usually chop them up, along with the tender stems and add them to something – soup, pasta sauce, chilli, dips, quiche…. Brief cooking seems to mellow their intense flavor and also adds a nice complexity to whatever dish they get added to.
Pickle-lover that I am, I love pickling the leafy celery tops too – a super-simple pickle, with just a few seasonings. It takes only a few minutes to chop the tops, stir in the seasonings and zap it in the microwave. This tart and zesty pickle holds up well in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 weeks, possibly longer. My tiny stash, typically made from 1 bunch of celery tops, usually gets polished off pretty fast!
How do I use this pickle? Pretty much like I might use a spicy cucumber relish – on a sandwich, mix into a creamy dip, potato salad, pasta salad, cole slaw, etc. I sometimes mix it in with pasta, put it inside a quesadilla, and Yesss… I even like to put it on pizza! If you eat eggs, meat and/or seafood, you might enjoy stirring it into egg salad, chicken salad, tuna salad, shrimp salad… A versatile condiment, indeed!
Mushrooms – love-’em or hate-’em!
Mushrooms… you either love them or you hate them! If you love them, then perhaps this “Mushroom on Rye” with pickled celery might quickly become one of your favorite sandwiches.
A little tip, born out of first-hand experience…. Don’t use super-fresh, soft bread. Why not? The salt in the pickled celery releases moisture from the mushrooms, which flows down into the bread and makes it soggy. I like to use slightly stale bread – 1-2 days old, so that when it absorbs the mushroom “juice”, it becomes perfectly moist again… NO sogginess! Perfect way to use up the last few slices of that day-old loaf of bread you’ve got sitting around.
And…. If you like mushrooms, perhaps you might also enjoy another mushroom-based sandwich I posted recently: Mushroom Capsicum Pockets, an easy Pita-pocket sandwich you can fix on short notice.
Mushroom – Nutritious, with good protein, vitamins, minerals….
Mushrooms…. Yes, even the humble white button mushrooms, are surprisingly nutritious. Low in carbs and with lots of micro-nutrients, high quality protein, a good amount of Vitamin D, they support our well-being in a multitude of ways. Rich in potassium, they counter the negative impact that high levels of sodium can have, and help you maintain healthy blood pressure. Mushrooms have also been shown to stimulate the production of microphages in bone marrow. These tiny white blood cells, along with their bigger cousins, the macrophages, are instrumental in helping you fight off infection.
Plus…. I love the fact that mushrooms are so easy to prep and that they cook really fast! It is so easy to incorporate extra nutrients into our diets, without adding a hefty calorie-load – just perfect for our modern lifestyles!
Serving ideas for pairing with Mushroom On Rye Sandwiches
Wondering what kind of soup and salad to have this sandwich with? Something light might be best, I think. I recommend trying this fast-fix Tomato Basil Soup, which is ready in 15 min if you happen to have some tomato juice stocked.
As for the salad… Just use whatever you have on hand. Build a base with some greens, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers… Then top it with some nuts and fresh fruit – berries, grapes, peaches, mango, pineapple…. Are you drooling yet? Drizzle a bit of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, a pinch of sugar or some golden honey, salt and pepper… Toss it together, maybe even start nibbling a little, as you wait for your sandwich to get toasted to perfection.
Special Diets
This Mushroom on Rye sandwich is vegetarian, soy-free and nut-free. To make it vegan, replace the Parmesan with your favorite dairy-free cheese. If you wish to make it gluten-free, simply replace the rye bread with a gluten-free bread you like.
Another fun vegan idea if you can have soy-based foods: replace the Parmesan cheese with salty-tangy “tofu-feta”. What’s that, you might wonder…. I stumbled upon this intriguing idea fairly recently, experimented with it and decided to tweak it a bit. Check Recipe Notes – I have given details for making this “pickle juice”-marinated tofu.
You need to marinate the tofu at least overnight, but you don’t need to finish it all up at once… Use what you need, then store the rest in the refrigerator, for another time… another use…. It’s good for at least 2-3 weeks, possibly longer. The tofu becomes even more flavorful as it marinates – no more bland tofu!
So… The next time you want a warm and toasty sandwich, maybe you can make this delightfully zesty take on a classic Mushroom on Rye sandwich….. with pickled celery and Parmesan to elevate it to new heights! So very easy to make… and Ohh,…so satisfying!
If you like to try fun new ideas for sandwiches, perhaps you might also like this simple, open-faced sandwich, made with pan-fried spicy Zucchini slices: Easy Zucchini Melt on crusty sourdough.
Do leave a review and star rating – much appreciated.
Enjoy!
Mushroom on Rye with Pickled Celery – Easy and Cheesy
Equipment
- 1 Toaster oven preferred If not available, you can use an AirFryer or griddle-toast on stove-top ; will need a heavy bottom griddle (cast iron / stainless steel / non-stick). See Recipe Notes for directions.
- 1 Microwave-safe glass/ceramic cereal bowl I do not recommend using plastic bowls
- 1 Baking tray – small – to fit inside toaster oven non-stick preferred; if not available, line tray with parchment paper to prevent sandwiches from sticking during baking
Ingredients
- 3 pieces Mushrooms- small-medium, white button / brown baby Bellas (Crimini) 1/8 inch (2-3mm) thick slices
- 4 slices Dark Rye bread if not available, use any bread of your choice. Sliced sourdough is a great option. Use gluten-free bread if you need to make a gluten-free sandwich.
- 2 tsp Butter – softened for easy spreading use your favorite non-dairy substitute for a vegan option.
- 1 tbsp Pickled Celery-Tops See Recipe below
- 1/4 cup Shredded Parmesan if not available, it's fine to use another shredded cheese – Cheddar, Swiss, Mozzarella, etc. Use your preferred dairy-free cheese for a vegan sandwich; See Recipe Notes for directions for making Tofu-Feta, for a soy-based vegan option.
