This vegan Irish whiskey sauce is loaded with flavor from mushrooms, herbs, garlic, creamy cashews and half a cup of Irish whiskey. Serve it for dinner this St. Patrick's Day over my grilled tofu steaks in an Irish whiskey marinade for a double whammy of deliciousness.
I have always had a deep love of Irish food, which started with my first bite of an Irish lamb stew (my vegan version here) and deepened further during my visits to this charming country. Over the years I've loved experimenting with vegan versions of my favorite Irish foods, including vegan Irish hand pies, the ubiquitous but delightful Irish soda bread, and vegan Irish shepherd's pie.
This Irish whiskey sauce was one more dish I admired when my omnivore husband tucked into it at an Irish pub one evening as I watched with envy. But now I have a vegan version to rival the original.
One of the key flavor ingredients in this sauce is Irish whiskey. In case you're wondering, Barnivore affirms that all Irish whiskey is vegan, including Jameson's, which I used.
Irish whiskey, spelled with an "e" like the American version, differs from Scotch in a few key ways, including a smoother flavor and a lighter color. I am not a big whisky drinker, but I do love cooking with it. While beers like Guinness can be assertive and work well in dishes like hearty stews, whiskey, in my opinion, is a better option for sauces where it adds richness without too much personality.
Whiskey definitely makes this vegan Irish whiskey sauce a keeper. Even if you are not a drinker, it is well worth trying it out here. The alcohol cooks out leaving just pure deliciousness behind, and you won't taste it nor will you get drunk (if you think that's a good thing ;))
What you'll love this recipe
- Smooth and creamy
- Delicious
- Full of flavor from the whiskey and mushrooms. Herbs add a pop of flavor.
- Super easy to make.
- Healthy
- Certified kid friendly! Jay, for once, didn't even bat an eyelid at the mushrooms.
My top tips
- Soak the cashews for the sauce about 30 minutes ahead of blending, for a smooth texture. A high powered blender will do the trick even if you don't soak, but soaking the cashews doesn't hurt either way.
- Allergic to nuts? Use pumpkin seeds instead of cashews. Make sure they are raw.
- There is flour in the recipe, to thicken the sauce. You can use all purpose, or, if gluten-free, use rice flour or gluten-free flour.
- Make sure you cook out the alcohol in the whiskey. To do this, after you add the whiskey, let most of it reduce and disappear. Then add the remaining ingredients.
- I use crimini mushrooms in the recipe, but any mushroom would work here, including wild mushrooms or dry mushrooms. If using dry mushrooms reconstitute them by soaking in hot water for 30 minutes. You can use the soaking water to replace some of the stock in the recipe.
- Use mushroom stock for more umami. If you don't have it, a regular vegetable stock will also work.
- Use lots of herbs. I add rosemary and sage, which are great, smoky flavors in this sauce. You could sub with thyme or oregano--either would work here. Finish with a shower of parsley.
Recipe card
Vegan Irish Whiskey Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil or any neutral oil
- 1 medium onion (minced)
- 4 cloves garlic (crushed and minced)
- 1 heaping tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms or button mushrooms (or button mushrooms, cut into slices or chopped. You can also use wild mushrooms, or dry mushrooms. If using dry mushrooms, reconstitute them by soaking in hot water for 30 minutes. You can use the soaking water in lieu of stock in the recipe)
- ½ cup Irish whiskey (Jameson's is vegan, as are a few other brands)
- 1 teaspoon rosemary (dry. Use 1 tablespoon if using fresh rosemary)
- 1 teaspoon sage (dry. Use 1 tablespoon if using fresh sage)
- 2 tablespoon flour (either all purpose or gluten-free are fine)
- 3 cups vegetable stock (mushroom stock is even better, Or use the water remaining from soaking dry mushrooms)
- 2 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce)
- 1 teaspoon vegan worcestershire sauce (optional. Use more soy sauce or tamari instead)
- ¼ cup raw cashews
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Soak the cashews in ½ cup of the vegetable stock for 30 minutes. You can skip this step if you've got a high-powered blender. Blitz into a very smooth cream and set aside.
- In a saucepan or wide skillet, heat the oil. Add the onions and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and saute until the onions turn translucent but are not yet beginning to brown.
- Add the mustard and the mushrooms to the pot and saute until the mushrooms soften, a couple of minutes.
- Add the whiskey to the pot and mix in. Wait until most of the liquid in the pot has evaporated. Stir occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking. This should take no more than 5 minutes.
- Add the herbs to the pot, then mix in the flour until the mushrooms have absorbed it.
- Add the remaining vegetable stock along with the tamari and the worcestershire sauce and mix in. Bring to a boil and let the sauce simmer five minutes.
- Stir in the cashew paste, which should further thicken the sauce a bit. If the sauce is too thick for your liking, you can add more vegtable stock. If you want it thicker, let it continue to reduce a bit longer over heat.
- Garnish with parsley before serving.
Nutrition Information
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Recipe FAQs
I love serving these vegan Irish Whiskey Marinated Tofu Steaks with this sauce. Together, they make a hearty, hefty and delicious meal anyone would love.
Absolutely. Use it with tempeh or cauliflower steaks, or eat it with a long pasta like fettuccine or pappardelle.
The sauce can be made up to three days ahead. Refrigerate after it cools down. You can also freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to three months.
Deb Z says
Looks great! When you say 8 servings, how many cups does this make?
Clara says
I know the emphasis is on the whisky but is there any way to make this without the whisky? Is there a non-alcoholic substitute?
Vaishali says
Hi, yes you can absolutely do it without the whisky. Use a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar at the time you would add the whisky and let it evaporate before adding other ingredients. The whiskey adds its own unique flavor but the sauce will still be delicious without it.