This mushroom bourguignon is the ultimate hearty, comforting vegan stew (and it's also surprisingly low calorie!).
If you want a hearty winter warmer to serve to guests, which sounds super fancy, but is actually really easy to make... mushroom bourguignon is the dish for you. Pretend you're posh and wow your friends with this French stew, which you actually prepared in about 20 minutes!
What is mushroom bourguignon?
This mushroom bourguignon (pronounced 'bour-gin-yon'... kind of) is based on a French dish called boeuf bourguignon. If you speak even a little French, you'll know that boeuf means beef, so obviously the original recipe isn't vegetarian - it's a rich beef stew made with red wine.
This version is totally vegetarian - in fact it's actually vegan too! The beef is replaced by some 'meaty' mushrooms (don't hate me for saying that, meat eaters), along with baby carrots and baby onions*.
*(no actual babies were harmed in the making of this dish)
Vegan beef bourguignon
This hearty vegan stew begins by frying off the vegetables in a dash of oil. Since whole baby onions and baby carrots need a fair bit of cooking, they won't really soften up at this stage, but the mushrooms will, releasing the juices that will ultimately give heaps of flavour to the casserole's rich sauce.
Don't forget plenty of garlic too!
Red wine
Next, add a good slosh of red wine - almost a cupful.
I'm actually not a red wine drinker, at all - I don't like it much. But it works really well in this mushroom bourguignon, giving the sauce a beautiful deep flavour. So don't worry if you're not a red wine fan either - you might still love this mushroom bourguignon!
As the name of the dish suggests, it's traditional to use a Burgundy wine to make a bourguignon (the French region of Bourgogne is known as Burgundy in English). But, since I'm not overly fussed with authenticity, I just used any old cheap red wine (don't hate me for saying that, French people), and it still worked beautifully.
Hearty baked stew
After adding some fresh thyme, bay leaves, and a glug of veggie stock, it's time to bake the stew in the oven. This helps the sauce to intensify, releases all the flavour from the herbs, and softens the onions and carrots.
If you have a big casserole dish that can be used both on the hob and in the oven, you'll save yourself some washing up. I used my enormous cast iron Le Creuset casserole dish (Amazon UK* / Amazon US*). It's almost worth cooking up this kind of big stew just so I can use that thing - love it.
How do I serve mushroom bourguignon?
After 40 minutes or so in the oven, your mushroom bourguignon is ready to eat!
I served mine with mashed potato - it's the perfect combination. Rich gravy poured over creamy mash, with all those hearty veggies. The best comfort food ever (and pretty healthy too, if you ignore the wine!).
If you're not a fan of mashed potato, I find you very strange (don't hate me for saying that, mashed potato haters), but luckily this mushroom bourguignon is really versatile. It would also be great served with boiled potatoes, pasta, crusty bread, or just about anything else. It's hard to go wrong with a good gravy.
How can I adapt this mushroom bourguignon recipe?
As always, feel free to make this recipe your own! There are all sorts of ways you could adapt the recipe to give it your own flair. Here are a few ideas:
- Add a tin of chickpeas or butter beans to make your casserole extra hearty.
- Add some vegetarian sausages for a tasty sausage stew (just fry them off a bit before adding!).
- Or, use 'fake beef' pieces for a more realistic take on beef bourguignon.
- Use different vegetables - anything that's great cooked for a long time. Root vegetables (e.g. parsnips) will all work well!
- Instead of serving with mashed potato, add some baby potatoes to the stew itself so they can soak up the gravy.
- Add a pastry top to make a beautiful mushroom bourguignon pie, much like I did when I made my mushroom stroganoff pie (this would be a great way to use up any leftovers!)
- Add a splash of cream to the finished stew for an extra indulgent dish.
Whatever you do, it's hard to go wrong with this kind of hearty comfort food.
Is mushroom bourguignon healthy?
Despite the fact that this mushroom bourguignon is really rich and hearty, it's actually surprisingly low calorie - less than 200 calories a bowl! Of course, by the time you've added a huge heap of buttery mashed potatoes, it's going to be significantly more than that, but you can certainly go easy on the side dishes if you're trying to keep things light.
As well as being pretty low calorie, this mushroom bourguignon is also high in fibre and iron, and super high in vitamin D (it's all those mushrooms!).
