Vegan Richa's Mushroom Bourguignon

Our friend Richa Hingle is a genius. She came up with a popular vegan bourguignon that is savory, hearty, and EASY! Like throw it all together in the Instant Pot in 30 minutes-easy! Sometimes we can be intimidated by vegan cooking, especially for those of us who are used to the meat and potatoes we grew up on. This recipe proves that vegan adaptations can taste even better than their traditional counterparts.

Richa Hingle is a longtime World Spice Merchants customer, as well as a prolific and award winning recipe developer, blogger, and photographer based here in Seattle. The recipes she has on VeganRicha.com are easy to follow, with step-by-step photos so that even the novice vegan cook can make delicious food. She loves to show people how easy it is to cook vegan Indian or other cuisines, which are allergy friendly and have gluten-free and soy-free options. Her latest cookbook isVegan Richa's Instant Pot™ Cookbook which has many adaptations, swaps for allergies and special diets, full nutritional information, and will become your go-to guide for healthful, flavor-forward meals that are a breeze to get to the table.

Ingredients

For the Mushroom Bourguignon:

2 teaspoons safflower or sunflower oil
10 ounces (280 g) mushrooms (white or cremini, or a combination), sliced (about 4 cups)
1/2 medium-sized onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup [120 g])
4 garlic cloves, chopped (about 2 teaspoons)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon water, if needed
1/4 cup (60 ml) red wine, brandy, whiskey, or vegetable stock
4 small celery stalks, chopped (about 1 cup [100 g])
1 large carrot, chopped (about 3/4 cup [75 g])
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or 3/4 teaspoon dried Thyme
1/4 teaspoon Powder Garlic
1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable stock or water
1 tablespoon soy sauce, tamari (for gluten-free), or coconut aminos (for soy-free)
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 Turkish Bay Leaf
1/2 teaspoon Rosemary
1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot starch mixed with 3 tablespoons water
1 cup (30 g) spinach or baby kale

For the Potato-Cauliflower Mash:

2 cups (340 g) cubed potato (about 1 large potato)
1 heaping cup (100 g) cauliflower florets
2 to 4 tablespoons nondairy milk
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh or 1 teaspoon dried herbs, such as Thyme
1/4 teaspoon Powder Garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground Black Vietnamese Peppercorn

For the Garnishes:

Fresh thyme
Freshly ground Black Vietnamese Peppercorn

Directions

For the Mushroom Bourguignon:

Preheat the Instant Pot by selecting the Sauté setting. Heat the oil in the preheated pot for a few seconds, then add the mushrooms, onion, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and mix.

Cook until the mushrooms turn golden on some edges, for 3 to 4 minutes. Add a tablespoon of water if browning too quickly.

Add the wine and mix well for a few seconds to cook out the alcohol. Add the celery, carrot, thyme, and garlic powder and mix well. Add the stock, soy sauce, tomato paste, and another 1/4 teaspoon of salt (unless using salted stock) and mix.

Select the Cancel setting. Add the bay leaf and rosemary, if using.

For the Potato-Cauliflower Mash:

Place a steamer basket over the mushroom mixture and put the potato and cauliflower in the basket. Lock the lid into place, set the Pressure Release Knob to Sealing, select the Pressure Cook/Manual setting at high pressure, and set the cook time to 10 minutes.

Once the cooking cycle is done, let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid and use silicone mini mitts to carefully remove the steamer basket, setting it aside.

Select the Sauté setting, add the cornstarch mixture to the Instant Pot, and mix. Then add the spinach and mix. Bring the mixture to a boil to thicken, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Select the Cancel setting. Taste for seasoning, adjusting if needed.

Transfer the steamed potato and cauliflower to a bowl and coarsely mash them. Add 2 tablespoons of non-dairy milk with the olive oil, the herbs, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mash well to your preferred consistency, adding more nondairy milk, if needed.

Serve the potato-cauliflower mash layered with the mushroom bourguignon. Garnish with some fresh thyme and black pepper.

Notes:

- The trick to cooking great mushrooms in the Instant Pot is using less liquid, which allows the mushrooms to get roasted as well as cooked under pressure. Too much liquid hampers the roasting process -- and the overall flavor!

- You can add more vegetable stock later while simmering after pressure cooking It is okay if some of the liquid from the mushrooms travels into the steamer.

- If doubling, increase the pressure cook time by 2 minutes.

Variations:

- Change up the fresh herbs for variation; try parsley or oregano.

For additional protein, add 1/2 to 1 cup (90 to 180 g) of cooked white beans to the potato and mash. You can also add 1 cup (180 g) of cooked beans or 1 cup (198 g) of cooked lentils to the cooked mushrooms and simmer for 5 minutes.

- To thicken: Instead of cornstarch, you can add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the mashed potato mixture

Tags: Bay Leaf Dinner Garlic Instant Pot One Pot Meal Rosemary Thyme Vegan Vegetarian Vietnamese Black Peppercorn