Brian Jeffrey
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XszETW6q9go]
Craving a plant-based twist on a classic French dish? Allow me to introduce you to this vegan “beef” Bourguignon.
It’s no secret that red beets are a nutritional powerhouse. The tasty root veggies are packed with essential nutrients, like bone-building calcium and immune-boosting vitamin C. But despite their nutrition, they’re not as beloved in the healthy eating world as, say, cauliflower or chickpeas thanks to their “sad salad bar” reputation.
That’s why on this week’s episode of Cook With Us, chef and Start Simple author Lukas Volger gives the earthy veggies a glow-up with his vegan spin on a classic French dish: beef Bourguignon.
“There’s a lot of popular vegetarian versions of [beef Bourguignon] using mushrooms,” he says. “Here, we’re using mushrooms because they have that wonderful flavor, but we’re also going to make beets be the stand-in for the beef.”
He boils trimmed, peeled, diced beets in a pot of water to pre-cook them before adding them into the final “beet” Bourguignon. But be careful not to over-cook them, he warns. “In the finished dish, if [the beets are] mushy, they just kind of mush into the sauce,” he says. Noted!
The rest of the recipe is stacked with other delicious plants, including two different kinds of mushrooms, a classic mirepoix, hearty lentils, and a vegetable bouillon to help create the earthy, hearty flavor of a classic beef Bourguignon. And of course—a burgundy wine. “This is what makes the dish legit,” he says. “You want one that’s less fruity and more earthy and dry.”
At the very end of cooking, Volger adds back in the cooked, diced beet along with some porcini mushrooms, then serves it all over brown rice. (He says polenta could work, too.)
The final product? A delicious, cozy comfort food that’s super healthy—it’s high in vegetarian protein, anti-inflammatory antioxidants and beneficial phytonutrients across the board. As if you needed more reasons to whip up this tasty meal yourself…
Want the full recipe? Get Volger’s step-by-step instructions here.
This hearty kale caesar salad is one you’ll want to keep on hand for any weekday lunch or dinner. Or, check out another twist on a classic meal with this vegan Italian meatball soup.
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Written by: WellGood
