Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff (Keto/Instant Pot)

Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff cooked in the Instant Pot in just 15 minutes. Yay! It's keto and more budget-friendly than beef stroganoff. This super creamy and delish stew makes the perfect quick and easy dinner idea for busy weeknights. We enjoy it over zoodles (or noodles) for a comforting meatless meal!

Mushroom Stroganoff Recipe

This mushroom stroganoff calls for a variety of mushrooms such as shitake, white button, and baby Bella but you can choose one of those or any other type of mushroom of choice.

Its ingredients are available all year round in most grocery stores and you can substitute any ingredient easily.

It also cooks faster than our chicken stroganoff and has an amazing umami flavor.

It’s plant-based comfort food at its best like our mushroom curry.

What is Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff?

Stroganoff is a rich and creamy meat stew from Russia. Traditionally, stroganoff contains mushrooms along with beef and sour cream.

This plant-based mushroom stroganoff delivers both flavor and comfort without animal products. The amount of meaty mushrooms makes this dish hearty and filling, and the coconut milk makes it creamy without requiring any dairy product.

It is the perfect meatless meal for busy weeknights!

Ingredients and Substitutions for Mushroom Stroganoff

This is one of those easy recipes the entire family will love. To make this easy mushroom stroganoff, you will need:

• Mushrooms – I used 3 types of mushrooms: shiitake, baby Bella or cremini, and white button. They have different textures and flavors. But you can pick one variety or mix and match 2 or more varieties (common or wild). It will depend on what mushroom is available to you!
• Olive oil – You can use butter instead if you are not vegan.
• Vegetables – The recipe calls for fresh garlic, onion, and 3 types of mushrooms (baby Bella, white button, and shitake). But you can swap these budget-friendly mushrooms for maitake or black trumpet mushrooms that cost more yet are more flavorful.
• Dry white wine – If you don’t have it at home, you can use regular white wine or even red wine to deglaze the Instant Pot and add acidity to this ground mushroom stew. Because this is a vegan recipe, use a vegan-friendly wine. 
• Vegetable broth -- If you are not vegan, you may replace it with beef or chicken broth.
• Seasonings – I added salt, ground black pepper, and paprika but you can add any other of your choices such as garlic powder, onion powder, and dried herbs.
• Condiments – Worcestershire sauce (most are not gluten-free and also contain anchovies so use one that is vegan) and tomato paste will make wonders to your vegan mushroom stroganoff. If you want, you can also add Dijon mustard to yours.
• Canned coconut milk – This is not the regular coconut milk that you drink. It is the type that comes in a can that is thicker and creamier. You can swap for heavy cream or Greek yogurt if you’re not vegan.
• Xanthan gum – It works as a low-carb thickener but if you’re not on a keto diet, you can replace it with cornstarch. The ratio is 1:1 (the same amount). If using all-purpose flour, double the amount of flour called for xanthan gum (e.g. 1 teaspoon xanthan gun = 2 teaspoon flour) dissolved in cold water. If you’re not vegan, you can use a can of cream of mushroom soup instead. Keep in mind most canned cream of mushroom contains dairy which is not vegan.

Mushrooms

You can use any variety of mushrooms that are available to you. But I recommend using 2-3 different varieties to combine flavors and textures.

To keep this meal budget-friendly, you can try 70-80% cremini mushrooms (brown button mushrooms that are not expensive and are flavorful) and a more exotic or wild variety.

Some options for our mushroom stroganoff are:

• Cremini mushrooms: also known as brown-button or baby Bella mushrooms, they are inexpensive and have more flavor and a firmer texture than white button mushrooms. You find them at most grocery stores.
• Shiitake mushrooms: Robust flavor and meaty texture.
• Oyster mushrooms: they are velvety with a subtle woodsy flavor but not too earthy.
• Maitake mushrooms: Known as “hen of the woods” because they have a deep, rich flavor that’s almost like chicken. They are SUPER flavorful and crisp up nicely.
• Portobello mushrooms: They are large, have an earthy flavor, and are meaty. They taste similar to cremini mushrooms but have a richer and more intense umami flavor.
• Chanterelle mushrooms: When cooked, they become chewy with a velvety consistency and have an earthy flavor with hints of mild pepper.
• King oyster mushrooms: the largest in the oyster mushroom family, also known as king trumpet mushrooms or French horn mushrooms. When cooked, they have a savory umami flavor and a soft, crunchy texture with a subtle flavor of anise (black licorice) on the finish.

