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Creamy Polenta with Wild Mushrooms is an easy, elegant dish with layers of flavor. HolyCowVegan.net
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5 from 2 votes

Creamy Vegan Polenta with Wild Mushrooms

This Creamy Vegan Polenta with Wild Mushrooms is an easy, elegant dish to serve family and friends or cook for yourself when you feel like an indulgence without too much work -- or calories. The creamy, cheesy polenta is topped with a textured, flavorful wild mushroom gravy that's to die for. A gluten-free, vegan recipe.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian American fusion
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 300kcal

Ingredients

For the creamy polenta:

  • 1 cup polenta or cornmeal
  • 1 teaspoon dry sage
  • ½ cup raw cashews
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • A few dashes of tamari or soy sauce or liquid aminos
  • Salt and ground black pepper to taste

For the mushroom gravy:

  • ½ cup dry porcini mushrooms
  • 1 cup dry shiitake mushrooms
  • 8 oz fresh crimini mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup dry white wine (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon raw cashews
  • 2 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari or liquid aminos
  • 1 teaspoon dry thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dry sage
  • Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Make the creamy polenta:

  • Blend the cashews with ½ cup water and the nutritional yeast. Set aside.
  • Heat 2 cups water. Season with salt, ground pepper, tamari or soy sauce or aminos, and sage. Bring to a boil and slowly add in the polenta or cornmeal, whisking as you add it so lumps don't form.
  • Turn the heat to low and continue cooking the polenta for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. If the mixture gets too dry, add some water but don't make it too watery. You want the polenta to be fairly thick and it should be a bit of a workout for your arm when you stir.
  • Once the polenta is cooked, add the cashew cream and yeast mixture. Stir it in well. Turn off the heat. The cashew cream will help keep the polenta creamy even when it cools down.

Make the wild mushroom gravy:

  • Blend the cashews with an equal quantity of water into a smooth cream.
  • Soak the dry mushrooms in 1 cup of water for 30 minutes.
  • Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the garlic and saute, stirring, for a few seconds until the garlic gets very lightly golden. Add the fresh mushrooms and the dry, reconstituted mushrooms. Squeeze out all the water they were soaked in and reserve it for the sauce.
  • Saute the mushrooms for about five minutes and add the wine. Let the mushrooms cook over medium-high heat until the moisture has evaporated, then add the sage, thyme, ground black pepper, soy sauce or tamari or aminos, and stir to mix. 
  • Add the reserved mushroom stock and let it cook down over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes. Add the cashew cream and heat through. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.
  • Put the creamy polenta in bowls and ladle the mushroom gravy over the polenta. Serve hot or warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 33.5g | Protein: 11.7g | Fat: 14.4g | Potassium: 726mg | Fiber: 4.9g | Sugar: 3.8g | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 4.5mg