Vegan Paprikash with Mushrooms and Potatoes

Years ago I had a delicious vegetarian paprikash at a local restaurant in Denver and I still haven’t been able to forget it. This meal, which I based on a New York Times Cooking recipe and adapted to be vegan, is hearty and flavorful and perfect for winter and early spring. Don’t skip the fresh herbs as they really tie everything together!

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup raw cashews, soaked for 4+ hours
• 3.5 tsp. white wine vinegar, divided
• 1.5-2 pounds cremini or other mushrooms, chopped
• 1.5-2 pounds potatoes, chopped into ~1/2 inch cubes
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 14-oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups cooked chickpeas
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• Salt
• Avocado oil

Directions

1. Drain and rinse the cashews and then combine them in a high-speed blender with 1/3 cup water and 1/2 tsp. of white wine vinegar. Blend until you have a smooth and creamy puree and set aside.
2. In a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat a splash of avocado oil. Add the chopped mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 5-7 minutes until browned. Remove from the pot and set aside.
3. While cooking the mushrooms, parcook the cubed potatoes in the microwave: spread them out on a large plate and microwave for 4-5 minutes or until they are about half cooked.
4. Add another splash of oil to the pot and heat over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes until soft, then add the garlic and both kinds of paprika. Cook for one minute before adding 2 tsp. of white wine vinegar and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
5. Add the crushed tomatoes, chickpeas, 1 1/4 cups of water, the mushrooms, and the parcooked potatoes. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fully cooked.
6. Reduce heat to low and add the cashew cream from step 1 plus 1/2 tsp. of salt, 1 tsp. white wine vinegar, black pepper to taste, and the dill and parsley. Stir well and adjust the consistency and seasoning to your liking, adding more water, salt, or vinegar if you’d like.