When I tell people I can make my favorite recipe in under two minutes, they rarely believe it. There’s no secret, just a humble pantry ingredient: silken tofu. Soft and wobbly with a subtly sweet soybean flavor, silken tofu is a versatile ingredient that takes on the flavor of any sauce or condiment. It’s just one member of a larger soybean curd family that includes tofu skin, tofu puffs, and firm tofu—all varieties I keep in the back of my fridge or freezer. But melt-in-my-mouth, luxurious silken tofu is all I need to bring my favorite dishes together at a moment’s notice. 

I started reaching for silken tofu regularly a few years ago, when I moved to New York. I’d eaten silken tofu plenty of times in miso soup and mapo tofu, but I never thought it could star as the main component of a complete meal. That all changed one night when my roommates and I, hungry from a night wandering the city, spotted silken tofu in our neighborhood’s 24-hour bodega. I immediately thought of the refreshingly cold, savory tofu pudding with chili sauce I’d eaten at the Manhattan Chinatown institution Fong On and decided to recreate something similar. 

We went home, and I gently steamed the tofu in the microwave for a few minutes, then doused it with soy sauce and chili oil. We dug our spoons slowly into the block and savored each creamy, salty bite, and the tofu disappeared in seconds, leaving a pool of burgundy-tinged soy sauce on the plate.

Since then, I’ve taken liberties with the recipe instructions and further reduced the prep time. Many recipes recommend poaching, steaming, or even microwaving silken tofu before incorporating it into a recipe, as it supposedly improves the tofu’s texture. However, I haven’t found a difference, so I prefer to skip this step. I simply open the package of tofu, drain the excess liquid, and plop the tofu onto a plate. Then, I pour a soy sauce–based dressing over it and eat it cold.

The ingredients for the dressing I use are straightforward. I whisk together a few pantry staples—soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, white pepper, and a splash of black vinegar—and add a few sliced scallions, then pour it over the silken tofu. And just like that, I can get dinner on the table in two minutes flat. 

The tofu is luxuriously creamy and delightfully spoonable, almost like a savory custard. The speedy preparation always belies how mouthwateringly delicious the dish is, which is why I make this at least once a week.

Beyond this quick, easy method for preparing silken tofu, there are many other savory uses for the ingredient. It’s the star of mapo tofu, soondubu jigae (soft tofu stew), and miso soup—comforting recipes I can eat any day of the week. I also slip it into creamy bases, such as corn chowder or seafood curry, to give my meals a boost of protein. Of course, silken tofu’s sweet soybean flavor shines on its own, and I pair it frequently with a rotating cast of hot sauces, soy sauces, and chili oils.

Its versatility doesn’t stop with savory cooking; silken tofu also works well in desserts. To create douhua, or tofu pudding, I submerge silken tofu in a pool of brown sugar syrup. It works as a substitute for dairy in vegan desserts, such as key lime pie and chocolate mousse, and once it’s blended with sweetener and other ingredients, its smooth, creamy consistency really stands out. I’ve even tossed it into a smoothie for a protein boost.

Whether it’s the base of my quickest meal or the secret ingredient in a dessert, silken tofu has added a bit of jiggly joy to my meals. I recommend grabbing a few blocks for your fridge—you might be surprised how often they come in handy.

This cozy vegan mushroom bourguignon is the deeply savory and comforting dish you’ll want to eat all winter long. Mixed mushrooms offer a hearty texture and umami in addition to high nutritional value. The mushrooms are stewed with red wine, garlic, pearl onions, and herbs. The result is in an ultra-flavorful finished dish that can be served over mashed potatoes, polenta, toast, or a cooked whole grain.

When I tasted my first bite of this vegan mushroom bourguignon, I exclaimed “YUM” out loud, alone in my apartment.

I hadn’t been sure about a vegan attempt at this classic dish. I’d thought about making it in the past and had considered a number of ingredients to use in place of boeuf: seitan, tempeh, and so on.

