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Vegan Mushroom Bourguignon

A fully vegan mushroom bourguignon gets its depth from patient browning, a measured wine reduction, and a gentle braise that keeps every vegetable distinct.

Glossy vegan mushroom bourguignon with pearl onions and carrots is spooned over creamy polenta.

Cremini and portobello mushrooms bring different textures to this braise: smaller creminis stay pleasantly firm while the larger portobello pieces become silky at their edges. Browning them in roomy batches concentrates that character before wine and vegetable stock turn the pot into a glossy, savory sauce.

Make room for browning

The pot needs open space when the mushrooms go in. Crowding traps steam, so working in batches lets their moisture cook away and leaves the browned fond that gives the finished sauce a deeper base.

Keep the vegetables distinct

Pearl onions and carrot pieces go in after the mushrooms, when the pot already carries flavor. A gentle braise softens them without turning the onions ragged or the carrots mushy, so each spoonful keeps a clear shape and texture.

Cremini and portobello mushroom pieces sear in an uncrowded Dutch oven with browned fond visible. — Mushrooms brown in an uncrowded Dutch oven before the braise begins.

Let the wine settle

The wine reduction is more than a timing step. Let its raw alcoholic edge fade and watch for a spoon trail before adding stock; that transition gives the sauce a rounded fruitiness instead of a sharp, boozy finish.

Serve against something soft

Dairy-free mashed potatoes and creamy polenta both make an easy landing place for the mushrooms and sauce. Spoon the bourguignon over the base just before serving so the vegetables remain intact and the sauce stays visibly glossy.

Glossy sauce coats browned mushrooms, pearl onions, and tender carrot pieces over creamy dairy-free polenta. — Glossy mushroom edges, pearl onions, and tender carrots show the finished braise.

Vegan Mushroom Bourguignon

6 servings

80 minutes total

Ingredients

• 2 lb cremini and portobello mushrooms, cut into large pieces
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 12 oz pearl onions, peeled
• 3 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 5 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 1/2 cups dry red wine
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

Method

Prepare the vegetables
Wipe the cremini and portobello mushrooms clean and cut them into large pieces; peel the pearl onions, cut the carrots into 1-inch pieces, slice the garlic, and pick the thyme leaves.
Look for: Keep mushroom pieces large enough to stay distinct after braising.
Sear the mushrooms
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a wide Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the mushrooms in three uncrowded batches, turning once, until deeply browned, then transfer each batch to a bowl.
Look for: The mushrooms have dark browned faces and leave fond on the pot rather than releasing pale liquid.
Soften the vegetables
Add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, pearl onions, and carrots to the Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions take on color and the carrots are glossy at the edges.
Look for: The pearl onions are lightly golden but still hold their round shape.
Toast the aromatics
Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, and thyme and cook over medium heat until the paste darkens from bright red to brick red and the garlic smells fragrant.
Look for: The tomato paste looks brick red and does not smell raw or sweet.
Reduce the wine
Pour in the red wine and scrape up the browned fond. Simmer over medium-high heat until the wine reduces by about half and its sharp alcohol aroma softens into a fruity, savory smell.
Look for: A spoon dragged across the pot briefly leaves a clear trail, and the wine no longer smells harsh.
Braise the bourguignon
Return the mushrooms and any juices to the pot, add the vegetable stock, and bring it to a gentle simmer. Cover partially and braise over medium-low heat until the carrots are tender but intact.
Look for: Small bubbles break lazily at the surface while the vegetables stay mostly submerged.
Gloss the sauce
Uncover and simmer over medium heat, stirring gently around the pearl onions, until the sauce coats the mushrooms and vegetables with a glossy layer without breaking the carrots or onions.
Look for: The sauce clings to a spoon in a thin shiny coat and pools slowly when nudged.
Balance and serve
Taste the bourguignon and adjust the wine balance with a pinch of salt if it tastes flat, then spoon it over dairy-free mashed potatoes or creamy polenta and scatter with parsley.
Look for: The finished sauce tastes savory and rounded, with wine present but not sharp.