One of my most beloved dishes from my life as an omnivore was a beef stroganoff. It may have been the recipe off the back of the Campbells Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup can. I'm slightly embarrassed. I know what you're thinking, but just trust me when I tell you it was legit. Being that I am now a vegan hippie, I came to the sad realization that stroganoff was one of those dishes that I was just going to have to give up (much like clam linguine). However, I was terribly and delightfully mistaken.

I started to see mushroom stroganoff recipes floating around the internet. It had never occurred to me to just replace the beef from my favorite stroganoff recipe with mushrooms! Duh! So I set off to do just that, until I obviously observed that a very large component of said dish is the condensed cream of mushroom soup. Well shit...that stuff is definitely not vegan. Another obstacle, and more crafty work needed.

Even without the soup, I managed to make a stroganoff that is just as good if not better than any animal based stroganoff, and that's coming from a serious carnivore and stroganoff extraordinaire (my Pops). I did it! Now I can savor in that creamy, mushroomy, rich stroganoff once again. And without any guilt! Peace has once again been restored. Now onto the next omnivore recipe to conquer....clam linguine!

Rich and creamy, this vegan stroganoff features chunky mushrooms and a thick, savory, cream based sauce. No dairy or beef required!

Creamy Mushroom Stroganoff

Inspired by Campbells and All Recipes

Serves a crowd (about 10 people)

3 Tbsp. vegan butter
2 medium yellow onions, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 lbs. of mushrooms, sliced (I used 1/3 portobello and 2/3 cremini)
12 oz. vegan sour cream (I like Tofutti)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce (check the cheap store-brand one)
1/2 Tbsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. vegetable broth paste (Better Than Bouillon)
1/4 tsp. black pepper
24 oz. pasta, dry (I used Campanelle)
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Heat the butter in a very large, rimmed frying pan. Add in the onions and garlic. Saute until fragrant and the onions become soft.

Bring a very large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, then drain and set aside until ready to use.

Add the mushrooms to the onions, and saute until browned, about 10-15 minutes.

Now, whisk together the sour cream through the black pepper in a medium mixing bowl, very well to combine. Add to the mushrooms and stir well to combine. Cook on low, until thoroughly heated.