Mushroom bourguignon borrows the architecture of the French classic — the wine braise, the pearl onions, the slow reduction — and swaps the beef for a pound of deeply browned mushrooms. King oyster and cremini varieties hold their shape in the pot and give the sauce something to cling to, while dried porcini steeped into the stock supply the savory depth that meat would normally carry. It is entirely vegan, entirely make-ahead, and it satisfies the same craving the original does on a cold night.
Wine Pairing
Recommended: Red Burgundy (Pinot Noir), Beaujolais, or an Oregon Pinot Noir
Braise with a young, inexpensive Pinot Noir and serve the good one at the table. The mushrooms' earthiness and the wine's forest-floor notes are the same flavor speaking twice. If you are keeping everything vegan, most natural and organic Burgundy is vegan-friendly — check the label for unfined wines.
Ingredients
Main Components:
- 1 lb cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 8 oz king oyster mushrooms, cut into thick coins
- ½ oz dried porcini mushrooms
- 1½ cups hot vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups dry red wine (Pinot Noir or Beaujolais)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 carrots, sliced into thick coins
- 1 tbsp flour
- 2 bay leaves, 4 sprigs thyme
For the Finish:
- 1 lb pearl onions, peeled
- 2 tbsp vegan butter
- Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Steep the porcini: Pour the hot stock over the dried porcini and let them steep for 20 minutes. Squeeze them out, chop them, and keep both mushroom and liquid.
- Brown the mushrooms: Heat the olive oil in a wide Dutch oven and cook the cremini and king oyster mushrooms in two batches, undisturbed at first, until deeply golden. Season and set aside.
- Build the base: In the same pot, soften the onion and carrots for 6 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook until the paste darkens, about 2 minutes.
- Make the braise: Sprinkle in the flour and stir. Pour in the wine, scraping up the fond, then add the porcini liquid (leave any grit behind), soy sauce, chopped porcini, bay leaves and thyme. Return the mushrooms to the pot.
- Simmer: Cover and simmer gently for 45 minutes, until the sauce is glossy and the carrots are tender. Uncover for the last 10 minutes to reduce.
- Glaze the onions: In a skillet, cook the pearl onions in the vegan butter until golden at the edges, then fold them into the stew with the parsley.
- Serve: Spoon over mashed potatoes, polenta or buttered noodles, with plenty of crusty bread.
Chef's Tips
- • Browning is everything: crowding the pot steams instead of sears
- • The soy sauce replaces the depth of beef; do not skip it
- • Even better the next day — reheat gently and loosen with a splash of stock
- • Freezes well for up to 2 months
- • For a gluten-free version, use cornstarch slurry instead of flour and tamari instead of soy sauce