In the end, hearty and earthy mushrooms were the perfect choice for a plant-based expression of the deeply savory, wine-infused, wintery stew.

Of course, you could make the mushroom bourguignon at any time of year, whenever you’re craving wholesome comfort food.

But I think that it’s a perfect dish for evoking coziness through the colder months of the year. It can be a great vegan crowd-pleaser for holiday meals, too. So, let me say a little more about how it comes together.

What is bourguignon?

When you see a recipe for bourguignon, your might immediately hear Julia Child’s lilting voice, exclaiming “boeuf bourguignon!”

In fact, bourguignon isn’t a specific recipe, but rather a preparation style. It includes onions and mushrooms that have been simmered in red wine.

Usually that wine is red Burgundy, hence the classification of this recipe as a Burgundian dish. And the simmering liquid is usually seasoned with a bouquet garni: a cluster of bay leaves, parsley stems, and thyme sprigs.

A protein, like beef or veal, can be added to the stew. Alternatively, if one simmers mushrooms and onions in a savory red wine sauce and pours it over a filet of beef, then the meat becomes beef “à la bourguignonne.”

What stands out to me here is that the vegetables—mushrooms and onions—are what give bourguignon its character.

Bourguignon may have become associated with meat over time, but it’s fundamentally a mushroom dish.

This is why a plant-based expression of the recipe makes so much sense and feels so authentic.

Mushroom bourguignon ingredients

Mushrooms are of course the star of the show in this recipe, but there are a few other key components.

Mushrooms

My bourguignon calls for a pound and a half of mushrooms. This is a lot of mushrooms, of course, but mushrooms cook down so much that it won’t feel overwhelming once the dish is finished.

As a dietitian I’m a big skeptical of the term “superfood.”

However, we can use the word as a means of talking about exceptional nutrient density. In that context, it points us to a lot of worthy plant-based ingredients.

Beans, kale, and beets, for example, are superfoods. And by that definition, mushrooms earn superfood status, too.

Mushrooms rich in phytonutrients that are associated in disease prevention, a well as fiber, folate, Vitamin D, selenium, potassium, and some protein.

Even better, these benefits aren’t limited to a seasonal, rare, or especially expensive type of mushroom. White, or button, mushrooms are sources of the above.

You can use a mix of your favorite mushrooms for the mushroom bourguignon. I almost always use chopped portobello caps, sliced baby Bella, and sliced white mushrooms. Shiitake mushrooms and oyster mushrooms are also delicious additions to the stew.

Pearl onions

Growing up, I always ate pearl mushrooms around the holidays. But why only then? Pearl mushrooms are so sweet and delicious, and I love that it’s easy to find them frozen.

I usually use frozen pearl mushrooms when I make the bourguignon, but you can of course use fresh ones if they’re in season and easy to find.

Red wine

For the record, I don’t pour nice red Burgundy into my mushroom bourguignon, even if that’s the traditional choice!

A dry red wine—preferably something full or medium-bodied—will work just fine in the recipe.

If you prefer not to cook with wine, then you can skip the step in the recipe where wine is added and then cooked down. Instead, add a little extra broth (I give instructions for this in the recipe card).

Broth

Vegetable broth is the type of broth that I keep in my house most regularly. Yet I find it very helpful to also store vegan chicken-style and beef-style broth or bouillon as well.

These types of broth can add distinctive flavor to soups. For example, I really like to use a vegan chicken-style broth in my chickpea noodle soup. And I think that a beef-style broth works best for mushroom bourguignon.

There are a number of vegan beef broth bases out there. Orrington Farms makes one, as does the Gardein brand and Better Than Bouillon.

If you can’t find an option for beef flavoring, then vegetable broth will work well in the mushroom bourguignon, too.

Tomato paste

On first inspection tomato paste might not seem to make sense here. However, it’s included in Julia Child’s classic beef bourguignon recipe, and who am I to question Julia?

