Rich vegan mushroom gravy

Name: Rich vegan mushroom gravy
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 15 g dried porcini mushrooms (½ oz); 240 ml hot water (1 cup, for soaking the porcini); 2 tbsp olive oil (30 ml); 2 tbsp vegan butter (28 g; or another 2 tbsp olive oil); 225 g cremini mushrooms (8 oz, finely chopped); 2 shallots (finely chopped, or ½ small yellow onion); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 2 tsp fresh thyme (leaves, or ½ tsp dried); 3 tbsp all-purpose flour (about 24 g); 480 ml vegetable broth (2 cups, plus a splash for reheating); 1 tbsp soy sauce (15 ml); 1 tsp balsamic vinegar; 0.25 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste); 0.25 tsp black pepper

Deep, glossy gravy built on browned mushrooms and porcini soaking liquid, made without a drop of drippings.

⏱ 55 min
🍽 Serves 8
📈 Easy

Vegan
Dairy-free
Nut-free

Contains: gluten, soy, wheat

AI can make mistakes: always check labels.

Ingredients

15 gdried porcini mushrooms½ oz
240 mlhot water1 cup, for soaking the porcini
2 tbspolive oil30 ml
2 tbspvegan butter28 g; or another 2 tbsp olive oil
225 gcremini mushrooms8 oz, finely chopped
2shallotsfinely chopped, or ½ small yellow onion
2 clovesgarlicminced
2 tspfresh thymeleaves, or ½ tsp dried
3 tbspall-purpose flourabout 24 g
480 mlvegetable broth2 cups, plus a splash for reheating
1 tbspsoy sauce15 ml
1 tspbalsamic vinegar
0.25 tspkosher saltplus more to taste
0.25 tspblack pepper

Steps

1
Soak the porcini in the hot water for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, finely chop the cremini mushrooms and shallots, mince the garlic and strip the thyme leaves.
⏱ 20 min
💡 The soaking liquid is where most of the deep, meaty flavour comes from.
2
Lift the porcini out with a fork, squeeze them gently over the bowl and chop them finely. Pour the soaking liquid through a paper towel or coffee filter into a measuring cup, leaving the last spoonful (and its grit) behind.
3
Heat the olive oil and vegan butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cremini, the chopped porcini and the salt and cook, stirring now and then, until the liquid is gone and the mushrooms are well browned, about 10 minutes. Lower the heat to medium, add the shallots for 3 minutes, then the garlic and thyme for 1 minute.
💡 Deep brown bits on the bottom of the pan mean deep flavour, so don't rush this.
4
Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and stir constantly for 2 minutes, until it smells toasty and coats everything.
5
Slowly whisk in the porcini liquid, then the broth and soy sauce, scraping up the browned bits. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes, until it coats the back of a spoon.
⏱ 8 min
💡 Too thick? Whisk in broth a splash at a time. Too thin? Simmer a few minutes longer.
6
Stir in the balsamic vinegar and pepper. For a smoother gravy, blend half of it with an immersion blender and stir it back in. Taste and adjust with salt, pepper or a few drops more soy sauce.
7
Serve hot in a warmed gravy boat. Chill leftovers within 2 hours; it keeps 3 days. Reheat over low heat with a splash of broth, whisking until simmering.
💡 Make ahead: it reheats well, so make it the day before and free up the stove on the day.

Make it easier

Quick no-porcini gravy

Skip the porcini and the soak; use 2½ cups broth in total.
Add 1 tsp extra soy sauce for depth.

Dietary versions

Swaps checked for this recipe. In the app, Jude makes them for you once he knows your diet and allergies.

AI can make mistakes: always check labels.

Wheat allergy: Instead of all-purpose flour: 1½ tbsp cornstarch whisked into 3 tbsp cold water or 1½ tbsp arrowroot whisked into 3 tbsp cold waterSkip the flour step. Simmer the gravy 5 minutes unthickened, then whisk in the slurry and simmer 1 to 2 minutes until glossy. Starch-thickened gravy is clearer and can thin if boiled hard or reheated many times.; Instead of soy sauce: tamari labelled gluten-free or coconut aminosTamari is still soy; use coconut aminos for a soy allergy.; Instead of vegetable broth: mushroom broth or water with an extra splash of soy sauceSome broths contain wheat or barley; check the label.
Gluten-free: Instead of all-purpose flour: 1½ tbsp cornstarch whisked into 3 tbsp cold water or 1½ tbsp arrowroot whisked into 3 tbsp cold waterSkip the flour step. Simmer the gravy 5 minutes unthickened, then whisk in the slurry and simmer 1 to 2 minutes until glossy. Starch-thickened gravy is clearer and can thin if boiled hard or reheated many times.; Instead of soy sauce: tamari labelled gluten-free or coconut aminosTamari is still soy; use coconut aminos for a soy allergy.; Instead of vegetable broth: mushroom broth or water with an extra splash of soy sauceSome broths contain wheat or barley; check the label.
Soy allergy: Instead of soy sauce: tamari labelled gluten-free or coconut aminosTamari is still soy; use coconut aminos for a soy allergy.; Instead of vegan butter: olive oilSome vegan butters contain soy; olive oil works just as well.