Mistakes to Avoid when Cooking Mushrooms

Some are not familiar with how to clean and cook mushrooms properly. But it is so simple that requires no special cooking skills.

In order to enjoy their umami flavor, you have to brown them. And don’t frown when I say they should NOT be washed. Instead, you clean them with a disposable towel so they won’t be soggy, watery, or slimy.

So here are mistakes to avoid when cleaning and cooking mushrooms the right way, including for this mushroom stroganoff:

• Washing mushrooms

Mushrooms are porous like sponges. By washing them, you are making them absorb more water than they already have and will alter their texture in an unpleasant way. You’ll make them soggy! Yuck!

Instead of washing them, WIPE OFF their dirt patches with a paper towel or dry kitchen cloth. This is one of the first things I learned in cooking school!

• Crowding the pan/pot

If you crowd a pan, the mushrooms won’t have enough surface area to be seared or browned. Instead, they’ll start steaming, making them rubbery and squishy.

The simple solution is to cook them in batches (or use an additional pan).

•  Stirring constantly

If you stir them often because you are concerned they will burn somehow, you are actually taking away their chance to brown and extract their maximum flavor.

The best thing is to stir them once and a while.

• Cooking on low or medium heat.

Cooking mushrooms at low or medium heat will not help them brown. Remember that if you want to brown something (meat, mushrooms, tofu, etc), you have to cook them over

high or medium-high heat. That is how you can sear their exterior properly!

• Salting them right at the beginning

Because mushrooms contain water, if you salt them at the beginning you are drawing out moisture and this won’t help them to brown. Instead, salt them after they have browned.

You can see our vegan mushroom stroganoff recipe calls for salt after the mushrooms have been browned. 

• Using only one mushroom variety

If white button mushrooms are what is available for you, go for it. But if you have a chance to buy a variety you will be blown away by how flavorful and meaty some other varieties can be.

I recommend you use at least two to three types of mushrooms in your mushroom dishes.

Each has different flavor profiles and even textures (i.e. chanterelle mushrooms almost melt in your mouth, shiitake and baby Bella are meaty, maitake are super flavorful like chicken, king oyster mushrooms mimic scallops well, etc.

What can I substitute for the white wine?

Wine is perfect to deglaze the pan, adding flavor and acidity, and its alcohol content will evaporate during the cooking process.

But if you don’t have it at home, you use a combination of vegetable broth (⅓ cup) and (2) two tablespoons of white vinegar instead.

How to Make Mushroom Stroganoff

1. To make this vegan mushroom stroganoff in the Instant Pot, press the sauté button and let the pot heat for about 2-3 minutes. Then add olive oil, onion, and mushrooms. Cook for about 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onion has softened and the mushrooms are brown. SEE PIC. 1 Then add the garlic and let it cook for one minute. NOTE: In order to sear the mushrooms properly, you may have to cook them in 2-3 batches.
2. Stir in paprika, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and wine. Let the wine evaporate a little and stir in the broth and coconut milk. SEE PIC. 2
3. Cancel the sauté function, lock the lid, turn the valve to sealing, and cook on High Pressure for 3 minutes. Do a quick release! SEE PIC. 3
4. Press the sauté button and stir in the xanthan gum until the stroganoff sauce has thickened (about 1-2 minutes). SEE PIC. 4 Sprinkle fresh parsley on top. SEE PIC. 5
5. Serve over zoodles or cauliflower rice (low carb options) or over noodles, white rice, or mashed potatoes. SEE PIC. 6

Variations of Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff

Adapt this easy dinner recipe by replacing a few  ingredients or using a different variety of mushrooms to make the following:

• For vegetarian mushroom stroganoff – follow our recipe and use a regular (non-vegan) wine and swap coconut milk for heavy cream or Greek yogurt if you want.
• For a gluten-free stroganoff – skip the Worcestershire sauce or use one that is gluten-free. You can use Dijon mustard instead.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH VEGAN MUSHROOM STROGANOFF

The options are many:

• Low carb sides – mashed cauliflower, cauliflower rice, or zoodles.
• Regular sides – mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes (replace the non-vegan ingredients), white rice such as Jasmine rice or Basmati rice, hard-crusted bread, or noodles.

There you’ll have a complete meal the entire family will love!

Storage

Store vegan mushroom stroganoff in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It’s one of those easy freezer meals – you can freeze it for up to 2 months!

Thaw overnight in the fridge and gently reheat over low heat, stirring well.

Other stroganoff recipes to try:

• Ground beef stroganoff
• Pork stroganoff

 

PIN & ENJOY!

 

 

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