MEAT EATERS…DON’T SKIP THIS ONE! This vegetarian stroganoff is so yummy even carnivores won’t miss the meat. But there are also instructions provided for a chicken version. And trust me, even if you don’t like tofu, you’re going to love this recipe! This was a spur of the moment creation. I had some tofu and mushrooms on hand and, in trying to decide what to make for dinner, my kitchen muse called: “Make a Stroganoff!” I obeyed. And I’m glad I did. This Stroganoff is deeeeelicious!
Perhaps some of you dislike tofu. Most people I know who don’t care for it complain about its texture – it tends to be mushy. To remedy this, I both fried and baked the tofu cubes to give them a chewier consistency, like chicken. After all, we’re using tofu here as a meat substitute. I was very pleased with the results. These cubes would make a great vegetarian substitute for a number of chicken-based dishes. For example, they would be a great vegetarian substitute for my Kung Pao Chicken recipe. But today’s recipe is Creamy Mushroom and Tofu Stroganoff, so let’s have at it!
Let’s first prepare that tofu. Drain the tofu and cut it up in 1/2 inch cubes.
Heat the oil in a large skillet on high heat and fry the cubes until they are browned on all sides. Note: If you’re not as finicky as I am and don’t mind the softer, squishier texture, skip the frying step and just bake the tofu in the oven. It will still be much firmer than it otherwise would have been.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the tofu cubes on a nonstick baking sheet and bake for about 15-20 minutes (depending on how firm and chewy you want them) or until brown and crispy on the outside. After the first 10 minutes, flip the cubes over every 5 minutes for even browning.
The final result. Look at these beautifully browned and chewy tofu cubes! Now that we’ve all sufficiently admired them, let’s move on…
Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
Note: If using chicken, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and fry the chicken strips until golden brown. Remove and set aside and proceed with the remaining instructions. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and saute the onions until translucent and beginning to caramelize. Add the garlic and saute another minute.
Slice the mushrooms.
Add the mushrooms to the skillet.
Saute the mushrooms until they release their juices and are tender. Add the white wine, deglaze the bottom of the pan, and simmer for 3 minutes until the majority of the liquid has evaporated.
Add all remaining ingredients except for the sour cream, cream cheese, and parsley. (Add chicken instead of the tofu, if using). Stir to combine, bring the sauce to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the sour cream, cream cheese, and parsley. Stir to combine and make sure that no lumps of cream cheese remain. Stir until smooth and return to a simmer for another 3 minutes until heated through.
Add more salt and pepper according to taste. Add more sour cream if you desire a thicker consistency, or more milk for a thinner consistency.
Serve immediately over egg noodles.
- 1 (14 ounce) package firm tofu, drained (if using chicken, use 1 pound chicken breast and cut into strips)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter (vegan: vegetable spread)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (if you prefer not to use any tofu in this recipe, you can simply increase the amount of mushrooms)
- ⅓ cup white wine
- 2 cups whole milk (vegan: soy milk)
- 1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (vegan: vegan Worcestershire sauce, or omit)
- 1 vegetable bouillon cube (or 1 teaspoon granules)
- ¾ cup sour cream (vegan: vegan sour cream)
- 3 oz. cream cheese (vegan: vegan cream cheese, or omit)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 package egg noodles, prepared according to package instructions.
- Cut the tofu into ½ inch cubes. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on high heat and brown the tofu on all sides.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the fried tofu cubes on a nonstick baking sheet and bake them until further browned and crusty, 15-20 minutes, depending on how firm and chewy you prefer them. After the first 10 minutes of baking, stir and flip the cubes every 5 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Note: If using chicken, skip the above steps. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat and fry the chicken strips until golden brown. Remove and set aside and proceed with the remaining instructions)
- Heat the butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Saute the onions until translucent and beginning to caramelize. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Add the mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms have released their liquid and they are tender. Add the wine and deglaze the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 3 minutes.
- Add the milk, tofu cubes (or chicken, if using), thyme, salt, soy sauce, vegetable bouillon cube and Dijon mustard. Stir well to combine, bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the sour cream, cream cheese and parsley and stir well to combine, making sure the cream cheese is thoroughly dissolved. Return to a low simmer for 3 minutes then remove from heat. Add more sour cream if you desire a thicker consistency, more milk if you desire a thinner consistency.