Actually, tomato paste really does make sense in the stew: it’s very rich in umami, a savory taste that we tend to associate with protein rich foods. The tomato paste helps to create a rich, salty sauce.

Bragg Liquid Aminos

Also on the topic of umami, and saltiness, Bragg Liquid Aminos adds both to the recipe.

I think that liquid aminos has a distinctive flavor of its own, and for dishes that are supposed to be meat-like, I prefer its unique savoriness to either soy sauce or tamari.

That said, you can definitely substitute soy sauce for liquid aminos if that’s what you have at home.

Herbs

I don’t actually use a bouquet garni in the mushroom bourguignon, though you’re welcome to! Instead, I add chopped fresh thyme and rosemary leaves.

Parsley can be a good addition to or substitute for either of the others.

How to make vegan mushroom bourguignon

This isn’t an ultra-quick recipe to make, but it’s not a difficult recipe to make.

As with making risotto or caramelizing onions, the key here is to summon up some patience and be content with quite a bit of simmering and stirring.

The finished dish is worth it, I promise.

Step 1: Sauté onion, carrot, and celery

Mushrooms and onions aren’t the only veggies in the bourguignon: a traditional soup base of onion, carrot, and celery is included, too.

These vegetables should be sautéed for about six minutes, or until just tender.

Step 2: Add and cook down your mushrooms

Next, you’ll add your many, many mushrooms to the skillet or pot that you’re using (I like my sauté pan for this).

Cook them down until they’ve released most of their juices and are greatly reduced in size. Next, you’ll stir in the tomato paste, and then deglaze everything with red wine.

The wine should be simmered until it’s reduced by about three quarters. If you aren’t cooking with wine, then you can use a quarter cup of broth to deglaze the pan and move on with the recipe.

Step 3: Add onions, broth, and seasonings to the stew

Next, you’ll add your pearl onions, broth, liquid aminos, and herbs to the skillet. Bring everything to a gentle simmer.

Cover the bourguignon and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the onions are tender. Then, uncover the skillet or pot and allow the stew to simmer for five minutes more. This will thicken the dish a little before you serve it.

If you’re using pearl onions that are frozen, be sure to thaw them before you make the mushroom bourguignon. If they’re not thawed and drained, they might dilute the stew and prolong its cooking time.

Step 4: Season to taste and serve

Finally, taste the stew and add black pepper. If you like, you can add a little extra liquid aminos.

If the stew is too thick for your liking, you can add a splash of broth. And if you’d prefer it to be thicker, you can simmer it for another five minutes or so, allowing more liquid to reduce.

Serving suggestions

There are many ways to serve the mushroom bourguignon. Here are some ideas:

• Over mashed potatoes
• On top of a bed of pasta
• With a cooked whole grain, like quinoa or farro
• Over a some soft polenta
• With a few slices of bread or focaccia

Personally, I like the mashed potato option best. My perfectly fluffy vegan mashed potatoes are a pillowy base for the stew, and they complement its comfort food energy.

Meal prep & storage

Mushroom bourguignon, like most stew recipes, is great for making ahead. You can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days and freeze it for up to eight weeks.

The dish becomes even more flavorful as you store it.

I love this recipe so much, and I’m already thinking about when I’ll make it again (maybe Christmas Eve?).

It’s joining my mashed potato bowls with tempeh gravy, skillet lasagna, and chickpeas à la king in the category of favorite comfort food classics, made vegan.

I hope you’ll feel the same!

xo

Say goodbye to dry or shriveled sweet batches of air fryer sweet potatoes! This recipe offers a method of par-cooking your sweet potatoes before cutting them into cubes and air frying them. The resulting sweet potatoes are perfectly tender and moist, yet crispy and gently browning at the edges.

For a long time, I said that I owned an air fryer for two purposes: reheating pizza and making sweet potatoes.

