Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff

5 from 8 votes

In this vegan mushroom stroganoff recipe, a silky vegan cream sauce coats chewy mushrooms, providing the perfect combination of savory, rich, umami-packed deliciousness in every bite!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course/Stew

Cuisine: Russian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 155kcal

Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

Equipment

Ingredients

½ cup raw cashews (for the cashew cream). If nut-free use an equal quantity of pumpkin seeds.
1 tablespoon avocado oil or any neutral oil
4 cloves garlic (minced or crushed)
1 red onion (finely sliced)
8 oz cremini mushrooms or button mushrooms (or button mushrooms or portobello mushrooms)
3 oz dried mushrooms (or use 8 oz fresh wild mushrooms)
1 tablespoon thyme (or use 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
½ cup dry white wine (or use ¼ cup cognac or whisky)
1 tablespoon pickled banana peppers (optional, or use pickled jalapeno peppers for more spice, or capers.)
½ teaspoons vegan worcestershire sauce (see ingredients list above for alternatives)
2 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce. If soy-free see ingredients list above for alternatives)
½ teaspoon paprika
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

If you are using dried mushrooms, soak the mushrooms in 2 cups water for 30 minutes to reconstitute them. When done squeeze the mushrooms to get as much liquid out as you can, then chop into thin slices. Don't throw away the stock after you're done--we'll use it in the sauce and it'll add amazing umami.
Make the cashew cream by blending the cashews (or pumpkin seeds) in a blender with ½ cup water. Set aside.
Heat oil in a wide skillet. Add the fresh/frozen/reconstituted mushrooms to the skillet along with some salt and ground black pepper. Saute over medium-high heat until the mushrooms begin to caramelize and turn golden-brown.
Add the garlic and onions to the skillet and saute a couple more minutes until the onions are soft.
Add the chopped banana peppers to the skillet if using. Mix them in, then stir in the wine or cognac or whisky.
Let the alcohol evaporate completely, then stir in the cashew cream or pumpkin seed cream. Add the mushroom stock from reconstituting the dried mushrooms or, if you don't have that, use 2 cups water or vegetable stock. Mix in the vegan Worcestershire sauce and tamari.
Finally stir in the paprika, taste, and season with more salt and pepper if you wish. Garnish with parsley and serve over corkscrew or ribbon-shaped pasta.

Notes

Meat adds flavor and umami to a recipe, so when you skip it you need to make sure you are adding enough flavor to make up for all that you take out. Mushrooms have lots of umami but they can still use help from other umami-rich ingredients like mushroom stock, soy sauce and vegan Worcestershire sauce.

Brown and caramelize the mushrooms thoroughly. This not only improves the texture of the mushrooms and gets rid of the slippery texture, it also helps build flavor and color in the recipe.
Try and use a wide skillet so the mushrooms fit in a single layer. That way they won't steam but will brown nicely.

Adding in a tiny bit of alcohol helps with the caramelization and building the base flavors of the dish. It also helps deglaze the pan and adds back those tasty little brown bits sticking to the bottom of the pan back into the sauce. The alcohol cooks out, but if you need a substitute you can use a couple of tablespoons of apple cider vinegar instead.

Nutrition