Name: Vegan Shiitake Mushroom Stroganoff
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 10.5 oz Pappardelle or pasta of choice; 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil; 1 large onion chopped; 6 cloves garlic (pressed or finely minced); 1 lb Shiitake mushrooms sliced in 1/2" slices.; 1/2 c fresh or frozen peas; 1/4 c Sauvignon Blanc or other dry white wine; 1.5 c vegetable broth; 2 tbsp soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos; 1 tsp white miso; 2 tbsp cornstarch; 3 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes; 2 tsp whole grain mustard; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 1 tsp Hungarian paprika (You can also use regular or smoked paprika); 1.5 c non-dairy milk; salt & pepper to taste; Freshly chopped parsley

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This vegan Shiitake mushroom stroganoff is both hearty, creamy, and savory enough to please even your non-vegan friends! A healthy comfort food that’s perfect in the cold winter months.

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Shiitake mushrooms have long been considered a superfood, renown for their many health benefits which include boosting your immune system, lowering your cholesterol, and having anti-cancer effects. Health benefits aside, shiitake mushrooms have a great “umami” or savoriness to them paired with a meaty texture that makes it a great substitute for meat which is why you and your meat loving friends will love this vegan shiitake mushroom stroganoff!

What is the “umami” that’s found in Shiitake mushrooms?

If you’ve never heard of the term umami, you might be wondering what that is, so let me give you a brief explanation. Umami is a Japanese word that roughly translates to “a pleasant, savory taste” and is seen to be as distinctly different than the four conventional tastes of sweet, salty, bitter, and sour.

Umami is seen as the fifth basic taste described as a broth-y and intense meaty flavor often found in seared meats, mushrooms, tomatoes, parmesan cheese, soy sauce, anchovies, mackerel, marmite, and kelp (kombu) broths. Essentially, it is an amino acid called glutamate which binds to the umami taste receptors in your tongue.

So now that you have a brief idea of umami is, lets dive into this easy vegan shiitake mushroom stroganoff that’s filled with the above mentioned umami flavors and easy to make in under 30 minutes!

How to make Vegan Shiitake Mushroom Stroganoff

This mushroom brush is a must if you cook with mushrooms!

First, start off by getting the freshest organic shiitake mushrooms you can find. You can tell if a shiitake mushroom is fresh as the cap of the mushroom will be smooth, unblemished, and unwrinkled with thick caps that are domed and slightly curled under. Avoid mushrooms that look slimy (a sign of decay), are wrinkled, or have dark spots on them.

When preparing the mushroom, rinse them very quickly under cool water as mushrooms are very porous and will absorb the water and become soggy. Pat them dry gently with a thin cotton dish towel like these. If you see any dirt or debris after a quick rinse, use a mushroom brush to gently brush off the debris.

Slice off the tough stems with a sharp knife and reserve to make vegetable stock or compost them. When I am cutting vegetables like mushrooms or tomatoes, I love using my Japanese knife made of carbon steel which is so very sharp. Don’t get frustrated by dull knives that force you to saw back and forth into delicate veggies like mushrooms and tomatoes which crushes them in the process, just get one of these uber sharp Japanese knives and you’ll never go back to what you were using before!

I purchased my Japanese knife in Japan many years ago but this one is similar. Once you cut off the stems, slice the mushroom into 1/2″ thick slices and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil with about 2 tsp of sea salt, weigh then cook the pasta according to the packages instructions. I always shave a minute or two off of the packaged instructions as the pasta will continue to cook after you add the pasta to the mushroom sauce, and I hate a mushy pasta. The pasta should definitely be al dente. Once the pasta is cooked, drain well in a metal colander and gently spray and toss with some extra virgin olive oil especially if you are using a long thin noodle like pappardelle or fettuccine as it tends to stick. Cover the pasta with a clean dishcloth and set aside.

Heat the oil in your dutch oven or a deep skillet over medium-high heat and wait until the oil starts to sizzle. Add the finely diced onions and stir frequently until they become translucent and turn slightly brown. Add the garlic and stir until incorporated with the onion then add the shiitake mushrooms. Let the shiitake sear a little then start stirring until the mushrooms get tender. Pour the Sauvignon Blanc and stir until the alcohol has cooked off.

Turn the heat down to medium low then in a separate bowl, combine the cornstarch, soy sauce, miso paste, dijon and whole grain mustard with the vegetable broth with a French whisk until smooth. If you’re using the Better than Bouillon vegetable base, I combine 2 tsp of the veggie base and 1 tsp of the miso paste with 1/2 c warm water to dissolve the base and miso paste then add more water until I get a total of 1.5 cups of broth. I prefer using the Better than Bouillon base over canned or boxed vegetable broth because of the taste as well as the fact that it cuts down on recycling and waste as one 8 oz jar of the Better than Bouillon is equivalent to 38 (8 oz) cans of broth or 9.5 cartons of broth. We know that most items in our recycling bin never end up getting recycled, so it’s much better to just not use excess packaging to begin with!

Now pour the mixture from above into the onion and mushroom mixture in the dutch oven and stir until incorporated and smooth. Then add the peas and sprinkle the nutritional yeast over the mixture and stir again. Now slowly add the non-dairy milk and stir occasionally as you let the sauce simmer into a nice, thick sauce about 6-10 minutes. If you prefer a creamier sauce, I recommend using a full fat canned coconut milk as your not dairy milk. I promise you won’t taste any coconut when the sauce is done. Now add your salt and pepper to taste and finally add the paprika for a little spice and smokiness.

Finally, add the reserved pasta to the pot and stir until all of your pasta is evenly coated with the sauce and the pasta is heated through. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve immediately! This delicious vegan shiitake mushroom stroganoff will store in a covered container in the fridge for about 3-4 days. Let me know if you tried this dish and if you learned something new about “umami!” Bon Appétit! P.S. if you love vegan comfort foods, you will love this recipe for vegan Cauliflower Tikka Masala!