Mushroom Bourguignon

Ingredients

• As neededolive oil or avocado oil
• 454 gcrimini mushrooms or other mushrooms of choice, stemmed if necessary and sliced
• To tastesea salt
• 20cipollini or pearl onions
• 1yellow onion, diced
• 2 mediumcarrots, sliced
• 2 tablespoonsfresh thyme leaves, chopped
• ½ teaspoonsmoked paprika
• To tastefreshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoontomato paste
• 5 clovesgarlic, minced
• 240 ml (1 cup)red wine
• 830 ml (3½ cups), plus more if neededmushroom vegetable broth or shop-bought broth
• 2bay leaves
• 1½ tablespoonsplain flour
• For servingmashed or smashed potatoes
• For garnishparsley
• 28 g (1 oz)dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 largecarrot
• 2–3 ribscelery
• 1yellow onion, skin on
• 1leek, white and green parts
• 5 clovesgarlic, smashed
• 1 handfulfresh thyme
• 1–2, optionalpitted dates
• 1 tablespoonwhite miso
• At least 2.4 litres (10 cups)purified water
• To tastesalt for the broth

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the mushrooms

   Warm a soup pot over medium heat and add enough oil to cover its base. Add the mushrooms, stir once to coat, then leave them undisturbed so they can brown. They may release plenty of liquid; let it cook off almost completely, about 10 minutes, before stirring. Add a generous pinch of salt and cook for a few more minutes, then transfer the mushrooms to a bowl.

2. 2

   Cook the vegetables

   Wipe out the pot if needed and add another generous pour of oil. Add the cipollini or pearl onions, stir to coat and cook for 2–3 minutes until their undersides brown. Turn them and cook for another 2–3 minutes. Add the diced onion, sliced carrots, thyme, smoked paprika, a generous pinch of salt, plenty of black pepper and the tomato paste. Sauté until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, then return the mushrooms to the pot and stir.

3. 3

   Simmer the stew

   Pour in the wine, bring it to a simmer and let it reduce for 3–5 minutes. Add the broth and bay leaves, along with another pinch of salt, using enough broth for a chunky stew. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 1 hour, adding more broth if needed. Remove the bay leaves.

4. 4

   Thicken and serve

   Put the flour in a small bowl and whisk in a small ladleful of stew broth until smooth. Stir this mixture into the pot and simmer for another 5 minutes to thicken. Serve over mashed or smashed potatoes, with parsley on top.

5. 5

   Make the broth

   Put the dried porcini, large carrot, celery, skin-on onion, leek, smashed garlic, thyme and optional dates in a large pot with at least 2.4 litres (10 cups) of purified water. Salt well. You do not need every listed vegetable; using more will give the broth more flavour. Other additions such as peppercorns or a bay leaf can also be used. Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for about 1 hour.

6. 6

   Finish the broth

   Put the miso in a small bowl and whisk in a little broth until smooth. Stir the paste back into the pot. There will be broth left over; it can be sipped, used in another soup or stew, or frozen.

What is Mushroom Bourguignon?

Bourguignon takes its name from Burgundy in France and traditionally refers to food cooked with red wine. This plant-based version uses mushrooms in place of meat, with onions and vegetables in a rich, slowly simmered sauce.

The recipe’s flavour comes from browning the mushrooms first, then letting the wine reduce before adding broth. A homemade mushroom vegetable broth is included as an option for a deeper savoury base.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 390 calories, 11g protein, 62g carbs, 11g fat.

The mushrooms and vegetables provide most of the carbohydrates, while the potatoes add a substantial share if served generously. Oil contributes most of the fat; the mushrooms and flour provide only modest protein. Balance the plate with a measured portion of potatoes and a green vegetable or salad.

Choosing and browning the mushrooms

Mushrooms: Crimini or other varieties can be used, as long as they are sliced. Give them room in the pot so their released moisture can evaporate rather than trapping them in steam.

Browning: After the first stir, leave the mushrooms alone while the liquid cooks off. Once the pan is no longer watery, stir and season; this helps them take on colour and savoury flavour.

Building the stew base

Small onions: Cipollini or pearl onions are browned before the diced onion and carrots go in. Turning them after 2–3 minutes on each side helps colour more than one surface.

Wine: Let the red wine simmer for 3–5 minutes before adding broth. This gives it time to reduce and become part of the sauce rather than leaving the stew with a raw wine aroma.

Making the optional broth

Vegetables: The porcini, carrot, celery, onion, leek, garlic and thyme make a flexible stock. The recipe notes that not every vegetable is essential, and that a greater range of them gives the broth more flavour.

Miso: Whisk it with a little hot broth first to make a smooth paste, then stir it into the pot. This avoids clumps and adds a savoury finish.

Getting the texture right

Broth level: Add enough broth to leave the stew chunky, rather than covering everything in a thin liquid. Add extra during the hour-long simmer if the pot becomes too dry.

Flour slurry: Whisk the flour with a small ladleful of broth until smooth before returning it to the stew. Simmer for 5 more minutes so the sauce thickens evenly.

Timing and doneness

The mushrooms need about 10 minutes for their liquid to cook off, while the vegetables take about 10 minutes to soften. The wine reduces for 3–5 minutes, and the covered stew simmers for 1 hour before the final 5-minute thickening.

The vegetables should be tender after the long simmer, and the sauce should coat them rather than look watery. If it needs more liquid as it cooks, add broth a little at a time.

What to serve alongside

Potatoes: Mashed or smashed potatoes are the suggested base, soaking up the wine-rich sauce. Spoon the stew over them and finish with parsley.

For a lighter-feeling plate, serve a smaller mound of potatoes alongside the stew and add a simple green vegetable or salad.

Recipe notes & tips

• Let the mushrooms’ liquid evaporate before stirring them again so they have a chance to brown.
• Use a generous pinch of salt when cooking the mushrooms and vegetables, then adjust the seasoning after the broth goes in.
• Keep the stew at a gentle simmer rather than a rapid boil during its covered hour.
• Whisk the flour with broth until completely smooth before adding it to the pot.
• If making the optional broth, include as many of the listed vegetables as you have available for a fuller flavour.

Variations

• Use shop-bought broth: Substitute it for the homemade mushroom vegetable broth in the stew.
• Change the mushrooms: Use another mushroom variety in place of crimini.
• Add the dates: Include 1–2 pitted dates in the broth for the deeper flavour described in the recipe.
• Include extra broth aromatics: Add peppercorns or a bay leaf to the broth pot if you like.
• Skip the homemade broth: Use store-bought broth and proceed with the stew method.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Stirring mushrooms too soon: Leave them undisturbed while their liquid cooks off so they can brown.
• Crowding the mushrooms: Brown them in batches if they do not fit comfortably in the pot.
• Adding wine and broth together: Let the wine reduce for 3–5 minutes before adding the broth.
• Boiling the stew hard: Keep it covered at a gentle simmer for the hour-long cook.
• Adding dry flour directly: First whisk it with a ladleful of broth to make a smooth slurry.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover stew in a covered container and use within 3–4 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan, adding a splash of broth if it has thickened; freeze extra homemade broth separately for later use.

Frequently asked questions