Guys and gals, I cannot wait for you to try my Creamy Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff!
Mushrooms are one of my favorite vegetables to cook. Sure, they are kind of weird because they’re fungi or whatever. And yes, they get a bad rap for being slimy and mushy.
BUT, if you know how to cook mushrooms the right way, you will be treated to one of the most delicious foods on the planet! The smell of mushrooms cooking in olive oil or (vegan) butter, with garlic and fresh herbs, is one of my favorite scents. If it were acceptable, I would bottle up that scent into a perfume and spritz it on my neck and wrists daily. I’d probably call it Shiitake No. 5.
Anyhoo, in this Creamy Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff, mushrooms and leeks get cooked down until deeply browned, then paired with a luscious and umami-packed sauce, tossed with pasta, and then topped with more browned mushrooms. This dish is SO good that it got my lifelong mushroom-hating boyfriend to fall in love with mushrooms.
What is Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff?
Stroganoff is a rich meat-and-cream stew from Russia (not surprising, Russians love their meat). Traditionally, stroganoff contains mushrooms along with beef and sour cream. If I’m being perfectly honest, even before I became vegan, that combination sounded gross.
My version of mushroom stroganoff delivers the flavorful comfort food factor that people enjoy about this dish, but without any of the animal products. The copious amount of meaty mushrooms keeps this dish feeling hearty and substantial, and a combination of coconut milk and tahini make this so luxurious that no one would ever guess it’s dairy-free.
Mistakes to Avoid when Cooking Mushrooms
Mushrooms get a bad rap for two main reasons (this is according to my mushroom-hating boyfriend). First, they can be soggy, watery, and slimy in texture. Second, they can be not so flavorful (e.g., mushrooms on your standard pizza delivery).
But once you learn the secrets behind getting beautifully browned, even crispy mushrooms that are packed with flavor, a whole new culinary world opens up to you. So here are mistakes to avoid when cooking mushrooms + tips on how to cook mushrooms the right way.
1. Washing mushrooms.
Mushrooms are porous, like sponges, so when you wash them, you add water to them. And since mushrooms already have a high-water content, you end up with a soggy, watery texture. Which is precisely why some people hate mushrooms.
Do this instead: When you find dirt patches, just use a paper towel or dry kitchen cloth to wipe them off. A lot of store-bought mushrooms are grown on indoor farms and so they’re actually pretty clean.
2. Crowding the pan.
When you stuff a bunch of mushrooms in a pan on the stove, they don’t have enough surface area to sear. Instead, they’ll start steaming, and steaming mushrooms are rubbery and squishy.
Do this instead: If cooking a big pot of mushrooms, cook in batches (e.g., this recipe calls for cooking 20 ounces of mushrooms in two batches).
3. Stirring frequently.
It can be very tempting to stir a pan of food frequently. You don’t want the food to burn, you’re bored, etc. But if you stir mushrooms frequently, you rob them of their ability to brown.
Do this instead: Stir every few minutes.
4. Using low or medium heat.
Cooking mushrooms at low or medium heat will not help them brown, which means you’re not going to get the best texture.
Do this instead: Cook at medium-high or high heat.
5. Salting at the start
While I typically salt most vegetables at the start of cooking (it’s all about layering in the flavor at various stages), mushrooms are an exception to my rule. When you add salt, it draws out the moisture in food, and as mentioned, mushrooms have a ton of moisture. So, salting at the beginning means you’ll be helping your mushrooms steam more than sear.
Do this instead: Wait until the last few minutes of cooking, once the mushrooms are already fairly browned, to season with salt.
6. Sticking with just one mushroom variety
If the white button mushroom is the only mushroom you’ve cooked, it’s time to expand the culinary tool chest. Don’t get me wrong, white button mushrooms cooked properly can be quite tasty. But if you just leave it at that, you’re truly missing out on some meaty deliciousness.
Do this instead: Use a mixture of mushrooms. From velvety chanterelle mushrooms that almost melt in your mouth and meaty shiitake mushrooms to maitake mushrooms that taste like chicken and king oyster mushrooms that mimic scallops remarkably well, there is an amazing variety of mushrooms that deserve your attention, especially when you eat a plant-based diet and eschew meat.
Watch! How to make the best Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff
The recipe that got my boyfriend to finally like mushrooms
Ingredient Spotlight
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are the star of this show! You can use any combo of shrooms you like, but I recommend trying at least two different mushroom varieties that aren’t too similar so you can get a mix of tastes and textures.