- 1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper – optional omit if you prefer less spicy sandwich
- 1/2 tsp Dried Parsley – optional Adds good color and a hint of flavor.
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper – freshly crushed preferred – optional
For making Celery-Tops Pickle
- 1/2 cup Celery tops – leaves and tender stems – chopped from 1 bunch of celery
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 1/8 tsp Citric acid
- 1/8 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
- 1/4 tsp Dill seeds
- 2 tsp Vinegar – apple cider vinegar preferred if not available, use white wine vinegar / rice vinegar / distilled vinegar
Instructions
- Clean the mushrooms with a brush, or rinse quickly in a colander; spread on a clean kitchen towel to remove excess moisture. Slice the mushrooms – top to bottom, medium thin
- Butter 4 slices of sliced dark rye bread; arrange the mushroom slices on top of 2 pieces. Spread celery-leaf pickle over the mushrooms (see directions below for making celery-leaf pickle). Sprinkle with freshly crushed black pepper
- Top with shredded Parmesan cheese
- Toaster oven:Preheat toaster oven: 350 F (180 C) for 2-3 min; arrange prepared slices for 1 sandwich on non-stick coated baking tray, Note: Line tray with parchment if using a un-coated tray to prevent sticking during baking.AirFryer: Preheat 350 F (180 C) for 2-3 min; arrange prepared slices in the basket. Note: Line basket with parchment paper or brush on a thin layer of oil before placing bread in the basket.Stove-top:See Recipe Notes for detailed directions
- Bake (or AirFry) at 350 F for 4-6 min – until cheese melts and starts to brown a little – check after 4 min, continue if needed.Repeat with 2nd sandwich.
- Sprinkle dried parsley and crushed red pepper. Sserve hot, with a side of your favorite soup and salad.
- Enjoy!
Celery tops
- Slice the leafy tops from celery stalks; rinse and spread on a clean kitchen towel to remove excess moisture (or use a salad spinner); chop the tender stems and leaves
- Chop the tender stems and leaves
- Place the chopped celery in a microwave-safe glass/ceramic bowl. Add the seasonings: salt, crushed red pepper, dill seeds, citric acid and microwave for 1 min. Set aside to cool. Add 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar and stir to mix.Makes about 1/4 cup pickle. Use as described above for making this sandwich. Store leftover pickle in a lidded glass jar in refrigerator good for 2-3 weeks, possibly longer.
Notes
No Toaster Oven / AirFryer : Grill/toast on the Stove-top
If you don’t have a toaster oven or AirFryer, no worries… it’s easy to grill/toast these sandwiches on a frying pan on the stove-top.- Heat a heavy-bottom griddle/frying pan on medium heat for a couple of minutes
- Place the sandwich on the pan – open-face style, as shown in the picture for toasting in the oven
- Cover the pan, decrease heat to low/medium and cook for 5-6 min.
- Lift cover and check:
- has the cheese melted ?
- lift a corner of the sandwich slices with a spatula and peek underneath – does it look a little browned?
- Lift cover and check:
- Remove the grilled pieces from the pan, invert the buttered slice (buttered side down) on top of the cheese-topped slice.
- Serve hot.
Vegan Tofu-Feta:
Pickled tofu is a tasty vegan alternative to shredded Parmesan. However, it is not soy-free, since tofu is made with soybeans.- Tear tofu block into small uneven-shaped chunky pieces (to resemble Feta in appearance)
- some will crumble – that’s perfectly OK
- Transfer tofu pieces to a wide-mouthed glass jar – Mason Jar works well
- Bring 1 cup water to a boil; then stir in the following seasonings
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp citric acid
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1/2 tsp basil
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- Boil the “pickle-juice” for 30 seconds and set aside to cool to room temperature
- Add 1 tbsp vinegar – I prefer apple cider vinegar, but white wine vinegar, rice vinegar, or distilled vinegar works well too.
Do-Ahead Plans
If you plan to make these sandwiches for a larger crowd, here are some things you can “do ahead”:- Make the celery tops pickle -1-2 days in advance
- Slice the mushrooms – up to 1 day in advance
- make sure the mushrooms are dry
- Shred the Parmesan, if using a cheese block – up to 1 day in advance
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover sandwiches in a covered container in the refrigerator. To re-heat: Use one of the following methods:- Toaster oven
- Bake in a preheated toaster oven at 350 F (180 C) for 3-5 min until heated through and slightly crispy
- Stove-top
- Heat a griddle or frying pan; add a drop of oil (any edible oil you prefer) and spread with a paper towel; place the sandwich on the griddle, cover with a dome-type lid and heat on low-medium heat for 4-6 min until heated through and crisp on the bottom; flip carefully and continue to heat until crisp on the other side.
- AirFryer
- Place in the AirFryer basket and AirFry at 350F (180 C) for 5-6 min until crisped
- I do NOT recommend re-heating in the microwave
- the sandwich will likely become soggy and unappetizing
Wonderfully written with lots of tips and other ways to cook….it’s quite exhaustive and any lay person can begin to cook…
Plus taken care of the calories and the nutrients story….
So much flavours of different types you add to the story of your cooking recipie
Sorry forgot to rate before ….
I think you have done a wonderful job in writing the way you do…
The passion and the thinking comes across very clearly…
Even a lay person will empowered to try the dish after reading your descriptions.
Thanks, Usha, for your kind comments – feedback like this is so encouraging!
Thanks Usha! I’m so glad you like all the details I include. My Mom was a wonderful teacher and helped me learn so much because of all her tips. As they say, the devil’s in the details!