Vegetarian Mushroom Stroganoff is a bold dish with varied textures in a luscious savory sauce that is served over pasta or noodles. The depth of umami flavors emanates from the two varieties of mushrooms in this dish. I have given this recipe a healthy twist through the use of Greek yogurt and quinoa flour for thickening the sauce!
As the season turns colder, our thoughts turn to bowls of steaming hot soups and stews. One of the perennial greats for the season is Beef Stroganoff. Vegetarian Mushroom Stroganoff is a variation of that classic dish, made instead using mushrooms. You will see me reference this dish both as a Stroganov and Stroganoff. The original Russian dish is ‘бефстроганов befstróganov’ ~ thank you Google.
Some years ago, I visited St. Petersburg in Russia. Aa a tourist, I was shown all the usual sights including the iconic Hermitage Museum and the amazing Church of our Savior. In between, we were treated to a Russian lunch which included Beef Stroganoff. My family and I do not partake of beef due to religious reasons, so we were indulged in the Vegetarian Mushroom Stroganoff. Like many of the storied dishes I’ve covered in this blog, the original beef version is mired in historical controversy.
Origin:
One version of history claims that this dish was created by Charles Briere, a French chef, who was working for Count Pavel Aleksandrovich Stroganov in St. Petersburg. Charles Briere submitted this dish at the St. Petersburg cooking contest, where he won. A slightly different version associated with the Stroganov family is that the dish was invented by Andre Dupont for Count Alexander Grigorievich Stroganov, who lived in Odessa.
Notwithstanding this controversy, what is common is that a French chef created this dish for the aristocratic and famously wealthy Stroganov family. It was not unusual during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th century for wealthy Russians to have French chefs. France, especially Paris, was at that time both the cultural and culinary capital of the Western world. Wealthy Russian families would be conversant in both Russian and French language and culture, which included cuisines. What is especially telling is that this dish uniquely captured the essence of this Franco-Russian culinary heritage: meats seared and cooked in a pan jus flavored with mustard. This is a classic French cooking style, while beef in sour cream was distinctly Russian.
Following the Russian Revolution, the Russian aristocratic diaspora brought this dish both to the East and West. The dish fled East to China and especially Shanghai, where I found that they still serve it with rice or noodles. The journey West was slightly slower, with the advent of the Russian Tea Room in New York in 1927. But the first reference in an English language cookbook did not take place until 1932. It was after the Second World War that returning service members brought this dish back to the U.S. shores, and it became a staple of the exotic dinner circuits.
Few dishes have such a storied past. But what about the Vegetarian Mushroom Stroganoff? Would it surprise you to learn that mushrooms are a staple of Russian diets. While, for most of us, mushrooms are purchased at grocery stores, the chef who served me the dish informed me that for Russians, mushroom is akin to hunting. They are obviously forest organisms and therefore, one needed to hunt for them. In fact, mushroom picking early in the mornings is a favorite summer activity. There are apparently hundreds of edible mushroom types growing in Russian forests, and like meat, they can be preserved by drying, marinating, or even salting.
In any case, like the Russian diaspora, the recipe for the Vegetarian Mushroom Stroganoff has evolved with the changing times. Some people use mushroom soup as the base, others use paprika or even tomato paste to flavor their dishes. A far cry from the original butter, beef, and sour cream recipe. As for me, I use at least two types of mushrooms to vary the texture and taste. Instead of beef stock, I add vinegar to the garlic-flavored mushrooms to create a mushroom stock. Instead of sour cream, I vary between Russian and Greek yogurt.
While I honor the original French sauté, I have adapted this classic Vegetarian Mushroom Stroganoff recipe so that it is both rich and healthy. My Russian host served this dish with mashed potatoes, but I’m told that any pasta is ‘acceptable’.
As I write this, the weather is getting cooler, and I think it’s time to break out this recipe for the cold season. From my pen to your table, I hope you love and rate this recipe.
Ingredients for the Vegetarian Mushroom Stroganoff:
- Mushrooms: Shiitake, portobello, baby bella mushrooms or cremini, and white button mushrooms are good choices.
- Worcestershire sauce (vegan): Regular Worcestershire sauce has anchovies in it, so I used the vegan version. You could substitute it with a mix of ketchup, soy sauce and white vinegar or equal parts distilled white vinegar with water.
- Cajun seasoning: The seasoning I used contains salt, so I did not add any more salt to the dish. If you do not want to use this seasoning, you could add a dash of both cayenne and paprika with ground white and black peppercorns and adjust the salt to your taste.
- Quinoa flour: A roux made with flour and butter or a slurry with quinoa flour and water to thicken the sauce will work.
- Greek yogurt: I used Greek yogurt – the choice of sour cream or even heavy cream is entirely up to you.
- Veggies: I added peas and sundried tomatoes here. You could opt to use carrots, potatoes, and even spinach or kale as I have done at other times and the dish turned out great.
- Herbs: Parsley and thyme are perfect for this dish.
