Chef Randy: Creamy Mushroom Sauce

CHEF RANDY’S LIFE OF SPICE

mushroom cream sauce

I remember mom opening a can of Campbell’s condensed mushroom soup, heating it up in a small pan, and then pouring it over egg noodles. It’s what was for dinner on more than a few occasions and although I think it’s kinda gross today, back then it was comfort food. This is a something similar to mom’s quick dinner but make no mistake: this is not your mama’s mushroom sauce. Campbell’s mushroom soup includes, among other things, food starch, wheat flour, whey, soy, and especially MSG. My vegan mushroom sauce is made from fresh mushrooms and a few other healthy ingredients. I like to serve it over German spaetzle or Sicilian casarecci pasta. My recipe makes enough for two adults and can be easily doubled to feed more.

Randy Graham is a noted chef and writer and has been a lactoovo vegetarian for over 38 years. Chef Randy has written and published a series of seven cookbooks with original recipes developed over the period 1975 through 2020. He writes for the Ojai Quarterly, the Ojai Monthly, and the California 101 Travelers Guide. His vegetarian recipes are published in newspapers throughout Central California under the header, Chef Randy. He and his wife, Robin, live in Ojai, California, with their dog Cooper. Robin and Cooper are not vegetarians.

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 sweet onion (chopped fine) 12 ounces mushrooms (sliced thick) 1 1/2-cups vegetable broth 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon (no beef base) 4 tablespoons natural almond butter 2 teaspoons garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped fine) 2 cups cooked spaetzle (or pasta noodles of your choice)

DIRECTIONS:

Heat olive over medium-high heat. Sauté onion and mushrooms for five minutes. Add broth, bouillon, almond butter, garlic powder, and pepper. Stir to combine. Cook for three minutes more or until creamy. Remove mushroom sauce from the heat and pour over spaetzle. Garnish with parsley and serve while still hot.

Healthy Quick + Easy