Posted in Recipes on 22.01.2019
Mushroom Sauce
prep: 15 mins / cook: 10 mins / inactive: 1 hour - 24 hours mins / total: 26 mins / quantity: 4 servings Print recipe?
This rich, creamy vegan mushroom sauce is so simple to put together and so versatile! Spoon it over your favourite pie or stir through pasta for a quick and deliciously nutritious meal!
There are SO many good things about this mushroom sauce:
It’s very quick to put together
It’s very easy to double the quantity to feed a crowd
It can be made in advance and kept in the fridge
It’s so flipping delicious we’ve had it every day in one form or another this week!
Day 1 we had it with this Hummus and Roasted Vegetable Pie, loads of veggies and the obligatory roast potatoes. Day 2 and 3 I’ve had the leftovers for a ridiculously quick and easy lunch – just stirring the sauce through some egg free pasta and topped with vegan Parmesan.
The only thing you need to do in advance is soak some cashews. This can be done from as little as 1 hour to a whole day ahead. Just soak and leave – how long you leave them doesn’t affect the finished sauce, it’s just about how organised you are!
It’s all then blended to a rich, thick, creamy sauce and warmed through with sauteed onions, garlic and the mushrooms. I’ve tried it a couple of different ways but found gently frying the garlic and onions rather than just blending them into the sauce resulted in a much less harsh flavour – particularly with the garlic! If you want a really pungent garlic flavour you can add them raw to the cashew mixture. But personally I found the recipe below the most well-rounded version with lovely layers of flavour and such a rich, creamy texture.
If you make this recipe or any of the recipes from The Cook & Him we’d LOVE to see! Just snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #thecookandhim and tagging @thecookandhim in the photo itself (as this guarantees we’ll see your picture!
)
And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram , Facebook or Twitter for even more recipe inspiration and chat, competitions, behind the scenes and so much more!
Mushroom Sauce
prep: 15 mins / cook: 10 mins / inactive: 1 hour - 24 hours mins / total: 26 mins / quantity: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup (145g) cashew nuts
- drizzle of oil (olive, coconut, avocado or whatever your preferred oil is)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 red onion
- 2-3 cups (250g) chestnut mushroom (see note)
- few sprigs fresh thyme – leaves only, stalks discarded (or sub 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
- 1 cup (250ml) vegetable stock (or 1 cup water + 1 veg stock cube)
- 1 tblsp nutritional yeast
- Salt and pepper
- Blender – I used this Magimix
Instructions
- At least an hour (and up to 24 hours) before you want to make the sauce put the cashews into a heat proof bowl or jug and cover with boiling water. Set aside until you're ready to use them
- When you're ready to make the sauce peel the onion and dice finely. If you're cooking the garlic with the onion, peel the cloves and crush in a garlic press. Add both the onions and garlic to a medium pan along with a drizzle of olive oil and saute for 1-2 minutes until softened
- Add the mushrooms and thyme leaves and cook, stirring occasionally for a few minutes until cooked through
- While the mushrooms are cooking drain off and discard the water from the cashews and put the nuts into a blender cup
- Add the veg stock and nutritional yeast and whizz everything together until blended and creamy
- When the mushrooms are cooked pour in the cashew sauce and warm through. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed
- Serve immediately or chill in the fridge until required
- When stirring this sauce through cooked pasta I add a little bit of the pasta water to the sauce to thin slightly but if using as a 'gravy' I prefer to keep it thicker
Notes
- You can sub the chestnut mushrooms for normal closed cup mushrooms or even portobello mushrooms. I used the chestnut as they have a slightly firmer texture once cooked and a lovely earthy flavour!
Some products I used in today's post...
Some of the links above are affiliate links, which pay us a small commission for our referral at no extra cost to you! Thank you for supporting The Cook & Him.
Hello there! I’m Sam, former Michelin star pastry chef and now your go-to vegan foodie on a mission to make plant-based eating a deliciously easy adventure! From cozy comfort foods to vibrant salads and decadent desserts, there’s something for everyone in my kitchen.
Whether you’re cooking for one or for a houseful I believe food doesn’t have to be complicated to be full of FLAVOUR and I want to show you how. I’ve been a rigorous meal planner for over a decade whilst embracing seasonal ingredients (because that’s where the real flavour is!)
I’m also a dedicated dog mum to Nooch and Baxter and enjoy cooking them homemade treats (many of which are posted here) when I’m not screaming at the tennis or devouring fantasy fiction.
Latest recipes
BRAND NEW RECIPE BOOK
All things autumn - warming soups, savoury bakes and delicious sweet treats!
BRAND NEW RECIPE BOOK
Subscribe to my newsletter and as a bonus receive my free recipe book with 100 pages of full colour recipes! Including 30 of my favourites and 10 brand new and exclusives that wont be available anywhere else!
Configure your search
and I would like to see...
Or search for a recipe or post by keyword