To keep this meal reasonably priced, you can try ~70% cremini mushrooms (brown button mushrooms) and try a more exotic mushroom for the remaining mushrooms. Options to consider include shiitake, maitake, oyster, enoki, chanterelle, king oyster, or portobello. Or, you can splurge and try a variety of exotic or wild mushrooms.
I’ve made this recipe with several different combinations, but most recently, I used this combination.
- Cremini mushrooms: AKA brown button mushrooms. These are inexpensive and can be found at almost any grocery store but have more flavor than white button mushrooms.
- Shiitake mushrooms: these have a robust flavor and meaty texture
- Oyster mushrooms: these are velvety and not watery in texture; they have a subtle woodsy flavor but not too earthy.
- Maitake mushrooms: AKA “hen of the woods.” They have deep, rich flavor that’s almost like, well, chicken. They naturally contain L-glutamate, which is basically the essence of umami. They crisp up very nicely.
Leeks
Relatives of onions but milder and more delicate in flavor. I often opt for leeks over onions in mushroom recipes because the combination of the slightly sweet leeks and earthy, bold, nutty mushrooms is just delightful.
Worcestershire sauce
An ingredient traditionally used in Stroganoff, it brings a lot of savory depth of flavor. It’s also a bit vinegary, and that helps enhance and balance rich meaty dishes.
Typically, Worcestershire sauce is not vegan (it contains anchovies). However, there are some vegan Worcestershire sauces available on the market. I recently purchased the Whole Foods 365 brand which is vegan, and have also used the one from Annie’s in the past. This brand is also gluten-free. Other store brands include Sprouts, Simple Truth, and O Organics.
Check out this link for more vegan Worcestershire sauce options. If you can’t find it, though, you can omit it.
Coconut Milk
As mentioned above, classic stroganoff is thickened with sour cream. But I find full-fat coconut milk to be an excellent substitute. Along with the flour, it helps thicken this sauce incredibly well. And don’t worry, you can’t taste the coconut – it gets masked by all of the other bold flavors.
Tahini
Since stroganoff is intended to be very rich, I add a couple tablespoons of tahini for even more creaminess and subtle nuttiness.
Nutritional Yeast
And since stroganoff is packed with umami-containing animal products, I also add in a bit of nutritional yeast to accentuate the natural umami notes in the mushrooms.
Paprika
Another ingredient commonly found in stroganoff. If you use regular paprika, the primary benefit is its beautiful red color – it lends an orange-ish hue to the color of the sauce.
But if you have Hungarian paprika, use that. It has a more complex flavor that is pungent, peppery, and sweet.
Dijon Mustard
If you’ve made some of my savory recipes before or watch my Youtube videos, you know I’m a big fan of finishing creamy, heavy dishes with a splash of acid. It helps balance the richness of the meal and brightens the flavors. Here, just a tiny bit of Dijon mustard perks up the flavors of this dish with a sharp tang.
Dill
I originally wrote this recipe to include flat-leaf parsley as a garnish, and it was nice, but swapping it out for fresh dill really transformed this dish. Dill’s grassy, citrus freshness help enhance and freshen balance all the flavors, and the dill-mushroom-leek combo is just fantastic.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Slice the mushrooms and/or tear them into roughly even pieces. Trim and slice the leeks, but don’t slice too thinly.
Cook HALF of the mushrooms and leeks over medium-high heat in olive oil. Cook for 8-10 minutes, then add HALF of the minced garlic and fresh thyme with a bit of salt and cook for 2-4 minutes. Set aside this mixture and repeat with the remaining mushrooms, leeks, garlic, and thyme.
Deglaze the pot with the second batch of mushroom with white wine, then pour in the “vegetable broth roux” mixture and bring to a simmer.
Pour in the coconut milk, tahini, nutritional yeast, paprika, and salt.
Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes until thickened and very creamy. Finish with Dijon mustard.
Stir in hot cooked pasta and toss to coat.
Add the reserved first batch of mushrooms and fresh chopped dill.
Why I updated this recipe
When I first posted this recipe in February 2019, I really liked the dish. And they say, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
BUT, when I remade it a few months ago, I did a few things differently, and it truly blew my mind. It also got my boyfriend (who has been a mushroom hater for 30+ years) to fall in love with this dish. So I decided that even if it wasn’t broke, it was worth upgrading.
The major updates to this recipe include (1) using a variety of different mushrooms and (2) cooking the mushrooms in separate batches.
