Hearty Mushroom Stroganoff

Before I started eating more plant-based, one of my favorite meals at a bistro near my house growing up was beef stroganoff, a dish that originates in Russia. Beef stroganoff usually contains mushrooms—this version simply doubles down on them. (Photo source: Lauren Skillen)

Adapted from The Cookie Writer and Gimme Some Oven

| Yield: 4 servings | Time: 1 hour |

Ingredients

1 pound egg noodles or short pasta

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium yellow onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup dry white wine or vegetable broth

2 cups vegetable broth

1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce

1 tablespoon coarse whole grain mustard

Leaves from 6 sprigs of fresh thyme

Salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste

Greek yogurt or sour cream, for serving (optional)

Thinly sliced scallions, for garnish

Preparation

In a large pot of well-salted boiling water, cook the noodles according to the package directions, minus a couple of minutes for an al dente, or “to the tooth” firm bite.

In a large sauté pan, add the butter and melt it over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until tender and slightly translucent. Add the garlic stir for another minute, or until fragrant.

Add the mushrooms and a few pinches each of salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms are nicely browned and any liquid that’s been released has evaporated, 10-15 minutes.

Mix in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the flour and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly. The mixture will get pasty, the pan will get dry, and brown bits, called fond, will stick to the bottom of the pan.

Raise the heat to high. Pour in the white wine and “deglaze” the pan by using a wooden spoon to scrape up the fond. Cook until the wine has evaporated, about 1 minute.

Stir in the broth, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and a few pinches each of salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10 minutes, until slightly thickened.

Add in the fresh thyme and cook for a few more minutes. To serve, ladle the mushroom sauce over the noodles and top with a dollop of Greek yogurt and thinly sliced scallions, if desired.

Zero-waste tips

Any type of mushroom will work for this recipe, so use up what you have.
Leftover sautéed mushrooms or even other vegetables can be thrown into the sauce, too.
Every part of the scallion is delicious, so use both the white and green parts to garnish this dish.
You can add the root ends of scallions to a jar with a little bit of water and watch them regrow within about a week or two!