This was a joke, and I’ve expanded my air fryer repertoire considerably since then. But air fryer sweet potatoes are still a mainstay in my home. (As is leftover pizza.)

I serve my air fryer sweet potato cubes with tofu scramble for breakfast. I pile them onto vegan bowls. They’re an easy side dish at dinnertime. And I like adding them to tacos, too—especially my sweet potato tacos with black bean spread.

Making sweet potato cubes in the air fryer might sound like a self-explanatory process. For me, however, it was not.

It took me a while to get my air fryer sweet potatoes just right. This post is about the simple par-cooking step that gave me great results.

Air fryer trial and error

In the past, I roasted sweet potato in the air fryer similarly to how I roasted it in the oven. I cubed raw sweet potatoes, seasoned them with oil, salt, and pepper, then let the air fryer go to work.

Sometimes, this worked out just fine. But a lot of the time I ended up with sweet potato cubes that were dry and shriveled. Sometimes, they had a pale, starchy appearance, even if their edges were heavily browned.

The texture of these potatoes was, for lack of a better description, excessively air fried.

Part of what I love about sweet potatoes is their rich, sweet flesh and satisfying texture. These cubes were too airy; it was as if they’d lost their substance.

I kept coating the potatoes in more oil in an effort to combat this effect. I only ended up with sweet potatoes that were both dry and greasy—not a great combo.

I could have just given up on making sweet potatoes in my air fryer, but I didn’t want to. I eat a lot of sweet potatoes and keep my air fryer on the countertop often; I wanted to make this recipe work!

I kept tinkering with time and temperature, with no luck.

Finally, I added a step that turns out perfectly cooked sweet potato cubes each and every time: par-cooking.

Par-cooked potatoes = perfect results

Par-cooking is any process in which you cook a food incompletely before finishing cooking in another way, or at another time.

You can par-boil noodles before making lasagna or blanch vegetables before adding them to a casserole. Sometimes it’s helpful to simmer fruit before baking it in a pie shell.

Here, you’ll prick your raw sweet potatoes and microwave them for about four or five minutes before you cube and air fry them.

Technically, you could use the air fryer itself for the par-cooking step, but the microwave does the job faster.

I first started using the microwave to par-cook sweet potatoes when I was writing The Vegan Week. That book is all about meal prep, which means that it’s also about tight schedules and efficiency.

I wanted to present a means of oven-baking sweet potatoes with deep flavor and tenderness. Yet “low and slow” isn’t always an option for the hurried home cook.

Par-cooking sweet potatoes in the microwave before transferring them to the oven for baking does the trick: tender, candy-like potatoes in less time.

Similarly, the microwave helps to give the sweet potatoes a head start in this recipe. It’s also a cooking method that preserves their moisture. Once microwaved, the sweet potatoes will become crispy in the air fryer without getting dry.

I know it may seem a little nuts to cook a vegetable in two ways, especially if convenience is a priority. But five minutes of microwaving goes by quickly, and it ensures great sweet taters every time.

Adapting the recipe to your air fryer

This method works for my air fryer and my oven, so it ought to be adapted successfully for most types of air fryers.

That said, air fryers can differ in their heat, efficiency, and timing, so you may need to experiment a little with the method.

I have a Philips air fryer that’s now discontinued (this one is similar), but it’s the type with a basket, rather than one that looks like a toaster oven. It has about a 4L capacity, and this recipe is developed accordingly.

You can half or double the recipe if you’re working with a different sized machine.

How to make perfect cubed air fryer sweet potatoes—each and every time

Step 1: Pick your sweet potato

I usually make this recipe with one large sweet potato. It’s fine to prepare it with two smaller potatoes, but if you do that, you may need to adjust microwave time (four minutes for a single, smaller potato, or about seven minutes for two smaller potatoes at once).

Step 2: Par-cook in the microwave

Prick the sweet potato all over with a fork. Place it on a microwave-safe plate and microwave the potato for 5 minutes.

