This gluten-free vegan mushroom stroganoff is an absolute delight. It perfectly replicates the creaminess, tang, and rich umami flavours of a traditional recipe, yet it's lower in calories and completely dairy-free.
I played around with this recipe in a few different ways and I'm delighted with the final result. If you're not fussed about this being gluten-free, you'll find a wealth of tips and variations to tailor it as you see fit.
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What is stroganoff?
Stroganoff (or stroganov) is a Russian dish made with beef strips cooked in a creamy sauce. Traditional recipes use smetana for the sauce – a type of sour cream found across Central and Eastern Europe.
The dish is thought to have been named after the historically influential Stroganov family, and can now be found across the globe in a number of variants.
How to make stroganoff vegan
When it comes to veganising stroganoff, there are two things you want to do:
- Replicate the rich umami flavours from the beef
- Replicate the sourness and creaminess of the traditional smetana
This recipe uses tamari/soy sauce and nutritional yeast to achieve the umami flavours, not to mention the meaty mushrooms themselves. Coconut milk provides the dairy-free creaminess, while the white wine, cider vinegar, and mustard help to add some sourness and tang.
You could also use plant-based crème fraiche or cream for the sauce, but it doesn't tend to have a very strong flavour and you'd need quite a lot to get the desired amount. The coconut milk might sound like a strange ingredient at first, but it works a treat here.
How to make stroganoff gluten-free
This recipe uses two tablespoons of gluten-free plain white flour to help thicken the sauce, but you could also use cornstarch (see recipe notes). If it doesn't need to be gluten-free, just use regular plain flour.
If you need to ensure that the recipe is 100% gluten-free, be sure to use tamari (a gluten-free variant of soy sauce) and a veg stock that is certified or labelled as such.
Is vegan stroganoff healthy?
Edible mushrooms are virtually fat-free, low in calories, and contain varying degrees of protein and fibre. They also contain B vitamins as well as a powerful antioxidant called selenium, which helps to support the immune system and prevent damage to cells and tissues.
The coconut milk in this dairy-free recipe gives the sauce its nice creamy texture. If you aren't concerned about the fat content and want to make the dish as creamy as possible, by all means use full-fat coconut milk.
Which mushrooms to use?
I’ve used a mix of chestnut (or cremini) and portobello mushrooms in this recipe, but you could use other common varieties such as closed cup or button mushrooms (these are all just variants of the same agaricus bisporus family).
Meaty oyster mushrooms would also be great in a stroganoff, as well as any fresh wild mushrooms you might happen to have.
How to make creamy vegan mushroom stroganoff
Heat the plant-based butter or oil in a large pan on medium heat. Add the onion and stir occasionally for around five minutes or until it starts to soften. Once soft, add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes.
Next, stir in the sliced mushrooms and cook for five minutes or until lightly browned and tender. There will be a fair amount of water in this amount of mushrooms, so I'd suggest turning up the heat to cook it all off.
Meanwhile, whisk together the veg stock and flour in a jug or bowl. Combine well to make sure there are no lumps.
Once the mushrooms are tender and most of the water has cooked off, pour in the white wine and reduce for a couple of minutes (still on high heat).
After a couple of minutes, stir in the stock/flour mix, cider vinegar, tamari/soy sauce, mustard, nutritional yeast, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Stir well, bring to a simmer, and reduce the heat if you previously increased it.
Once the sauce has reached a gentle simmer, add in the coconut milk and continue to simmer over a low heat for 8-10 minutes. Once cooked, the sauce should be thick and creamy. If it seems too thick, add a little water and cook for another couple of minutes. Adjust the seasoning and serve.
Serving suggestions
- Boiled rice
- Egg-free pasta (long, wide varieties such as tagliatelle or pappardelle are best)
- Ultimate vegan mashed potatoes
- Shoe string fries or crispy potato straws (considered the traditional side dish in Russia)
- Vegan parmesan
- Chopped fresh parsley or chives
Recipe FAQ
If you need to ensure that the recipe is 100% gluten-free, be sure to use tamari (a gluten-free variant of soy sauce) and a veg stock that is certified or labelled as such.
This dish is great with mushrooms as the star of the show, but you could also include any plant-based meat substitutes you like (if necessary, be sure to check that these are gluten-free).
You can store this mushroom stroganoff in the fridge for up to four days. Simply reheat in the microwave or in a pan with a splash of water to loosen it up.
You can freeze the mushroom stroganoff in sealed containers or resealable bags for up to six months. Just bear in mind that coconut milk can separate slightly when thawed, and so it may look a little grainy. Defrost thoroughly before reheating in the microwave or in a pan with a splash of water.
