This Mushroom Bourguignon recipe was adapted directly from Julia Child’s iconic Boeuf Bourguignon recipe in her cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking and captures all the savory depth of the original without the beef.
So what exactly does Bourguignon even mean? “Bourguignon” is a French term first used in 1893 to mean “cooked in red wine and especially Burgundy typically with onions and often mushrooms.”
Mushroom Bourguignon is a delicious and hearty dish that can be a bit involved, but the good news is that by omitting the beef, you simplify the process. Julia Child’s original recipe calls for simmering the beef for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, but by using only mushrooms, you can significantly reduce the cooking time.
By upping the amount of mushrooms in this recipe, you also up the beneficial amounts of fiber and vitamin D. Removing the added calories and cholesterol that the beef brings to the original dish makes this recipe a lighter, healthier version for any occasion.
This vegetarian version of Bourguignon is a delicious choice for anyone looking to incorporate more meatless meals into their diet without sacrificing flavor or satisfaction. Plus, as Julia points out, this hearty wine-enriched stew only “gains in flavor when reheated.”
Mushroom Bourguignon Wine
While this recipe originated using a full-bodied red wine from France’s Burgundy region, really any full-bodied red wine will do, so there’s no need to overspend on this element of the recipe.
A “full-bodied” wine is a term that refers to the heaviness of the wine. Typically, a full-bodied red wine will contain 13.5% alcohol and offer a range of complex, richer flavors. Good examples include Cabernets and Syrahs, but not Pinots or Merlots since they’re too light.
If you prefer to keep the dish French, in addition to Burgundy wine Julia Child recommends using: Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhone, or Bordeaux-St. Emilion.
Mushroom Bourguignon Base
Although I used buttered fettuccine noodles as the base for my Mushroom Bourguignon when creating this recipe, I also love serving it on top of buttered egg noodles, creamy mashed potatoes, steamed rice, thick buttery slices of bread, and even creamed cauliflower.
This rich sauce pairs well with so many things, so let your tastebuds and cravings be your guide.
Making the Mushroom Bourguignon
*Note: You will need a Dutch Oven to make this sauce. I bought this Emeril Lagasse one and absolutely love it.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large Dutch oven (which is an oven-safe casserole dish with thick, high walls and a tight-fitting lid), heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook for several minutes until the bacon is cooked and the fat has rendered.
Remove the bacon and set aside. The bacon won’t be included in the dish, just the flavor from it. Or, if you’re making the dish vegetarian, just use 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil instead of bacon fat.
Slice the carrots and chop the onions.
Over medium/medium-high heat, add the carrots and onions to the pan. Cook for a few minutes until they develop a golden brown color.
Toss with salt and pepper. Then, sprinkle the flour over the mixture and toss again, cook for about 3-4 minutes on medium.
Add the wine, beef stock, tomato paste, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme.
Bring to a simmer on the stovetop, then cover the Dutch oven, and place it in the oven. Cook, covered, for 40 minutes.
While the sauce is cooking in the oven, prepare the onions and mushrooms.
For the Pearl Onions:
Heat the butter and oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the pearl onions and cook for about 15 minutes, turning occasionally so that all sides of the onions can brown.
Add the stock. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and slowly simmer for 20 minutes. Check the pan towards the end of the cooking time. Most of the liquid should have evaporated and formed a brown glaze around the onions. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
For the Mushrooms:
Heat the butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside.
Once the veggies have finished cooking, allow the sauce to rest for a few minutes. Add the braised onions and sauteed mushrooms to the onion/carrot sauce.
Serve over mashed potatoes, noodles, or rice.
This dish reheats exceptionally well. Simply bring to a gentle simmer on the stovetop for a few minutes, until all components are heated through.
Print
The Best Mushroom Bourguignon Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop & Oven
- Cuisine: French
Description
This Mushroom Bourguignon recipe is a vegetarian-focused take on Julia Child’s decadent Boeuf Bourguignon. Serve this classic French sauce on pasta, creamed potatoes, rice, bread, or even creamed cauliflower. This rich and hearty red-wine stew will steal the show whether it’s served as the main dish or as a side. Bon appétit!
Ingredients
6 slices of bacon, (or substitute 2 tablespoons of olive oil to make the recipe vegetarian)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 carrot, sliced (or 10–15 baby carrots sliced) carrots should equal onions in volume
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups full-bodied red wine
1 1/2 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
For the sautéed onions:
1 bag frozen white pearl onions, defrosted and patted dry
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup beef stock or beef broth (or use vegetable stock)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
For the sautéed mushrooms:
1 pound mushrooms, quartered or pre-sliced
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a large Dutch oven (which is an oven-safe casserole dish with thick, high walls and a tight-fitting lid), heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook for several minutes until the bacon is cooked and the fat has rendered.
- Remove the bacon and set aside. The bacon won’t be included in the dish, just the flavor from it. Or, if you’re making the dish vegetarian, just use 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil instead of bacon fat.
- Slice the carrots and chop the onions.
- Over medium/medium-high heat, add the carrots and onions to the pan. Cook for a few minutes until they develop a golden brown color.
- Toss with salt and pepper. Then, sprinkle the flour over the mixture and toss again, cook for about 3-4 minutes on medium.
- Add the wine, beef stock, tomato paste, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme.
- Bring to a simmer on the stovetop, then cover the Dutch oven, and place it in the oven. Cook, covered, for 40 minutes.
- While the sauce is cooking in the oven, prepare the onions and mushrooms.
For the Pearl Onions:
- Heat the butter and oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the pearl onions and cook for about 15 minutes, turning occasionally so that all sides of the onions can brown.
- Add the stock. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and slowly simmer for 20 minutes. Check the pan towards the end of the cooking time. Most of the liquid should have evaporated and formed a brown glaze around the onions. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
For the Mushrooms:
- Heat the butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside.
- Once the veggies have finished cooking, allow the sauce to rest for a few minutes. Add the braised onions and sauteed mushrooms to the onion/carrot sauce.
- Serve over mashed potatoes, noodles, or rice.
- This dish reheats exceptionally well. Simply bring to a gentle simmer on the stovetop for a few minutes, until all components are heated through.
Notes
The nutritional calories are only calculated for the complete mushroom bourguignon sauce. Additional calories should be added to whatever you choose to serve the sauce on, for example, pasta or mashed potatoes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 450
Tried this recipe? I would love to hear from you! If you have a moment, please leave a star rating and drop me a comment below.
Looking for more recipe inspiration? Be sure to also check out:
