Course | Dinner Dish Type | Stew / Vegetable Main

Vegan Mushroom Bourguignon

Rachelle Johnson

Prep 25

Cook 1 5

Total 1 30

Four kinds of mushrooms roast until browned, then settle into a red-wine braise with carrots, shallots, thyme and white rice miso. A small touch of date and balsamic rounds the deep, savory sauce. This is a generous, slow-simmered supper for an evening when you want to linger at the table; choose vegan wine and serve with your favorite accompaniment.

Four kinds of mushrooms and carrot coins in a glossy red-wine bourguignon sauce with parsley.

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The mushrooms are the first thing you notice: browned edges, generous pieces and enough variety to make every spoonful a little different. Cremini bring their rounded bite, shiitake their deep savor, oyster mushrooms their delicate folds, and portobello its broad, tender pieces. A red-wine sauce gathers them together with carrots, shallots and thyme.

This vegan bourguignon is a supper to give a little time. The mushrooms roast while the aromatics soften and the wine reduces; then everything simmers gently until the carrots are tender and the sauce is rich. A small finish of balsamic and plant-based butter brings gloss and balance to the pot.

A Dutch oven of vegan mushroom bourguignon and a serving bowl at a candlelit supper table.

Four mushrooms, with room to brown

Keep the pieces generous when preparing the mushrooms. They shrink as their moisture cooks away, and the contrast among the four kinds is part of the pleasure here. Halve the cremini, slice the shiitake caps thickly, tear the oyster mushrooms and cut the portobello caps into substantial chunks.

Use two roomy baking sheets. A deep pile traps moisture; spreading the mushrooms into single layers gives their surfaces a better chance to brown. Turn them once during roasting, then keep any juices that collect when they are ready for the Dutch oven.

A patient beginning for the sauce

While the oven does its work, soften the shallots and onion in the pot, then add the carrots. The garlic and tomato paste follow. A couple of minutes of stirring takes the tomato paste from bright and sharp toward a deeper savory flavor.

Pour in the red wine and scrape the browned bits from the bottom. Let it reduce by about half before adding stock and the remaining seasonings. This gives the braise a fuller wine flavor without leaving the whole pot thin and soupy.

Choose the wine and miso with care

A dry red wine confirmed vegan by its producer is the choice for this version. Frey is one producer that confirms both vegan and gluten-free suitability. Check the current bottle and producer information when choosing yours; wine remains an ingredient in the finished stew, and cooking does not guarantee that all its alcohol disappears.

White rice miso and tamari deepen the sauce. For the gluten-free version, choose gluten-free rice-based miso, tamari, mushroom stock and plant-based butter. Some miso contains barley, and packaged ingredients vary. The stew contains soy from its tamari and miso; butter alternatives may bring other allergens.

Let the carrots and sauce guide the simmer

Once the roasted mushrooms join the pot, keep the braise gentle. Cover it for the first part of cooking, then uncover for the final ten minutes so the sauce can reduce. Stir occasionally and test a carrot coin before serving. It should be tender rather than chalky in the center.

The Medjool date adds a small, mellow sweetness. Mash it with a little of the measured stock if it needs help becoming a paste. Near the end, remove the bay leaf, add the balsamic and vegan butter, and taste. If the sauce needs a little more body, the optional arrowroot slurry works with only brief, gentle heating.

Bring something soft alongside

Mashed potatoes, creamy polenta or a favorite grain make a lovely resting place for the savory sauce. Keep the accompaniment simple and let the mushrooms remain the center of the meal. A little chopped parsley is enough to give the dark, glossy stew a fresh finish.

The bourguignon can be made ahead for an easier evening. Cool it promptly in shallow covered containers and refrigerate at 40°F or colder for three to four days. Reheat gently until thoroughly hot, adding a splash of stock or water only if needed. Our food storage guide has more help for planning those next-day portions. Then bring the pot back to the table and enjoy a supper worth settling into.

There’s always room at our table.

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