In the original recipe, I cooked all 20 ounces of mushrooms in the same large frying pan. They were not soggy or watery by any means, but I felt like I didn’t give the mushrooms an opportunity to truly shine. The sauce was the star of the show, with the mushrooms in a clear second place.
Now, however, I cook the mushrooms and leeks in two separate batches, and it does a few different things. First, it allows the mushrooms to truly sear and brown because they’re not overcrowded. That enhances their texture, making them less rubbery and more crisp. Second, reserving the first batch of mushrooms and using it as a last-minute topper introduces textural complexity into this dish.
Instead of this being a uniformly creamy dish, there’s now a slightly crispy element introduced and the contrast between the two is exquisite. I truly think this updated recipe will blow your mind, but if this recipe happens to have been a regular in your rotation, I’m pasting the original version of step 3 so you have it handy.
Heat a large sauté pan with deep sides (or a Dutch oven) over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the 2 diced leeks and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add another 1 tablespoon of olive oil, along with the garlic, sliced mushrooms, and thyme, and stir to combine. Sauté for 4-5 minutes or until the mushrooms are lightly browned and tender. Add 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and cook for one more minute.
How to make vegan mushroom stroganoff gluten-free
Flour. Sub with gluten-free all-purpose flour, or use half the amount of cornstarch.
Vegan Worcestershire sauce. Omit, unless you can find a vegan, gluten-free variety like this one.
Soy Sauce. The recipe calls for tamari, which is gluten-free soy sauce, so be sure to use tamari, not soy-sauce (which usually contains gluten).
Pasta. I used this twisted pasta shape because it mimics the classic egg noodles commonly used in stroganoff, but I’ve made this recipe with many pasta varieties and it’s always delicious. To make it gluten-free, use your favorite gluten-free pasta
Frequently Asked Questions
What can you serve mushroom stroganoff with?
If you’re not keen on serving the stroganoff sauce over pasta, you can serve it over millet, rice, quinoa, or even mashed potatoes (talk about comforting!).
What can I substitute for the white wine?
The alcohol cooks off, but if you do not buy or consume any alcohol, you can do omit the wine and deglaze with (1) a bit of vegetable broth (1/4 cup), or (2) two tablespoons white vinegar mixed with two tablespoons water.
Can I use something besides full-fat coconut milk?
Coconut milk is what makes this recipe so creamy, but if you want to scale back on the richness a bit, use “lite” coconut milk. If allergic to coconut milk, you can try vegan sour cream (Tofutti brand is my fave) and thin it somewhat with water. I don’t recommend a thin plant-based milk like almond milk, as you won’t get the creamy factor.
Creamy Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil*, divided
- 2 large leeks or 3 small-medium leeks
- 20 ounces of mixed mushrooms (~560g) (see “Ingredient Rundown” section for which variety I used)
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- ¼ cup (~30g) all-purpose flour**
- ½ cup (~120 ml) dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- 1 (13.5 ounce) (400 ml) can of full-fat coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard or coarse-grain mustard
- 12 ounces (340g) pasta of choice
- ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep the mushrooms. Wipe off any dirt patches with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel. Depending on the variety, slice them or tear them with your hands (oyster and maitake are much easier to tear than slice).
- Prep the leeks. Slice off the dark green tops and discard or save for making vegetable broth. Cut each leek in half vertically and then slice horizontally, but not too thinly, as they’ll cook down with the mushrooms for quite a while.NOTE: Leeks are very dirty, so you need to wash them at this stage. Submerge chopped leeks in a bowl of cold water, run your hands through the bowl to loosen the dirt, and then scoop the leeks out using your hands or a slotted spoon. Pat dry the washed leeks.
- Heat a large sauté pan with deep sides (or a Dutch oven) over medium-high heat and add 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add HALF of the leeks and mushrooms. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes until mushrooms are nicely browned, stirring occasionally but not too frequently.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add HALF of the garlic, HALF of the thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook for 2-4 minutes, or until the mushrooms are browned and crispy. When done cooking, transfer this batch to a plate or bowl. Repeat the process with the remaining oil, mushrooms, leeks, garlic, thyme, and salt.
- While the mushrooms are cooking, make the “vegetable broth roux.” In a medium bowl, whisk together the vegetable broth, tamari, Worcestershire sauce (if using), and flour in. Whisk until until no clumps remain.
- Pour the white wine into the pan with the cooked mushrooms, and use a wooden spoon or flat-ended spatula to deglaze the pan by scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat as needed to simmer for 3 minutes, or until the smell of alcohol has dissipated and the wine has mostly evaporated.
