This hearty Greek stew is a vegan dream come true!  Not only will our vegan/vegetarian followers fall in love with this recipe but it just might turn some of our meat lovers (we know you’re out there!!?) into Meatless Monday converts!  Mushroom Stifado (Stew) is made with aromatic spices, herbs, wine, and a variety of mushrooms. If you’re absolutely not on board with mushrooms (we know some of you, too!) you are just a click away from our recipe for Low Carb Crockpot Beef Stew.  It is another tasty comfort food that lets the crockpot do all the work!

But now, back to mushrooms! In Greek cooking, stifado translates to a traditional stew typically made from beef, tomatoes, onions and herbs. Growing up, our Yiayia would typically make this dish on Sundays, filling the house with the sweet smell of cinnamon and spices. She served it over rice pilaf along with a large slice of crusty bread that allowed us to soak up all the wonderful juices. 

Substituting mushrooms for the meat turns this dish into a vegetarian favorite. Although this version skips the meat, the dish certainly does not lack in flavor.  The same unique flavor combinations found in the traditional recipe shine through in this version! In three easy steps, you will have the most flavorful, earthy comfort food!

Mushroom Stifado (Stew) List of Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 shallots, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp coriander
• 1 lb mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 small can tomato sauce
• 1 cup wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Pepper to taste
• 1 tsp allspice
• 2  teaspoon oregano
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp  chopped fresh parsley

Step One

For this recipe, we used baby portobello, oyster, button and cremini mushrooms. Choose the varieties of mushrooms you prefer; there are no right or wrong combinations to use here. Clean the mushrooms by lightly brushing the tops with a damp towel or with a quick rinse under water. Do not submerge the mushrooms in water, as they act like a sponge and will absorb the water (and nobody likes watered-down stew!). For the baby portobellos, we used a teaspoon to remove the gills from the underside of the mushrooms. Cut the mushrooms into bite-size pieces.

Step Two

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, add onion and saute until slightly soft. Add in the garlic, coriander seed and continue to saute for one minute. The aromas coming from the pan will make you salivate!

Step Three

Now it’s time to add in the mushrooms.  Next, add in the tomatoes, wine, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, pepper, allspice, oregano and vinegar.  We weren’t kidding when we said the herb and spice mixture for this dish will knock your socks off!  Stir to incorporate and bring the mixture to a slight boil.  Reduce heat to low, stir occasionally and continue to cook for about 30-40 minutes or until mushrooms become soft and the sauce has thickened slightly. Ladle into a bowl and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. The Mushroom Stifado (Stew) can be served over rice, mashed potatoes, or noodles. Or you can really let the flavor combination shine by serving it up by itself with a thick slice of bread for soaking up all those juices. Enjoy! Kali Orexsi!