Variations and tips
- Cornstarch: If you don't have gluten-free plain flour, you could swap the two tablespoons of this for just over one tablespoon of cornstarch.
- Dijon mustard: Since Dijon mustard is traditionally made with white wine, it’s not always strictly vegan. That being said, I’ve seen several varieties around that are labelled vegan. You can swap this out for wholegrain mustard.
- Cider vinegar: If swapping this for white wine vinegar, just be aware that it isn’t always strictly vegan. Vegan alcohol is a bit of a grey area for people, so don’t worry if it doesn’t bother you!
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More vegan recipe ideas
If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:
- Smoky Mushroom & Red Lentil Pâté
- King Oyster Mushroom Steaks
- Creamy Mushroom and Leek Tagliatelle
- Vegan Mushroom and Tarragon Soup
- Creamy Vegan Risotto
- Vegan Butternut Squash Risotto
- Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Soup
- Ultimate Vegan Haggis
You can also check out my full list of vegan mains.
Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff (Creamy + Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon plant-based butter or olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 20 oz (600 g) mixed mushrooms, sliced into even-sized pieces (I used equal amounts of chestnut and portobello)
- ½ cup (120 ml) white wine (optional, ideally vegan)
- 1¼ cups (300 ml) veg stock
- 2 tablespoons gluten-free plain flour (or regular plain flour)
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons vegan Dijon mustard (see notes)
- 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 14 oz (400 ml) tin coconut milk (light or full-fat)
- Chopped fresh parsley or chives, to serve
Instructions
- Heat the plant-based butter or oil in a large pan on medium heat. Add the onion and stir occasionally for around five minutes or until it starts to soften. Once soft, add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes.
- Next, stir in the sliced mushrooms and cook for five minutes or until lightly browned and tender. There will be a fair amount of water in this amount of mushrooms, so I'd suggest turning up the heat to cook it all off.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the veg stock and flour in a jug or bowl. Combine well to make sure there are no lumps.
- Once the mushrooms are tender and most of the water has cooked off, pour in the white wine and reduce for a couple of minutes (still on high heat).
- After a couple of minutes, stir in the stock/flour mix, cider vinegar, tamari/soy sauce, mustard, nutritional yeast, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Stir well, bring to a simmer, and reduce the heat if you previously increased it.
- Once the sauce has reached a gentle simmer, add in the coconut milk and continue to simmer over a low heat for 8-10 minutes. Once cooked, the sauce should be thick and creamy. If it seems too thick, add a little water and cook for another couple of minutes.
- Adjust the seasoning and serve with your choice of side and chopped fresh parsley. I like it with boiled rice, but you could also have it with pasta (long, wide varieties such as tagliatelle or pappardelle) or mashed potatoes.
Notes
- Smoky Mushroom & Red Lentil Pâté
- King Oyster Mushroom Steaks
- Creamy Mushroom and Leek Tagliatelle
- Vegan Mushroom and Tarragon Soup
- Creamy Vegan Risotto
- Vegan Butternut Squash Risotto
- Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Soup
- Ultimate Vegan Haggis
Nutrition
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Epic flavours, as always!
Cheers Paul, glad you enjoyed!
Loved this, thanks for the recipe!
Glad you enjoyed, thanks for leaving a review!
Really satisfying food - loved this!
Agreed - cheers for the review!
Made this, tonight. Really excellent. Made enough for two adults and four kids. After cooking I took the kids portions out to blend it a bit to remove any incriminating evidence of mushrooms and leave their judgement to taste only. Served with brown rice (and a little steak-sorry, the kids aren't vegan 😂) ANYWAY, kids absolutely loved it.
The adult portions non blended and sans steak were brilliant and served with zucchini noodles. 5 star.
Cheers for the review - good effort with the additional blending step to win approval from the anti-shroom brigade!
Thank you for this receipt Alistair,
Really tasty. I used half of stated quantity of N. Yeast. I found that quite enough. My other half said 8 out of 10. I would say 9 1/2 out of 10. Keep up the good work, it’s appreciated.
By the way, I was veggie when I met my beloved, he wasn’t. Without my asking he never ate meat when with me. It impressed me, I married him, now we have a happy veggie / vegan household.
June and Jeremy
Hi June, glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe and it sounds like a great journey you've been on together!
So savory & delicious! We have a variety of mushrooms available in my area (chestnut, oyster, cremini) so I used these. Will definitely keep this recipe & make it again!
Thanks for the review - sounds like a great mix of shrooms!