Creamy Vegan Mushroom Stew with Farro & Kale

January 13, 2021
(last updated March 9, 2021)
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Creamy vegan mushroom stew with farro is a super hearty meal. Roughly 10 ingredients and it comes together simply with pre-cooked farro.

Overhead shot of a creamy vegan mushroom stew in a deep, olive green bowl, set on a white plate, on top of a grey stone background.
AN up close, overhead shot of creamy vegan mushroom stew with kale and farro. The soup is a golden beige colour and is inside a white Dutch oven pot.
An overhead shot of ingredients on a grey stone background. There is: kale, an onion, a head of garlic, cooked farro in a bowl, a bowl of Cremini mushrooms, sprigs of rosemary, and cashews.

Feel-good comfort food that’s easy to prepare and makes excellent leftovers? Yep, that’s the ticket. This creamy vegan mushroom stew ticks all the boxes for me these days: 10-ish ingredients, minimal time investment (if the farro is pre-cooked), has a creamy and comforting carb component, and it reheats like a dream for a lunch that I do not have to think about or do much work for the next day.

The pre-cooked farro is the key to making this relatively quick. Farro is one of my favourite grains, but it takes a long time to cook. I usually make a big batch, drain it, and then freeze 2-cup portions in Stasher bags. I follow the instructions for cooking farro from the Flourist website. If you live in the US, I think Trader Joe’s even sells fully cooked farro in their freezer section? Please feel free to correct me if this is not the case!

MORE HEARTY MUSHROOM RECIPES:

Like the farro pre-cook step, preparation is key. I have been learning this very hard over the past year. Not sure if we’re just trying to support local restaurants with more intention or it’s just a persistent not knowing how to emotionally grapple with *gestures widely* ALL of this, but takeout has been our friend in a consistent way. I don’t mind! But I generally feel a bit better when I take the time to cook.

If you’re in a similar rut and needing something cozy, I hope that this recipe can be there for you. Stay safe and keep looking after your people.

An up close, overhead shot of mushrooms being sauteed in a white Dutch oven pot.
An overhead shot of bright white cashew cream being poured into a pot with deep brown mushroom stew.
Overhead shot of creamy vegan mushroom stew with farro and kale. The stew is a golden beige colour and is photographed in a white Dutch oven pot on a grey background.
Overhead shot of a creamy vegan mushroom stew in a deep, olive green bowl, set on a white plate, on top of a grey stone background.
Overhead shot of a creamy vegan mushroom stew in a deep, olive green bowl, set on a white plate, on top of a grey stone background.
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4.97 from 28 votes

Creamy Vegan Mushroom Stew with Farro and Kale

Creamy vegan mushroom stew with farro is a super hearty meal. Roughly 10 ingredients and it comes together simply with pre-cooked farro.
PREP TIME20 mins
COOK TIME30 mins
TOTAL TIME50 mins
Course Main Course, Soup, Stew
Diet Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 6
Author: Laura Wright

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, small dice
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • ½ cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours & drained
  • 1 tablespoon light miso
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 4 cups vegetable stock , divided
  • 2 cups cooked farro , see note
  • 2 cups chopped kale, packed

Instructions

  • Heat a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the pot is hot, pour in the olive oil and swirl it around. Add the onions and stir. Sauté the onions until translucent and very soft, about 5 minutes. If the onions start to brown on the edges, lower the heat.
  • Add the rosemary and garlic to the pot and stir until very fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  • Add all of the sliced mushrooms to the pot. Give them a quick stir and then let them sit for a full minute. Once the minute is up, stir them up and then let them sit again for another full minute. Stir them up after that and season them with pepper. Let them sit for another full minute. Once they start glistening, season the mushrooms with salt. Keep stirring and sautéing the mushrooms until they are tender, about 3 additional minutes.
  • Add the balsamic vinegar to the pot and stir. Let some of the strong vinegar aroma evaporate a bit. The mushrooms should be pretty juicy at this point!
  • Remove ⅓ of the sautéed mushroom mixture and place it in an upright blender. Also in the blender, add the drained cashews, miso, nutritional yeast, and 2 cups of the vegetable stock. Blend this mixture on high until completely smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds.
  • Pour the remaining vegetable stock into the pot. Add the cooked farro to the pot as well.
  • Pour the blended mushroom and cashew cream into the pot and stir. bring the stew to a boil and let it simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes—just to let the stew thicken slightly and to let the flavours meld. Then, add the kale to the pot and stir. Keep simmering the stew until the kale is wilted, about 3-4 minutes.
  • Check the stew for seasoning and adjust if necessary (more salt, balsamic vinegar, pepper etc). Serve the stew hot!

Notes

  • I love farro, but it takes a really long time to cook. I usually cook a bunch in one go and freeze it in 2-cup portions for my convenience. For this recipe, you’ll need 3/4 cup dry farro. Bring it to a boil with 4 cups of water and simmer until tender, about 35-40 minutes. Drain it and you’re good to go.
  • You can use any cooked grain you like. I find the farro extra lovely because it’s chewy and satiating. Cooked long grain brown rice, wild rice, or wheat berries would all be great.
  • I used a very flavourful homemade stock that I had boosted with a handful of dried mushrooms for this stew. There’s a minimal amount of ingredients in this recipe, so you really want to make sure that the stock is flavourful and rich.
  • For a soy-free version, seek out a chickpea or rice-based miso.
An overhead shot of creamy vegan mushroom stew with faro and kale in a light green bowl with handles on the side. The bowl is set on a grey stone background in low lighting.
Posted in all seasons, autumn, everyday eats, grains, main course, quick, refined sugar-free, side dish, soup, vegan, winter
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