At this point, the potato will be tender, but it won’t be fully cooked. If you’re working with a medium or small potato, rather than a large one, four minutes of microwaving will do the trick.

No microwave? No problem. I include instructions for par-cooking in the air fryer itself in the recipe card.

Step 3: Cube the potato

Allow the potato to cool for five minutes, then cut it into 1-inch / 2.5cm cubes. Careful as you do this—it’ll be hot!

Step 4: Season the potatoes

I often use avocado oil spray when I’m making anything in my air fryer; it’s convenient and easy. So, you can transfer the cubes to your air fryer basket, give them a spray of oil, then season them with salt and pepper.

Alternatively, you can toss them with a small amount of regular avocado oil in a bowl, season them with salt and pepper, and transfer them to the air fryer basket.

Step 5: Air fry

Air fry the potatoes at 400°F / 200°C for 8-10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and browning along the edges.

Stop once halfway through air frying to shake the basket well; this helps the potatoes to crisp up evenly.

Step 6: Serve

You can serve the sweet potatoes just the way they are, or you can sprinkle them with toasted chopped nuts or seeds.

You can also drizzle the potatoes with some kind of dressing. I’m really partial to my cashew queso, but vegan honey mustard (I sweeten mine with dates), beet ketchup, and yum sauce are nice ideas, too.

Meal prep & storage

A tender batch of cooked sweet potatoes is one of my favorite things to meal prep over the weekend. This recipe finds its way into my own meal planning all the time.

The potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.

If you’re like me, and your first question about any food or recipe is “can I freeze this?” the answer is yes! You can do so for up to eight weeks.

Defrost the potatoes in the fridge overnight. Enjoy them cold, in salads or bowls, or reheat them in the air fryer at 350° for about five minutes.

It’s funny to devote as much trial and error as I have to a simple side dish. But we love what we love, and I love sweet potatoes.

I’ll tell you all about my go-to air fryer mushrooms soon!

For now, I hope you find this method useful.

xo

These air fryer mushrooms are ready in less than fifteen minutes and are so easy to prepare! Made with cremini or baby bella mushrooms, they’re simple, savory, and versatile. You have the option to give them additional seasoning with herbs or balsamic vinegar, and you can add them to many types of dishes.

One of the beauties of having an air fryer is the ability to cook vegetables in less time than roasting or sautéing.

These quick air fryer mushrooms have become one of my favorite vegetables to prepare at a moment’s notice or when I’m in a rush to get dinner ready.

I love mushrooms, in all of their umami-packed, savory, ultra-nutritious goodness. For a long time I prepared them almost exclusively by sautéing. Then I switched over to sheet pan roasting.

There’s a time and a place for both of those methods. And there’s a time and a place for shortcuts.

I can’t think of an easier way to prepare mushrooms flavorfully. If you have an air fryer and a taste for funghi, then I recommend it highly!

A savory and nutrient-dense topping

Like many plant-based eaters, I make a lot of recipes that include mushrooms.

Mushrooms are hearty and firm; they also have naturally occurring glutamate, the amino acid that’s associated with umami, or savoriness.

For all of these reasons, mushrooms are often described as being “meaty.” Whether you see it that way or not, they’re a great ingredient for crafting satisfying, plant-based meals.

Mushrooms find their way into my cozy vegan mushroom bourguignon, creamy vegan mushroom pasta, and my savory mushroom farro.

When they’re not playing a starring role in a recipe, mushrooms can also be an easy, savory “add-on” for something else.

What I mean by that is that you can use them as a topping or an instant means of adding more texture, more savoriness, or more heft to a dish that’s otherwise simple.

I like piling my air fryer mushrooms onto think spaghetti marinara, avocado or hummus toast, or a butter side lettuce salad.

And what a nourishing add-on they are: mushrooms are rich in B Vitamins, fiber, potassium, and Vitamin D2. They’re superfoods in the sense of the word that I stand by: nutrient-dense, versatile, and delicious.