- Serve immediately over egg noodles garnished with some freshly chopped parsley.
Courtney says
Hi! I LOVE this recipe, it’s become a staple in my house! Super yummy and filling, I usually make a batch and then have it for leftovers the next few nights :)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Courtney, I’m thrilled that you enjoyed it!
John Lokhoff says
Really enjoyed this recipe. Didn’t have any egg noodles so used spatzell instead and added some sambal to give more heat
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s perfect, John, and I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you!
Sue evans says
I loved the flavor but the tofu was rather tough and chewy. I fried first then baked. Maybe I over cooked it. Will definitely try again.
JoeH says
Can you substitute sour cream with greek yogurt?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Joe, yes you can.
Tasha says
Love this thank you for sharing. Just made it and will definitely be making it again.
I did reduce on the amount of milk and cream (used creme fraiche instead ) and skipped the soy sauce.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Tasha, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Giovanni Torres Taytelbaum says
Great recipe! I did it with rice instead of pasta. Loved it!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Giovanni, thank you!
Kelly says
I always freeze, thaw and then press tofu. It becomes firm and a bit porous (to soak up all those flavors). Cannot wait to try this recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks for the tip, Kelly!
Jimmy says
Just made this tonight, a few minor substitutions…
The wife, 1 of 3 kids and myself loved it – the other two?…
you can please some people sometimes, but you can’t please all the people all the time…
I definitely recommend this recipe though… the baking of the fried tofu was a neat trick I’ve never tried before – it really toasts the tofu
Thanks!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Jimmy, thanks so much!
Alex says
Hi! I love that you still eat tofu as a meat eater. Tofu’s texture can be greatly improved by pressing it. Just slice the tofu into any size (I usually slice it about 1/2-1 inch thick, and wrap in paper towels in between 2 plates. Place something heavy on the top plate (28 oz can, olive oil, whatever lol) and press for 30 min. :) really gets rid of extra water and the mushy texture! Going to try this recipe tonight, looks delicious!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks for the tip, Alex, and I hope you enjoy this – happy cooking!
Jen says
Made it tonight! I loved that sapphron wasn’t required since sometimes it’s too expensive. I’ve been a vegetarian for 20 years and this is the first time I baked tofu. I will do that again! I’ll make this dish again too but cut back on the dairy.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jen, that’s wonderful! I agree, baking the tofu really gives it a great consistency. So glad you enjoyed this, thank you!
Anonymous says
I have made this twice now. My husband was very skeptical about eating tofu. He loved it .. had seconds. So many good flavors. It will be nice to use fresh herbs this summer!
The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you so very much for you feedback! So happy you and your husband both enjoyed it. My husband’s initial response was the same, but like yours was converted to the dish as well ;) I agree wholeheartedly about the fresh herbs – they make such a wonderful difference! Thanks for visiting, trying the recipe, and providing your feedback. I hope you’ll try some of the other dishes and let me know what you think.
The Daring Gourmet says
Ayako, I’m so glad you liked it well enough to make room for a “next time!” I’m always amazed at how big a difference fresh herbs make compared to dried. So, as good as you thought it was this time, be prepared to have your socks blown off next time with the addition of fresh parsley! :) Thanks for trying this recipe and providing your feedback.
Ayako A says
I just made this dish. So good! I’m not a vegetarian, eat tofu at least once a week but usually cook Asian dish. This one is a great combo of tofu with rich and complex flavor of cheese and other ingredients. Served over rice, works great. Unfortunately fresh parsley wasn’t at home, but next time, I’ll make sure about that. Thanks for the recipe!
The Daring Gourmet says
Ayako, I’m so glad you liked it well enough to make room for a “next time!” I’m always amazed at how big a difference fresh herbs make compared to dried. So, as good as you thought it was this time, be prepared to have your socks blown off next time with the addition of fresh parsley! :) Thanks for trying this recipe and providing your feedback.
Ayako A says
I know, fresh herbs make a huge difference. Like grating cheese instead of using pre-shredded one (must admit I’ve been slacking on this since E was born). Parsley is one of the herbs should be added to my herb garden this year.
Maria Huntsman says
yummy yummy!…making this one very soon….:).
Anonymous says
Looks delicious!