Discover this delicious vegan twist on the classic mushroom bourguignon recipe, created as a vegan option for my Aald Harbour Hoose dinner guests.
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- Ingredients you’ll need for this vegan mushroom bourguignon recipe
- How to make vegan mushroom bourguignon
- Tips for making vegan mushroom bourguignon
- How to make your own bouquet garni
- What wine do you serve with vegan mushroom bourguignon?
- Pin this recipe for later
- Other Aald Harbour Hoose recipes you might like
I must admit the vegan recipe offering on my website is decidedly lacking. I’m not a vegan; it’s not how I eat. Instead, I opt for a diet that includes a wide variety of local, seasonal, low-food-mile ingredients chosen in a mindful, ethical manner as much as possible. I am a conscientious omnivore, with a nod towards the locavore movement. The meals I serve to my guests reflect this.
However, these last two summers, I’ve been encouraged to broaden my culinary horizons while catering to mixed groups of Aald Harbour Hoose guests who often have vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free dietary requirements. I want to make sure everyone has a memorable meal.
I do love this sort of challenge, and so I’ve come up with plant-based alternatives for all my set meals, starting with this hearty, rich vegan mushroom bourguignon.
Of course, the humble mushroom is the star of this show, so I’ve included a combination of dried porcini and baby button mushrooms cut in different ways for a variety of textures.
The secret to creating maximum flavour with this dish is to take your time. Cook the mushrooms slowly, stirring infrequently so that they become deliciously browned and caramelised before you proceed with the rest of the dish.
Ingredients you’ll need for this vegan mushroom bourguignon recipe
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- 40 grams dried porcini mushrooms – porcini have a deep, earthy and nutty flavour with an almost umami quality.
- 450 grams chestnut baby button mushrooms – offer a delightful medley of flavours, with earthy, meaty, and brothy notes. This savoury taste is derived from glutamate, a type of amino acid naturally found in mushrooms.
- 3 tbsp Scottish rapeseed oil – this oil has a high smoke point, which means it won’t burn until about 204 °C/ 400 °F. That makes it a good, lower food mile choice for frying mushrooms.
- 2 tbsp vegan butter – adds extra flavour to the dish.
- 250 grams pearl onions or shallots – pearl onions are traditionally used in bourguignon but are impossible to get here in Shetland, so I use shallots. Shallots have a delicate and complex flavor profile that combines the pungency of onions with a subtle hint of garlic. When raw, they have a peppery bite similar to red onions, but when cooked, they develop a delicious sweetness. Their flavor is nuanced and more delicate compared to regular onions.
- 4 carrots – traditionally included in bourguignon, carrots add a pleasant sweetness to balance out the acidity of the tomato paste. Cut them quite thickly.
- 1 red bell pepper – cut coarsely into pieces to add a sweet and fruity flavour, texture and colour to the finished dish.
- 4 garlic cloves – finely chopped, this aromatic flavour enhancer is a key ingredient in bourguignon.
- 1 bouquet garni – made with three bay leaves, a handful of fresh thyme sprigs, a rosemary sprig and a few parsley stalks wrapped in a few layers of fresh leek. Tie with butcher’s string.
- 2 tbsp tomato puree – to add umami flavour and help thicken the sauce.
- 250 ml Pinot Noir – ‘bourguignon’ translates as burgundy, so you want to use a French wine from the Burgundy region. Pinot Noir is the traditional wine used in bourguignon recipes.
- 2 tbsp cornflour – used to thicken the sauce.
- 600 ml vegan stock – made with Marigold Swiss vegetable bouillon and the soaking water from the dried porcini mushrooms.
- 2 tbsp tamari soy sauce – adds a smooth, savoury and almost meaty taste to the finished dish.
- 5 juniper berries – with a flavour that is intensely spicy with a hint of pine, these berries are traditionally used in bourguignon.
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper – and plenty of it too, to enhance the overall flavour of the dish.
- 100 grams vegan chorizo – optional, and I’ve only found this in the supermarket occasionally, but it’s great for adding a bit of extra flavour and texture to this plant-based dish.
- 100 grams vegan bacon—Bourguignon is traditionally garnished with crispy bacon, but there are plenty of vegan options these days.
- Parsley or spring onions – to garnish.
How to make vegan mushroom bourguignon
- Soak dried porcini mushrooms for 20 minutes in boiling water. Reserve the soaking liquid for the stock.
- Slice the vegan chorizo into 5 mm thick coins and fry in a little rapeseed oil until crispy. Set aside.
- Cut half of your chestnut baby button mushrooms into slices and quarter or halve the remaining half, depending on their size, leaving the smallest mushrooms whole.
- Cut half of your shallots in quarters, and finely slice the remainder.
- Heat a 1 tbsp rapeseed oil and 1 tsp vegan butter in a heavy-based pot and cook the mushrooms in small batches for 10-15 minutes, stirring infrequently, until they are golden.
- Transfer the cooked mushrooms to a bowl and sprinkle generously with sea salt.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter in the pan and cook your shallots for 10 minutes, until the shallots begin to soften but have not started to brown.