- Pour the vegetable broth roux into the pan and whisk to combine, ensuring there are no clumps. Bring to a simmer, then pour in the coconut milk, tahini, nutritional yeast, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and paprika. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cook for 10 minutes, until the sauce is thickened and very creamy.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and keep warm.
- Stir the Dijon mustard into the stroganoff sauce and stir. Add the hot cooked pasta and chopped dill (or parsley), and toss to coat.
- Divide the pasta among plates or bowls, and top each with a handful of the first batch of crispy mushrooms and extra dill (or parsley) to garnish.
Notes
The dish looks delish, not sure if its remains truly vegan with the white wine added !!
Hi there, you can buy vegan white wine to make sure it stays 100% vegan :)
Can I used rehydrated mushrooms for this recipe?
Hi Archana, you definitely won’t get the crispy texture on the mushrooms or the full intended experience of this dish, but the flavor should still be good. Dried mushrooms are quite dirty, so you’ll also need to carefully drain the soaking liquid to remove any grit. Otherwise, the final dish might have some unwanted sandy bites!
I have made this 4 times and absolutely LOVE it. Making it again for friends in a couple days. Have used both red and white wine, whatever I have and it doesn’t seem to matter, it’s always delish!
Awesome, Judy. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!
I havent tried it yet but how many calories is in this dish?
Hi Joshua, we don’t include nutrition facts on our recipes for a few reasons. If you’d like to read more as to why, you can do so at this link: https://rainbowplantlife.com/welcome/.
Many of our readers use apps like MyFitnessPal to calculate nutrition facts for their own purposes. Hope that helped!
Nisha! I just made this a little while ago for dinner. Crispy mushrooms are a game changer. My dad despises them so I’m going to have him try it. The addition of Worcestershire and soy sauce brings on a whole new flavor. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe. If I could give 10 stars, I would. ❤
Update: He loved it!
Great, Stefanie!
Awesome, Stefanie. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!
Made this tonight with several changes. Used almond milk instead of coconut because of fat. Didn’t use oil because we are on Esselstyn’s diet. Also didn’t use wine or dill. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed and I will make again and again.
This is my 1st Rainbow Plant Life recipe, but it won’t be my last.
Overjoyed you loved the Stroganoff, Carolyn! We hope you love them all going forward :)
I just made this with some small alterations and it was really, really good. The sauce is nice and creamy. I love the mushroom-leek combination.
We used German “Spätzle” instead of pasta – was a winner.
I will definitely make it again. A hit – like all the recipes I’ve tried from your page so far <3
Thank you for the wonderful review, Katja!
Yep loved this recipe!
I’ve been doing a new recipe almost every week for years and this is definitely on the repeat list! Well done! Thank you!
Hi Sandra, we’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating alongside your review? Star ratings are big help to readers who are thinking of making the recipe. Thanks!
My vegan husband loved it! I’m not quite vegan (gotta’ have my sushi) but I was never a fan of creamy sauce, but this… It was phenomenal! I followed the recipe as is using cremini and shiitake mushrooms. Definitely will be repeating! Thank YOU!
Caroll, So glad to hear you loved this recipe!
Is it weird to say that I’m obsessed with this recipe?? I’ve made it twice and absolutely love it! My husband is a carnivore and he loves it, too. Thank you for the recipe – it’s so good!!
Thanks for sharing, Catherine! Happy you enjoy it!
It’s insane how creamy this dish is without any dairy. One of the most delicious vegan dinner recipes out there. I’ve made it multiple times and it blows me away every time. The recipe takes awhile to prepare but is absolutely worth the effort. Would 100% recommend!
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Sofie!
I tried this recipe this week and was very happy with the outcome. Even though I forgot to keep half the mushrooms aside for the top, it was still good, so I am sure would be even better if remembered that. I also didn’t have enough leeks on hand so subbed some yellow onion instead. Some people on here complaining about how the flour mix goes in, I usually do the roux method for saucy dishes as well, but I have to say I did it as per recipe and there were no lumps. Just whisk it well before pouring in, and I even whisked it in the pot as well. It turned out just fine! The coconut milk was not overpowering for me, but could be a taste thing, I might try some other milk in future to reduce the fat content.
Glad you enjoyed the Stroganoff, Kimera! In the future you could try using soy milk instead as it has a thicker texture than most plant based milks.
Wow! Wow! Wow! This recipe is delicious! I generally adhere to a plant-based diet but my family is full of carnivores. :-) I made this dish tonight and everyone loved it! I did add a bit of jackfruit in order to give it extra texture so that my dad wouldn’t miss having meat. It was a huge hit in my multi-generational family. We’ll definitely have it again!
I forgot…
I added fennel (love the sweet licorice celery flavor of it) when adding the leeks to the mushroom reduction. It was great!
Jackfruit sounds like a delicious addition, Niki! So great to hear your family loved the Stroganoff!
This is the best mushroom stroganoff recipe I’ve ever tried – my search for a good recipe has ended. I’ve made this a couple of times and it’s always gorgeous. I’ve tried it with white and red wine and I found red wine better as it disguised the coconut milk more and gave a hit more depth of flavour but it’s delicious with either!
So happy you love it, Jen! Thanks for sharing!
Add this tonight and loved it! No leek, so used yellow onion. Used almond milk rather than coconut due to saturated fat content coconut milk. Veg broth with white wine vinegar as you suggested rather than wine. Forgot the mustard but it was really creamy. Will keep this recipe for sure! Delish!
Delicious! I am not a mushroom lover and my friend is a meat-eater and we both thought this was so tasty and delicious.
I noticed some people commenting that the coconut milk was too strong but we found the opposite – it was just lovely and creamy and without any distinct coconut flavour. I used powdered coconut milk as I have found that to be a great option instead of canned – you can add different quantities of water depending on whether you want coconut milk or cream. I used two sachets of the powder and about 400ml of water. I actually think it ends up a “lighter” product overall – I used to find the same when I drank cows milk and used the powdered version in baking. I don’t know if there’s any truth to it but it seems to work for me!
Thanks for sharing another lovely recipe, Nisha, and for all your hard work – you have made my transition to eating vegan 90% of the time so much easier!
Sarah, So glad to hear you loved this recipe and thanks for sharing your tips! We’re thrilled you’ve enjoyed all ofnthe recipes :)
I liked everything about this except the coconut milk was too strong which is why 4 stars instead of 5. I would prefer cashew cream but I am not sure how much to use. I made this exactly as written. I was worried it would taste like raw flour because usually I cook the flour in fat then add broth. It was great though not lumpy and it didn’t taste like raw flour. My partner absolutely loved it but he loves everything lol I am the one who is a bit fussy.
Sorry to hear the coconut milk was too strong for you, Janine! Glad you liked the recipe otherwise, though.
Hi Janine! We just made the recipe last night, and instead added oat milk, which was a lovely addition.
So good!!
Inès, So glad to hear you loved this recipe!
Made this. It was delicious! I even forgot to add the paprika, and it was great. Thank you for the recipe!
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Justine!
This recipe has potential but needs a lot of adjustments:
Coconut milk has no place in this recipe, you need to be very careful what you use coconut milk with or it will overpower the flavor. This is a mushroom focused dish and the mushrooms should be able to shine without competing with the coconut. I would instead recommend buying a cashew cream or making it yourself.
The roux step. Obviously you are going to have clumps if you put the flour in with that quantity of liquid. Instead what you should do is cook the wine until the alcohol is burned off, then pour the wine out into a side dish. Coat the mushroom leek mix in the flour so that the oil and flour can combine to make a sort of paste. On high temperature, gradually add in small amounts of your white wine/veg broth, stirring for a few minutes on medium high heat for the two sauces to bind properly. Continue adding liquid in portions until completely finished. Then add in cashew cream etc.
The recipe would also be better with black pepper.
I don’t think it’s fair to say ‘obviously you are going to have lumps…’. I usually also do the roux method and cook out the flour in the paste form before adding the liquid. However, I tried as per recipe, and there were no lumps. I also added in all the liquid mix in one go, cooked for a bit and then added the coconut milk. I personally didn’t mind the coconut milk and it of course depends on personal taste and also the brand used. That’s a personal choice, those that don’t like coconut milk can try something else, but some might like it just fine as is.
You can definitely do it as per recipe and have a lump free outcome. One might say they can taste a difference, but to me, it was just fine and reduces the steps therefore making it easier for some of us that don’t have much time for extra steps or adding in liquid a bit at a time like you would for a risotto. There are many different ways to do things…we don’t always have to criticize / discourage others’ methods just because we do it a different way.
The recipe ingredients do note black pepper to taste, which I think most of us add to dishes to our own taste even if not included in the recipe.
This was DELISH!! Even my husband loved it and he is a picky carnivore.
That’s great to hear, Brittany! Glad this recipe pleased the whole family!