Vegan Mushroom Stew Recipe: Tips for Making Vegan Stew
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Dec 27, 2024 • 3 min read
Mushroom stew is a deeply flavorful, rustic comfort food—the kind of dish that steams up the kitchen windows in winter and makes the room smell of dried herbs and garlic.
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What Is Mushroom Stew?
Mushroom stew is a savory, one-pot dish consisting of mushrooms and aromatics cooked into a thick, creamy vegan gravy. Cooks achieve this thickness by using starch rather than dairy, making the dish a hearty vegan recipe.
Like its non-vegan counterpart, beef stew, some recipes for mushroom stew incorporate veggies like diced sweet potato, green beans, or carrots, and legumes like lentils, chickpeas, or white beans to create a more substantial main course.
Mushrooms are cholesterol-free, low in carbohydrates, and a good source of calcium and potassium, which can help blood circulation, nerve function, and muscle contractions, respectively.
3 Tips for Making Vegan Mushroom Stew
This hearty mushroom stew is a forgiving dish that pairs well with caramelized onions and garlic. Here are some tips to consider when making vegan mushroom stew:
- 1. Use a variety of mushrooms. You can make mushroom stew with a combination of mushroom varieties, from meaty wild mushrooms—like chanterelles, morels, or oyster mushrooms—to the cultivated mushrooms you find in the grocery store. Using a combination allows for a more dynamic flavor profile; shiitakes, button mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, and portobello mushrooms bring different textures and flavors to the dish.
- 2. Use a multi-cooker to save time. To achieve a creamy, gravy-like consistency in a fraction of the time, make the gluten-free stew in a multi-cooker. Before adding the ingredients to the slow cooker, brown the onions and mushrooms on the sauté setting as you might on the stovetop or let the flavors meld overnight in a slow cooker.
- 3. Serve alongside Side dishes. Serve mushroom stew over mashed potatoes, pasta, polenta, brown rice, or quinoa, or use it as a base layer in a vegan shepherd's pie.
Easy Vegan Mushroom Stew Recipe
makes
prep time
20 mintotal time
40 mincook time
20 minIngredients
- 1
Place the dried porcinis in a glass measuring cup and cover them with 2 cups of boiling water to make the broth. Let the mushrooms sit in the water for at least 10 minutes to rehydrate. (Alternatively, you can use 2 cups of vegetable stock if you don’t have dried porcinis on hand.)
- 2
Remove the porcinis with a slotted spoon, finely chop them, and place them in a small bowl. Set the broth aside.
- 3
Whisk the flour and remaining 2 tablespoons of water together in a small bowl, then set the slurry aside.
- 4
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper to the pot, and sauté until softened. Add the mushrooms and reserved hydrated porcinis, and stir to combine. Cook until the edges of the mushrooms and onion are crisp and golden brown, about 10 minutes.
- 5
Add the garlic, cook 1 minute more until aromatic, then add the tomato paste and soy sauce. Reduce to medium heat, and stir well to combine. Add the thyme, bay leaf, and wine to the pot. Frequently stir the mixture until you have cooked off most of the wine, then give the slurry a good whisk and add it to the pot.
- 6
Add 1½ cups of the porcini broth to the pot, and season it with salt and pepper. Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer. Cook until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency, adding more broth to create a thinner sauce.
- 7
Taste, and adjust seasoning as needed. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and red pepper flakes, and serve.
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