Oh, mushroom gravy, how do I love you so?

Okay, okay. I’ll stop myself. You don’t want an ode to vegan mushroom gravy, do you? I get it. My inner poet will survive. But I’ll just mention that mushroom kinda rhymes with vavava-voom and that really coulda been something. 

So! Vegan mushroom gravy! Friends, I have to say, I am pretty happy with this one. It’s thick and rich and chockfull of that umami flavor vegans clamor for. 

I am really in love with this one – as much as one can be in love with a gravy. Why? Here’s why. 

MUSHROOMS. Glorious glorious ‘shrooms. (Let it also be known that “‘shroom” and “BOOM” would have totally worked in a poem). 

I use cremini mushrooms here, otherwise known as baby bellas. They are the hearty heart of the situation. In this vegan mushroom gravy recipe, I saute them in vegan butter and olive oil with shallots until tender, then deglaze with a dash of sherry. YUMMM. 

Then, we stir in the flour and cook it for three minutes to get rid of any weird raw flour taste. 

Then, more flavor! Add vegetable broth, fresh glorious thyme, some soy sauce or Tamari, and cook to thicken. 

Yes. 

Yes yes. 

YES.

(This vegan mushroom gravy is glorious on my mashed-potato-stuffed vegan wellington, the recipe for which is coming soon!)

Another wonderful thing about this gravy recipe? You can make it now, cool it, and freeze it for the big day! It’s so easy to just warm up over the stove – add a bit of broth if it’s thickened up some. 

I love this gravy on mashed potatoes, wellington, or just with a spoon. Kidding about the spoon. But kinda not.

Mushroom and consume. Totally rhyme. 

How to wash mushrooms

Oh, I wanted to add a note on washing mushrooms. Have you ever heard that mushrooms soak up water like a sponge? Me too. Have you then wiped every mushroom individually with a damp paper towel? UGH, me too. Well, I read somewhere a year or two ago that it’s perfectly fine to give mushrooms a quick swirl in a bowl of water. I tried it, and I didn’t find my mushrooms had soaked up water like a sponge. So that’s how I wash my mushrooms. I place them in a bowl, give them a swish, drain, and do it again a couple more times until the water is fairly clean after the swish. 

I also conducted a super scientific study last time (not really). I weighed a big batch of cremini mushrooms before washing them. They were 2.1 pounds. Then I washed them using the easy bowl-of-water method – dunk, swish, drain, dunk, swish, drain. Then I weighed them again. Guess how much they weighed? 2.1 pounds. Hmmm. Maybe some mushrooms don’t soak up water after all? 

Of course, if you’re still doubtful, you can always wipe them down with a damp paper towel. 

Onward with the gravy recipe!

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Vegan Mushroom Gravy

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Author: Kare
An undetectably vegan, thick and rich gravy. Mushrooms and shallots sautéed in olive oil and vegan butter, joined by sherry, thyme, and vegetable broth. The perfect gravy for special occasions – or any ol’ time!

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons vegan butter (I like Melt or Earth Balance)
  • 1 medium shallot (peeled and diced (about 1/3 cup))
  • 1/2 pound 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced (about 2 cups)
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper + more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons dry sherry
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (lightly chopped)
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce or Tamari

Instructions

  • Set a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Add olive oil and vegan butter. When the butter has melted, add the shallot, mushrooms, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Saute shallot and mushroom, stirring occasionally, until tender and the moisture has cooked off, 10-15 minutes.
  • Add sherry and cook, stirring, until the liquid has cooked off, about 1 minute.
  • Add flour. Cook, stirring frequently, for three minutes.
  • Slowly pour in the vegetable broth while stirring. Add the thyme and soy sauce or Tamari. Bring to a low boil and let cook until thickened, 3-4 minutes. The gravy might seem a little thin at first, but it will thicken up as it sits and cools. If your gravy seems too thick, you can stir in a bit of broth.
  • Taste and add more salt and pepper if you like.
  • Serve immediately or let cool and refrigerate or freeze until it’s time to serve. Gravy can be warmed over low heat on the stovetop. You may wish to add a bit of broth when reheating to thin it out.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8g, Calories: 90kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 178mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g
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