Making a mushroom stock can be as easy as steeping a few dried mushrooms in boiling water and letting them stand for half an hour before draining and using the liquid portion. The mushroom stock recipe I have for you today requires just a little more work and a few more ingredients but it is packed with all the umami your tastebuds will desire. And it is wonderful to have on hand for recipes like this vegan cream of mushroom soup, vegan mushroom stew, and this vegan Irish whiskey sauce. The recipe below is for a smaller quantity–it makes four cups–but you can definitely scale it up and make a larger quantity and refrigerate or freeze for later use. Just use the servings slider in the recipe card below to scale the recipe.
Why make a mushroom stock?
There are many mushroom haters out there, especially kids, but mushrooms have so much to offer nutritionally. They are also packed with umami–with dried mushrooms offering more umami than fresh. A mushroom stock can give any vegan recipe a huge flavor boost, and add that elusive “meatiness” to a recipe that will satisfy just about any eater’s tastebuds, vegan or not.
Why you’ll love this mushroom stock
It’s so easy to make. It takes just five minutes to throw the few ingredients you need for this mushroom broth into the pan. It’s made with pantry ingredients. You need some dried mushrooms and a few dried herbs and spices for this stock, although if you want to make it with fresh ingredients you definitely can. I’ll tell you how. It’s quick. Stocks and broths can take anywhere between two to four hours before they reach their full taste potential. But this mushroom stock can be ready in about half an hour if you are rushed, or you can simmer it longer if you have more time on hand. It adds amazing flavor to most dishes. I love having a good vegetable stock on hand to add to curries, stews, soups and sauces, and this mushroom stock not only works as well as any vegetable stock would, it really ups the game by adding tons of umami to any dish. You don’t have to add it just to mushroom-based dishes–you can add it to nearly anything that calls for a vegetable stock.
How to make the mushroom stock
Place all the ingredients for the stock in a saucepan or saute pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover the pan with a tight lid, lower heat to a simmer, and let the stock cook undisturbed for at least 30 minutes. You can even let it go longer if you have time, up to two hours. When the stock is ready you will see fine droplets of oil shimmering on the surface, indicating that the water has drawn out the natural, flavorful oils in the herbs and spices. Turn off the heat, strain with a fine mesh strainer, and use.
Recipes to make with mushroom stock
Recipe card
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