This creamy vegan mushroom stroganoff uses a silky cashew cream sauce and caramelized mushrooms to deliver rich, comforting flavor entirely plant-based. The recipe is naturally gluten-free optional and comes together in one pot with just 10 core ingredients.
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Add 1/2 cup cashews (60 g // adjust amount if altering number of servings) to a bowl and cover with warm water by at least 2 inches. Set aside to soak.
Clean the mushrooms by wiping them with a clean, damp kitchen towel. Thinly slice 1 ½ cups (105 g) of the mushrooms and add the remainder to a food processor with the “S” blade. Pulse to finely chop into small pieces. If you do not have a food processor, you can finely chop with a knife. Set aside.
NOODLES: Add 3 quarts (~3 liters) of water and 1 Tbsp salt to a large pot (adjust amounts if adjusting serving size). Bring to a boil. Once boiling, add pasta, stir, and set a timer for the lower end of your package’s recommendation.
Meanwhile, drain the cashews and add them to a small blender with 1 cup (240 ml) water (adjust amount if altering batch size). Blend until smooth to make cashew cream. Set aside.
Test pasta for doneness. When it’s ready, reserve 1/2 cup (120 ml) pasta water for thinning the sauce. Then drain the pasta and set aside.
STROGANOFF: Melt the vegan butter in a Dutch oven or large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add the onion and season with a healthy pinch of salt and pepper (optional). Cook for 3-4 minutes or until translucent. Add the sliced mushrooms ONLY (not the finely chopped) and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they have released most of their moisture and begin to brown.
Add the remaining (finely chopped) mushrooms and cook for 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and sauté until fragrant — about 1-2 minutes. Add the cornstarch (or flour), salt, pepper (optional), and mustard and stir to coat the vegetables in the cornstarch (or flour).
Add the cashew cream and bring to a simmer. Cook until thickened but still saucy, stirring frequently, over medium-low heat. If you want it saucier, you can stir in the 1/4 - 1/2 cup (120 ml) reserved pasta water. Or, if you forgot to reserve pasta water, you can also use filtered or tap water if needed. Serve over noodles or add the noodles to the sauce and stir to combine.
Serve warm and optionally garnish with chives and vegan sour cream or yogurt. Leftovers will keep stored separately for 2-3 days. Sauce can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat leftovers in a saucepan until warm, adding water as needed to thin.
Store sauce and noodles separately in airtight containers for 2–3 days, or freeze the sauce alone for up to 1 month. Reheat sauce in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often and thinning with water until pourable.
blender (for cashew cream) · food processor with S blade (optional, for chopping mushrooms)
Yes. Soak the cashews longer (30–60 minutes) until very soft, then mash thoroughly with a fork until smooth, or push through a fine-mesh strainer. It will take more effort but produces a similar cream.
The cornstarch thickens the sauce as it simmers. If it's too thick, stir in 1/4–1/2 cup reserved pasta water or plain water. If it's too thin, simmer uncovered longer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently.
It can be. Use gluten-free pasta and substitute all-purpose flour with cornstarch or gluten-free flour in the stroganoff. All other ingredients are naturally gluten-free.
Yes. Scale the cashews, water, and pasta proportionally. For the stroganoff vegetables and aromatics, increase or decrease the onion and mushrooms by the same ratio, keeping the cornstarch, mustard, thyme, and salt roughly consistent or adjusting slightly to taste.
The sauce and noodles stored separately keep for 2–3 days in the refrigerator. The sauce alone freezes for up to 1 month. Reheat gently in a saucepan, thinning with water as needed.
