Mushroom Stroganoff (for reals)

No more adding cans of mushroom soup to a quick saute. I've foiled the easy version of stroganoff by making one with so much more flavor, nobody misses it. Certainly not I. I much prefer feasting on this creamy, mushroom-thick broth, oozing with sour cream and spiced with sage, ladled over soft, buttered noodles. What could be better when it's 4º outside?

Mushroom Stroganoff
Makes 6 generous servings

2 T olive oil
2 T unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
1# button mushrooms, washed or rinsed or wiped clean
6 oz baby bellas or portabellas, washed or rinsed or wiped clean
1 pkg Field Roast vegan sausages (I used the sage flavor)
1/4 cup white wine
2 cups vegetable broth (or water + broth powder)
2 T chopped sage leaves (or parsley)
2 cups sour cream (full fat, please, or you'll see specks)

1# wide egg noodles
1 T butter

In a wide-bottomed stockpot, heat 1/2 tablespoon of butter with 1/2 tablespoon of oil and brown the onions. Start to chop your mushrooms, a fat handful at a time, tossing them into the pot as you go. Let them brown, move them over with the onions, and melt a little more butter and oil. Continue chopping mushrooms and browning them until they're all in the pot. This isn't fancy, but you can take them out and set the browned ones aside if you're worried.

Pour in the white wine, stirring and scraping the bottom to get the burnt bits up. Then add the water and reduce the heat to medium-low. You want the stock to boil, but a slow, consistent boil. Chop up the sausages and add them to the pot with the sage. Let this simmer for 20-30 minutes, until most of the water reduces and the stock is fragrant and thickened. Boil the water for your noodles now and get those started.


Season the stroganoff with salt and pepper. Let sit 5 minutes, then taste again. You may need to season more than once. Mushrooms like their salt. Stir in the sour cream and turn off the heat. If you're using parsley instead of sage, add it now. Cover the pot and let the flavors meld.

Drain the noodles and set in a large bowl. Add the butter and stir to coat. I like to add pepper to the noodles, too. But, then again, I really like pepper.

Serve a large scoop of buttered noodles with the stroganoff over top. Crusty bread alongside is lovely for sopping up the plate. Sometimes I serve spinach alongside to cut the creaminess.