Who says comfort food can't have a place in a calorie controlled diet?! This mushroom bourguignon certainly can!
Mushroom bourguignon
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Print Pin CommentIngredients
- 250 g (~ 9 oz) baby onions
- 250 g (~ 9 oz) baby carrots
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 850 g (~ 1 ¾ lb) mushrooms, cut into chunky pieces (I used chestnut mushrooms and mini portobellos)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 185 ml (~ ¾ cup) red wine
- 2 tablespoon tomato puree / paste
- 1 small bunch fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 250 ml (~ 1 cup) vegetable stock
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Peel the baby onions, and remove the tops and tails, but otherwise leave whole. Also top and tail the baby carrots.
- Heat the oil in a large pan (if you use a large casserole dish that can also go in the oven, that will save on washing up!), and add the mushrooms, baby carrots and baby onions. Cook over a medium heat for 5-10 minutes, adding the garlic for the last couple of minutes of cooking time. The mushrooms should be soft and should have released their juices. The carrots and onions will still be quite hard.
- Add the red wine, and turn up the heat. Simmer for a few minutes, then add the remaining ingredients. Mix well to combine.
- If needed, transfer the mixture to an oven-safe casserole dish. Cover with a lid or some foil, and bake at 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F) for around 40 minutes, or until the carrots and onions are cooked to your liking. Check the seasoning, and serve hot.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.
Mushroom lover? Try my mushroom-stuffed cheesy potato cakes!
* This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Cyd says
Such a rich complex tasting dish that is so simple to make!! This will go on my regular rotation as well as my special for company list.
Becca Heyes says
Thanks Cyd, so glad you liked it! :)
Jo says
Absolutely delicious! I had some mushrooms to use up so I thought I'd give this one a try, and I'm so glad I did. My husband and I loved it and it is definitely now one of our go to meals. I didn't use the red wine as we don't drink, and I didn't have any tomato puree so I blended up some fresh tomatoes and it worked so well. Thank you Becca! When is the cookbook coming out...???
Becca Heyes says
Ahh so glad you both enjoyed it Jo! Ha, cookbook is coming out whenever you can introduce me to a high-flying cookbook publisher ;)
Emily says
So excited to try making this! If I wanted to cook this stovetop instead of the oven, do you know how I would go about doing that?
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
Absolutely! Just use cover the pan with a lid and let it simmer gently - for a good long time, if possible. I'd aim to give it a good hour, if you can.
Kate says
Amazing recipe! I’m not a fan of mushrooms so I use Quorn steak strips instead and it always turns out incredible!
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
Good to know, thanks Kate!
Stacey says
Absolutely delicious! My teenagers had seconds, so you KNOW it's a winner. It's soooooo easy to make, makes the house smell amazing and is even better then next day! This is 100% going into the rotation, I can't wait to share it at my next family gathering. Thank you so much for the recipe!
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
Such a lovely comment, thanks Stacey! :)
MJ says
This is amazing! And, this comes from a mushroom hater.
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
Ooh praise indeed, thank you! :)
Sarah says
Can it be made the day before and reheated? Thanks!
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
Absolutely! It will reheat really well.
Val & Fip says
Excellent dish. As a non vegetarian/vegan…I prepared it for friends who were. Really rich flavour. Mash potato is such a comfort food to have with it… during these winter days. Will definitely be doing it again.
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
Thank you! Really glad you all enjoyed it :)
Elaine says
Absolutely delicious! My guests loved it. Will definitely make it again👍👍😊
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
Great to hear, thank you Elaine!
henderson karen says
I’m making it now!! It smells amazing! I followed the first part, but I’ve put it in a slow cooker instead of the oven.I’m gonna serve it over rice, with some crispy onions on top! And drink the rest of the wine! Thank you! 🍄🤎🍄🤎🍄🤎
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
Sounds great, hope you enjoyed it! :)
Sunni says
@henderson karen, hi there! Wondering how long you put it in the slow cooker for, and what setting?
Thank you in advance!
Sunni
Cate says
I just looked it up - 2-3 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low. Thanks, cause I also thought this would be a great crockpot option.
It looks yummy. I will be subbing sliced carrot for the baby carrots. (baby carrots taste off for some people)
Becca Heyes says
Let me know how you get on with the crockpot version!