- Add the garlic, finely chopped, and cook a further five minutes, until the shallots begin to colour.
- Add the thickly sliced carrots, chopped red pepper, tomato paste, tamari, vegan chorizo and cornflour. Stir to coat.
- Add the cooked mushrooms, drained porcini mushrooms, vegetable stock made with the porcini soaking water, wine, bouquet garni and juniper berries. Season with salt and pepper and pop the lid on.
- Simmer, gently, for 35-40 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving. Ideally, leave the refrigerator overnight to allow the flavours to develop further.
- Heat a little rapeseed oil in a nonstick pan and fry the vegan bacon until crispy.
- Remove the bouquet garni and garnish the vegan mushroom bourguignon with the crispy fried vegan bacon, fresh parsley and spring onions. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes and green beans almondine.
Tips for making vegan mushroom bourguignon
- Prep everything in advance. Clean and slice your mushrooms, prep your onions, chorizo, carrots, red pepper and bouquet garni before you start cooking.
- Go slow! Take your time cooking the mushrooms and shallots for maximum flavour.
- Leave the vegan mushroom bourguignon overnight in the fridge to allow the flavours to develop, if you’ve got time.
- This recipe freezes and reheats very well. Batch cook to save time later.
How to make your own bouquet garni
- Carefully remove 2 layers from a five-inch piece of leek.
- Use these layers to wrap 3 bay leaves, a handful of fresh thyme sprigs, a sprig of rosemary and a handful of parsley stalks.
- Tie with butcher’s string.
What wine do you serve with vegan mushroom bourguignon?
Pinot Noir, always.
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Recipe Difficulty Levels
Easy
Requires basic cooking skills and ingredients you most likely already have in your kitchen.
Moderate
Requires more experience, preparation and/or cooking time. You may have to source special ingredients.
Challenging
Recipes requiring more advanced skills and experience and maybe some special equipment.
Vegan Mushroom Bourguignon
Ingredients
- 40 grams dried porcini mushrooms
- 3 tbsp Scottish rapeseed oil
- 2 tbsp vegan butter
- 100 grams vegan chorizo optional
- 450 grams chestnut baby button mushrooms
- 250 grams shallots
- 4 medium carrots
- 1 red bell pepper
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 250 ml Pinot Noir
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp tamari soy sauce
- 600 ml vegan stock made with porcini soaking water
- 1 bouquet garni made with leek, thyme, bay, rosemary and parsley
- 5 juniper berries
- 100 grams vegan bacon
- spring onions to garnish
Affiliate Links
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Equipment
Instructions
- Soak 40 grams dried porcini mushrooms for 20 minutes in boiling water. Reserve the soaking liquid for the stock. Cut half of 450 grams chestnut baby button mushrooms into slices and quarter or halve the remaining half, depending on their size, leaving the smallest mushrooms whole.
- Quarter half of 250 grams shallots, and finely slice the remainder.
- Coarsely chop 4 medium carrots and 1 red bell pepper.
- Slice 100 grams vegan chorizo, if using, into 5 mm thick coins and fry in a little rapeseed oil until crispy. Set aside.
- Heat a third of 3 tbsp Scottish rapeseed oil and some of 2 tbsp vegan butter in a heavy-based pot. Cook the mushrooms in small batches for 10-15 minutes, stirring infrequently, until they are golden.
- Transfer the cooked mushrooms to a bowl and sprinkle generously with sea salt.
- Heat 1 tbsp rapeseed oil and 1 tbsp butter in the pan, and cook the halved shallots for 10 minutes, until they begin to soften but have not started to brown.
- Add 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped, and cook a further five minutes, until the shallots begin to colour.
- Add the thickly sliced carrots, chopped red pepper, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 tbsp tamari soy sauce, vegan chorizo and 2 tbsp cornflour. Stir to coat.
- Add the cooked mushrooms, drained porcini mushrooms, 600 ml vegan stock made with the porcini soaking water, 250 ml Pinot Noir, 1 bouquet garni (see notes) and 5 juniper berries. Season with salt and pepper and pop the lid on.
- Simmer, gently, for 35-40 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving. Ideally, leave the refrigerator overnight to allow the flavours to develop further.
- Garnish the vegan mushroom bourguignon with 100 grams vegan bacon, fried until crispy, fresh parsley and sliced spring onions. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes and green beans almondine.
Notes
How to make your own bouquet garni
- Carefully remove two layers from a five-inch piece of leek.
- Use these layers to wrap 3 bay leaves, a handful of fresh thyme sprigs, a sprig of rosemary and a handful of parsley stalks.
- Tie with butcher’s string.
Bacon Jam Omelette with Cheddar: a Savory Brunch Delight
Like you, I’m not a vegan but do find myself using vegan recipes quite often to cater for all family and friends when they come around – some have specific dietary requirements of all kinds. This will be a perfect recipe to use on such occasions. It looks delicious!
I hope you and your guests enjoy the recipe!