What type of mushrooms should I use?

When I make air fryer mushrooms, I usually use halved cremini or baby bella mushrooms. These are two of my favorite varieties.

However, they’re quite similar in shape to humble white button mushrooms. And you can certainly use button mushrooms in the recipe instead.

You can also use halved shiitake mushroom caps—they work nicely in the air fryer! If you use them, you may need only 10 minutes of air frying time.

Air fryer tricks of the trade

My air fryer recipes are written for a four-liter capacity, basket-style air fryer. You can of course convert it to fit a toaster oven style air fryer, if that’s what you have.

And if you also have a basket-style air fryer, but with a larger or smaller capacity than mine, you can scale the recipe up or cut the amounts in half to make it work.

When I make veggies in my air fryer, including these air fryer mushrooms or my cubed air fryer sweet potatoes, I follow a few rules of thumb.

First, I always stop to shake the basket of my air fryer once halfway through the cook time. This helps to avoid any vegetables sticking or uneven cooking.

I also try to avoid over-crowding my appliance. Four liters sounds roomy, and for a solo-dweller it works well. But it’s not a ton of capacity, and if I pile in too many vegetables, they’ll lose some of their crispiness. (They may also take longer to cook.)

Seasoning options

Most of the time, I keep my air fryer mushrooms super simple: olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

If I’m in the mood for variation, the two seasoning additions that I turn to are usually balsamic vinegar or fresh herbs, such as thyme, oregano, or rosemary. I’ve included both options in the recipe card.

Other seasonings that I’ve added to the mushrooms before they get air fried:

• Truffle salt
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• Smoked paprika
• Lemon juice or zest

After the air fryer mushrooms are fully cooked, you can also season them with a dressing or sauce. Some ideas:

Of course, these are only ideas. There’s lots of room for possibility here!

How to make air fryer mushrooms

Making air fryer mushrooms couldn’t be easier. When I meal prep them, I nearly always do a double batch. Even when I think I won’t use them all up by the end of the week, I do.

Step 1: Season the mushrooms

First, you’ll put your halved baby bella or cremini mushrooms into a mixing bowl. Add olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then mix them well.

I prefer garlic powder to minced garlic for this recipe for two reasons: first, it’s easier to distribute and mix evenly into the mushrooms than fresh garlic. Second, minced garlic can easily burn in an air fryer, turning bitter.

If you have a mister or spray bottle of either olive or avocado oil at home, you can also use it to season the mushrooms. Oil spray is often easier for evenly coating vegetables than a spooned measurement.

Step 2: Air fry for 10-12 minutes

You’ll air fry for a total of 10-12 minutes, but you need to stop midway through the cook time to shake the air fryer basket. This ensures that the mushrooms cook evenly.

One more step to consider: if you’d like to season the mushrooms, you can do so about four minutes before the end of cooking time.

As you can see above, fresh thyme leaved and a drizzle of syrupy balsamic vinegar are my favorite seasonings here.

Shake the basket of the air fryer again, then continue with the last few minutes of air frying. At this point, your mushrooms are ready.

Serving suggestions

You may make a batch of the air fryer mushrooms with a specific purpose in mind: putting them into a vegan pasta dish, for example.

Once you have them in the fridge, though, I bet you’ll find yourself wanting to add them to everything.

I routinely sprinkle them onto bowls of savory oats, crostini with cashew cheese, the top of a bowl of mushroom bulgur bean chili, or a cup of vegan potato leek soup.

You’ll find your own favorite uses. And as you do that, you can rest assured that you’re coming up with new ways to enjoy an especially nutritious veggie.

Meal prep & storage

The air fryer mushrooms can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.

The recipe makes only two servings (easily doubled), and I almost never have reason to freeze them. But you can freeze them, for up to six weeks.

Within the vegetable kingdom, mushrooms can be a little intimidating to cook. This recipe is an approachable starting point, and I hope you’ll find it useful!

xo