Meatless Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 3 tablespoons shallot, minced
• 12 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups vegetable broth (such as Kitchen Basics®)
• 1 ½ teaspoons dried tarragon
• 3 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce

Step 1

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add the shallots and cook them, stirring every now and then, until they turn a nice deep golden brown—this usually takes about 2 to 3 minutes. Next, toss in the mushrooms, garlic, salt, and pepper. Keep stirring occasionally as the mushrooms cook and brown, which should take around 3 to 5 minutes.

Step 2

Pour the sherry into the pan and turn up the heat to bring it to a boil. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet—that’s where the flavor is! Let the sherry cook down for a couple of minutes until it’s mostly evaporated, then transfer the mushroom mixture to a bowl and set it aside.

Step 3

Turn the heat down to medium-low and melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet. Sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly to make a roux, cooking it until it turns a light golden brown—this should take about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the vegetable broth and add the tarragon, making sure the gravy is smooth with no lumps.

Step 4

Now crank the heat back up to medium-high and add the mushroom mixture back into the skillet. Bring everything to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered until the gravy thickens and reduces a bit, about 8 minutes. Finally, stir in the soy sauce and taste for seasoning—add a little more salt or pepper if you think it needs it.