Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics & Mushrooms
- 30 ml olive oil, extra virgin
- 300 g cremini mushrooms, halved
- 150 g yellow onion, diced
- 15 g garlic, minced
- 30 g tomato paste
Root Vegetables
- 200 g carrots, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
- 150 g parsnips, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
- 300 g yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 3cm chunks
Liquids & Seasonings
- 120 ml dry red wine
- 750 ml vegetable broth
- 15 ml tamari
- 5 g fresh thyme, tied in a bundle
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Thickener
- 15 g cornstarch
- 15 ml cold water
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 482 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbohydrates
- 90 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fiber
- 10 g
- Sugar
- 12 g
- Sodium
- 1355 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 1631 mg
- Calcium
- 127 mg
- Iron
- 2.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 90 mg
- Phosphorus
- 303 mg
- Zinc
- 1.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 453 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 21 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 21 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.39 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.51 mg
- Niacin
- 6.8 mg
- Folate
- 81 mcg
- Water
- 406 g
- Alcohol
- 3 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the halved cremini mushrooms and sear undisturbed for 5 minutes until deeply browned, then stir and cook for 2 more minutes.
Lower the heat to medium. Add the diced yellow onion to the pot, sautéing and stirring frequently with a wooden spoon until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste. Cook while stirring constantly until the tomato paste turns a dark brick-red and caramelizes onto the bottom of the pot, about 2 minutes.
Pour in the dry red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up all the caramelized browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine bubble and reduce by half, about 3 minutes.
Add the carrots, parsnips, potatoes, vegetable broth, tamari, thyme bundle, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil at approximately 100°C/212°F, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer gently at 90°C/195°F for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the root vegetables are tender.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water to create a smooth slurry. Pour this into the simmering stew, stirring gently but constantly. Cook uncovered for 3 to 5 minutes until the broth thickens into a glossy gravy. Discard the thyme stems and bay leaf before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Searing the mushrooms undisturbed is non-negotiable; this develops the Maillard reaction necessary to create a deeply savory backbone for the entire stew.
- Tamari and tomato paste act as crucial glutamates in this recipe, compensating for the lack of meat by providing rich, layered umami notes.
- Cutting the root vegetables into uniform pieces ensures they all finish cooking at the same time, preventing a textural mismatch where potatoes dissolve before carrots are tender.
- Ensuring your red wine is certified vegan and kosher keeps the dish compliant with specific dietary requirements, as some traditional wines use animal-derived fining agents.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Flavors deepen and meld significantly overnight.
Freezer: 3 months — Potatoes may soften slightly upon thawing, but the stew remains highly enjoyable.
Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of vegetable broth if the gravy has become too thick.
Troubleshooting
Broth is too thin and watery
Cause: Insufficient reduction time or a weak slurry
Fix: Whisk an additional 5g of cornstarch with 5ml of cold water, stir into the gently boiling stew, and cook for 3 more minutes
Prevention: Allow the stew to simmer uncovered during the final stages of cooking to evaporate excess moisture
Root vegetables are mushy and falling apart
Cause: Vegetables were cut too small or the stew was aggressively boiled rather than gently simmered
Fix: Cannot be fixed texturally, but can be partially pureed using an immersion blender to create a hearty, thick rustic soup
Prevention: Cut vegetables into uniform, substantial chunks and maintain a gentle simmer with only occasional bubbles
Cultural Context
Root vegetable and mushroom stews have been foundational staples in European peasant cuisine for centuries. By elevating humble cellar staples through slow braising and careful layering of flavors, historically meat-scarce regions created deeply nourishing, economical winter meals that rival the complexity of classic meat-based dishes like Bourguignon.
