Mushroom Bourguignon

Name: Vegan Mushroom Bourguignon
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 12 oz cremini mushrooms or button mushrooms ((sliced. Use a mix of shiitake and crimini if possible or just either one)); 1/2 cup dry, sliced shiitake mushrooms ((Optional. If using, soak in 2 cups water to reconstitute, then drained. Reserve the stock)); 2 tsp thyme ((divided)); 1 tsp sage; 1/4 cup gluten-free all purpose flour; 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil ((divided)); 1 large carrot ((finely diced)); 2 shallots ((finely diced, or onions are fine too. You can even use leeks for a variation, both green and white parts.)); 3 stalks celery ((finely diced)); 4 cloves garlic ((minced)); 1/2 cup red wine ((I use brandy sometimes)); 2 heaping tbsp tomato paste; 2 cups vegetable stock ((if you don't use the dry mushrooms and don't have mushroom stock. Or water works too)); 2 tbsp tamari; Salt and ground black pepper to taste; 1 tbsp vegan butter; 2 tbsp parsley ((finely chopped))

by Vaishali Honawar · Jun 26, 2024 · 26 Comments

5 from 16 votes

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Total time: 30

This mushroom bourguignon recipe is a meatless adaptation of the popular French recipe, boeuf bourguignon. The chewy texture and hearty flavor of mushrooms pairs beautifully with the savory red wine sauce. This recipe takes just 30 minutes to make and it's gluten-free and nut-free.

Love mushrooms? Be sure to try out my mushroom stew, mushroom ragout and mushroom stroganoff.

Overhead shot of mushroom bourguignon, a meaty yet meatless vegan stew in a gray-blue hand-glazed bowl with a fork, gray napkin and parsley on a black background

The other day I stumbled across an episode of Julia Child cooking up beef bourguignon on what appeared to be the first episode of her pioneering television show, The French Chef. I could watch Julia cook all day any day, even if she almost always makes things I don't eat. But she usually sets off a craving, and this time it was for my vegan Mushroom Bourguignon.

What is mushroom bourguignon

Mushroom bourguignon is a vegan version of the French recipe boeuf bourguignon. It's is a stew made by simmering mushrooms in a rich red wine sauce with a base of tomato paste, herbs and more veggies.

This vegan bourguignon is inspired by the French original and it's a recipe I've perfected over many years. I love serving it over a bed or flat noodles or mashed potatoes for a hearty, delicious, healthy meal.

There is so much I love about this dish, and chief among them are:

-a multitude of textures and flavors.

-silky, sauce that coats your tongue with so many explosive notes of salty, sweet richness.

-the ease of preparation

-nutritional benefits. There is some fat in this dish but it is quite low-calorie and packed with good vitamins and even a good amount of protein and fiber.

A close up of a vegan mushroom bouguignon on a bed of fettuccine noodles with parsley and a gray napkin

Top tips for making mushroom bourguignon

Use more than one kind of mushroom as you can, for the most flavor and texture, but one kind works too. I usually use a mix of dry shiitake and fresh crimini mushrooms. You can skip the dry mushrooms, but reconstituting them produces a really great stock that amps up the umami in this recipe.
I like to brown the mushrooms first, for the best flavor and texture. It's an additional step but well worth the trouble and you'll be glad you did it when you take your first bite and go, ooh la la.
The legend goes that bourguignon is so called because it's made with burgundy wine. That said, I've seen versions of beef bourguignon made with brandy, and I use that sometimes, while at others I go with regular old red wine. If you have kids and absolutely won't use wine in your cooking (I get it, but keep in mind the alcohol does cook off so your little ones won't be slurring their speech), use a couple of tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to deglaze the pan.
This is a pretty straightforward recipe, so I don't want to drown you in instructions, except to say that when you cut veggies, try and keep them all in the same size so they cook together evenly.
A bourguignon made by a French chef would likely include a bouquet garni--a mix of herbs. I use two--thyme and sage. I love the sage because it adds more smokiness and depth to the stew, but if you don't have it, you can leave it out. Just use more thyme.
The tamari is not traditional, but I've always used it in my bourguignon because it adds umami and smokiness, along with the mushroom stock and sage. You can use soy sauce or liquid aminos as a substitute.
With any stew, and especially with a vegan stew, the seasoning is key. Make sure you taste frequently and add salt and pepper as needed to make your stew as tasty as can be.
If you're trying to stay away from fat and do not want to add the vegan butter at the end, you can leave it out, but the butter really helps smooth the sauce out even more, giving it a truly velvety texture and rounding out all of the flavors very nicely. It's not a whole lot--a tablespoon for four servings--but you get a great return on those calories.

