Mushroom Stroganoff Recipe: 3 Ways to Customize Stroganoff

Mushroom stroganoff is a vegetarian variation of beef stroganoff, a popular Russian dish consisting of bite-sized pieces of beef sautéed in a sour cream-based sauce, served over rice or egg noodles. Mushroom stroganoff swaps the beef for meaty mushrooms, such as cremini, oysters, maitakes, shiitakes, or portobellos.

You can make the dish vegan by swapping the sour cream with full-fat coconut milk and using dry pasta that doesn’t contain animal products instead of egg noodles.

Thanks to the worldwide popularity of stroganoff, individual recipes vary by region and personal preference. Here are a few ways to customize the hearty dish:

1. 1. Swap the beef for veggies. Mushrooms are a common vegetarian substitution for beef. However, you can also use other veggies like zucchini, a soy-based vegan beef alternative, or jackfruit for a more texturally similar swap.
2. 2. Change up the seasoning. A traditional stroganoff features ground allspice and paprika, but dried herbs like thyme and aromatics like garlic and onions have become a standard addition.
3. 3. Add umami flavor to the classic base. Early recipes for stroganoff used only sour cream, broth, and a roux to build the sauce. Modern versions include sautéed onions, white wine, and may feature a lift of umami flavor from Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce. Some sauces incorporate tomatoes.

Once you’ve got the basic elements—mushrooms, sour cream, and cooked pasta—there’s a variety of ways to make it your own. Here are some tips to consider:

1. 1. Use a combination of mushrooms. You can make mushroom stroganoff with any basic sliced mushrooms, like cremini mushrooms (baby bella mushrooms), button mushrooms, or portobello. For a more rustic feel, use torn pieces of wild mushrooms like maitakes or, when they’re in season, chanterelles. Each mushroom brings a different flavor and texture to the dish.
2. 2. Make it vegan. To make a vegan mushroom stroganoff, increase the flour and use unsweetened almond milk, full-fat coconut milk, or plain vegan yogurt instead of sour cream. It won’t have as tangy an undertone, but it will deliver a similarly creamy consistency.
3. 3. For a traditional sauce, start with a roux. You can thicken stroganoff sauce by adding flour directly to the cooking liquid. Alternatively, you can build a roux with equal parts melted butter and flour in a separate saucepan, then add the stock and sautéed mushrooms and aromatics.