Mushroom Stroganoff

Prepare the Mushrooms: Gently clean the mushrooms with a damp paper towel or a soft brush. Avoid washing them under running water if possible, as they can absorb too much moisture.

Slice the mushrooms to about 1/4-inch thickness. If using larger portobellos, you might want to remove the tough stems and slice the caps. Oyster mushrooms can often be torn by hand. Keeping the pieces relatively substantial is good as they will shrink during cooking.

Sauté the Mushrooms: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil (and the butter, if using) in a large, heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Once the oil is shimmering, add half of the mushrooms to the pan in a single layer. Do not overcrowd the pan; this allows the mushrooms to brown properly rather than steam.

Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are well-browned and have released their liquid, and that liquid has mostly evaporated. Season lightly with salt and pepper during this stage.

Remove the browned mushrooms from the pan and set them aside in a bowl.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and repeat the process with the second half of the mushrooms. Set them aside with the first batch.

Sauté Aromatics: To the same pan (no need to wipe it clean – those browned bits are flavor!), add the chopped yellow onion. Sauté over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until softened and translucent, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Add the minced garlic and dried thyme (if using fresh, add it later with the parsley). Cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.

Build the Sauce Base: Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the onions and garlic. Stir continuously for 1-2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste, creating a roux. It will look a bit pasty.

Gradually whisk in the vegetable broth, a little at a time, ensuring each addition is fully incorporated to prevent lumps. Scrape the bottom of the pan to release any flavorful bits.

Simmer and Flavor the Sauce: Once all the broth is incorporated and the sauce is smooth, bring it to a gentle simmer.

Stir in the Dijon mustard, vegetarian Worcestershire sauce, and smoked paprika.

Return the sautéed mushrooms (and any accumulated juices) to the pan.

Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let the stroganoff simmer for 10-15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly. Stir occasionally.

Finish with Creaminess: Remove the pan from the heat. This is important to prevent the sour cream from curdling.

In a small bowl, temper the sour cream: whisk a few spoonfuls of the hot mushroom sauce into the sour cream until smooth. This gradually raises its temperature.

Gently stir the tempered sour cream mixture into the stroganoff until well combined and creamy.

Taste the stroganoff and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. If it’s too thick, you can add a splash more vegetable broth or warm water. If too thin, you can simmer it very gently for a few more minutes (before adding sour cream is best for this, or be very careful not to boil it after).

Serve: Serve the creamy Mushroom Stroganoff hot over your choice of cooked wide egg noodles (traditional), fluffy rice, creamy mashed potatoes, or even polenta.

Garnish generously with freshly chopped parsley or dill for a burst of color and freshness.