Serving suggestions

The bourguignon is robust enough to be paired with almost any grain, but it's usually served with a flat noodle like a pappardelle that can nicely cradle the plush sauce. This time I used a gluten-free fettuccine noodle made with brown rice and corn, making the meal entirely gf, and it was so, so good.

You can also serve the bourguignonne with creamy vegan mashed potatoes or, to keep things very French, with this colorful ratatouille.

More vegan mushroom recipes

Vegan Mushroom Bourguignon in a bowl over a bed of flat noodles.

Recipe card

Vegan Mushroom Bourguignon

This Vegan Mushroom Bourguignon recipe is a meatless adaptation of the popular French recipe, boeuf bourguignon. The chewy texture and meaty flavor of mushrooms is perfect with the savory red wine sauce.

5 from 16 votes

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servings

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Ingredients

12 oz cremini mushrooms or button mushrooms (sliced. Use a mix of shiitake and crimini if possible or just either one)
½ cup dry, sliced shiitake mushrooms (Optional. If using, soak in 2 cups water to reconstitute, then drained. Reserve the stock)
2 teaspoon thyme (divided)
1 teaspoon sage
¼ cup gluten-free all purpose flour (or 2 tablespoon cornstarch or tapioca starch. If not gluten-free, you can use regular all purpose flour too.)
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (divided)
1 large carrot (finely diced)
2 shallots (finely diced, or onions are fine too. You can even use leeks for a variation, both green and white parts.)
3 stalks celery (finely diced)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
½ cup red wine (I use brandy sometimes)
2 heaping tbsp tomato paste
2 cups vegetable stock (if you don't use the dry mushrooms and don't have mushroom stock. Or water works too)
2 tablespoon tamari
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon vegan butter
2 tablespoon parsley (finely chopped)

Instructions

In a bowl, place the crimini mushrooms and the reconstituted dry mushrooms, if using. Add the sage, 1 teaspoon thyme, salt and ground black pepper to taste and the flour. Mix well to coat the mushrooms. It's okay if you have some dry flour remaining at the bottom of the bowl, it will form a nice roux to thicken the stew.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saucepan large enough to cook the stew in. Add the mushrooms along with any remaining flour and cook, stirring frequently, over medium-high heat until the mushrooms brown. Scrape the bottom of the pan if the flour sticks. The mushrooms should express enough moisture for you to do this easily enough, but it's okay if some brown bits remain stuck, they will add more flavor to the stew. Remove the mushrooms to a plate and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in the same pan. Add the onions, celery and carrots. Season with salt and ground black pepper and saute until the onions turn translucent and the veggies are somewhat softened.
Add the remaining thyme and garlic and saute another two minutes. Add the wine or brandy and let the alcohol cook off. When most of the moisture has evaporated, add the tomato paste and mix well.
Add the vegetable stock (or the reserved mushroom stock) and the tamari. Stir well to mix. Add the reserved mushrooms.
Bring the stew to a boil. Add more water or vegetable stock if it seems too thick. Just before you turn off the heat, check for seasoning and add more salt and ground black pepper if needed. Add the vegan butter and stir it in.
Serve hot over a bed of noodles or mashed potatoes.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 201kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 6gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gPotassium: 729mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 3742IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 58mgIron: 2mg

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Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

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