- Noodles: Over the years, I have made with different types of pasta that I had in the pantry such as pappardelle, fusilli and even fettucine. In this recipe, I have used linguine.
- Pine nuts: Adding toasted or roasted pine nuts gives an additional crunch to the dish. Feel free to use walnuts or Brazil nuts in this recipe.
A word on cooking mushrooms:
- Please do not add salt while cooking the mushrooms as it will help release more moisture.
- A single layer of sliced or chopped mushrooms is good enough for them to be browned. If you are making a big batch, do not overcrowd the pan as the mushrooms will begin to steam and cook instead of caramelizing with browned edges. Sauté the mushrooms in small batches to achieve the perfect flavor and texture.
- Stirring the mushrooms often will not help with the browning process, so avoid stirring frequently.
- Medium heat, in my opinion, seems to be the best way to cook mushrooms.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. How do you thicken the Mushroom Stroganoff?
I would recommend the flour/water mixture (slurry) that will help thicken the sauce. Cornstarch can be used as a gluten-free option.
2. What can I serve the Stroganoff with?
Mushroom Stroganoff can be served with rice, mashed potatoes or even steamed or sautéed vegetables. Try serving with crisp salads. See Serving suggestions below for more ideas.
3. What do I do if the Stroganoff becomes watery?
Adding some more slurry or the flour/water mixture will help thicken the dish. If your sauce gets too thick, you could add more yogurt with some water.
How to make the Vegetarian Mushroom Stroganoff:
- Heat a big Dutch oven and add the butter. Toss in the chopped onions and minced or finely chopped garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes on medium heat or until lightly caramelized.
2. Add the quartered or sliced mushrooms. Stir occasionally and sauté for 3 minutes or until caramelized. Add the vinegar and scrape the bottom of the pot. In a separate bowl, whisk the quinoa flour with the homemade vegetable stock, the vegan Worcestershire sauce, and the Cajun seasoning.
3. Add the stock/flour mixture to the mushrooms along with the thyme and cook for 3 minutes.
4. Now, add the thyme, sundried tomatoes, peas and whisked Greek yogurt and stir.
5. Simmer for a minute and turn off the heat.
6. Serve hot on top of freshly cooked and drained linguine or any pasta and garnish with toasted pine nuts and parsley.
1. Mushrooms that are thinly sliced will help reduce the cooking time.
2. Cooking mushrooms involve a few tips and techniques. See blog post on cooking mushrooms.
3. Quinoa flour is a healthy alternative for thickening sauces. Quinoa can be added directly to the sauce instead of making it into a slurry. Cornstarch slurry will result in a thicker sauce.
Serving suggestions:
You could serve the Vegetarian Mushroom Stroganoff over cooked quinoa, couscous, mashed potatoes, egg noodles, pasta, on a bed of veggies or with salads. Here are some salads that pair well with this dish:
Storage:
Vegetarian Mushroom Stroganoff sauce can be refrigerated for two days. Leftovers can be frozen for three months in an airtight container. Reheat the sauce on stovetop and serve over freshly cooked pasta.
Vegetarian Mushroom Stroganoff
Equipment
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 red onion chopped
- 3 clove garlic
- 3 sprig thyme
- 1 lb cremini mushroom (aka bella mushroom)
- 1 lb button mushroom
- ½ cup sundried tomato julienne cut
- ½ cup green peas
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce vegan
- 2 cup vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp quinoa flour
- 2 cup Greek yogurt fat free
- 1½ tsp Cajun seasoning
- 2 tsp white vinegar
- 1 pack linguine
- ¼ cup pine nuts toasted, for garnish
- 4 sprigs parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a big Dutch oven to medium and add the butter. Toss in the chopped onions and minced or finely chopped garlic. Sauté until for 3 minutes on medium heat or until lightly caramelized.
- Add the quartered or sliced mushrooms. Stir occasionally and sauté for 3 minutes or until caramelized. Add the vinegar and scrape the bottom of the pot.In a separate bowl, whisk the quinoa flour with the stock, the vegan Worcestershire sauce, and the Cajun seasoning.
- Add the stock/flour mixture to the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes.
- Now, add the thyme, sundried tomatoes, peas and whisked Greek yogurt and stir.
- Simmer for a minute and turn off the heat.
- Serve hot on top of cooked linguine or any pasta and garnish with toasted pine nuts and parsley.
Notes
- Start boiling the pasta when the mushrooms are caramelizing. Cook the pasta al dente so that it can absorb the sauce from the Stroganoff.
- Whisk the slurry well before adding to the sauce to prevent lumps. Whisk the yogurt also before adding to the dish for a smooth and luscious sauce.
Nutrition
Tried this as a get healthy kick for the New Year. I’ve tried different versions from other recipe sites but I absolutely loved yours. It’s got a marvelous spiciness that not traditional to this dish, but I love the innovation. Thanks mate
I’m happy to hear that you liked the spiciness of this dish and thanks for your lovely comment!