Vegan Biscuits & Gravy with Mushroom Mince

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I make Vegan Biscuits & Gravy with Mushroom Mince when I want homemade weekend comfort food.

Biscuit options

A lot of the time with these from-scratch-biscuits is inactive. I love waking up and cutting last night’s dough into biscuits. If you are a person who enjoys looking for new ways to use your sourdough starter, this recipe is for you. If you only want to make these biscuits; click here.

You’ll need sourdough starter for the biscuits in this recipe, or you could sub store-bought vegan biscuits instead. If you only want to make the gravy; click here. If you just want to make the mushroom mince; click here.

If you like making things in advance, you can cut and freeze the sourdough biscuit dough and bake them right from the freezer whenever you want.

Sourdough Starter

I made my starter back in September of 2020 and I wish I’d done it sooner. I typically bake with it once a week, storing it in the fridge to slow down the fermentation. We use the discard to make delicious skillet bread topped with za’atar, scallions, and sesame seeds. I love finding tasty ways to use things that might otherwise get thrown out.

I made my starter the easy, no-waste way. Specifically, I used a yeast packet instead of relying on wild yeast from the environment. I did not have to feed or dump any of the starter. I left it covered on the counter for up to 4 – 8 days (I’m not sure how long).

Now that my starter has been around for a while, I’d wager that the yeast in it is now wild yeast, from Colorado air. There is likely little difference between a starter made the dump-and-feed way. All starters get better with age.

I made my starter with the help of this youtube video from Allrecipes.com. If you are offended by the the yeast packet shortcut, there are plenty of other videos with different ways to make sourdough starter on youtube and all over the internet. If your starter turns orange or pink, please throw it out and start over.

Biscuits

Don’t do the twist

When cutting biscuits do not twist the biscuit cutter when cutting out the biscuits. The twisting motion will seal the edges, making it harder for them to rise. 

Biscuit cutter options

If you have a can opener that removes the seal and doesn’t cut the can creating sharp edges, you can make a biscuit cutter from a small can. I used a small Chipotle Peppers in Adobo can to make mine. It measures ~2.75″ across. You could also use a small jar or glass. If you have actual biscuit cutters or fun-shaped cookie-cutters, you might want to use those.

Altitude

This recipe was adapted from a non-vegan recipe by Amy & Mike at Little Spoon Farm who live near the foothills of Tennessee mountains. I think it’s safe to assume it was not a high-altitude recipe. I’m in Denver, a mile high and I suspect this recipe adaptation works well in drier areas and varied altitudes.

Climate

When or baking in warm or high-humidity areas you may need increase the plant milk and bake a little longer. It make take a few batches to find the perfect balance for your neck of the woods.

Weigh or measure the flour

I use this food scale. If you don’t have a food scale, use a spoon to fluff up the flour in the bag. Then spoon the flour into a measuring cup until it is heaped on top. Level the top off with a butterknife.

No grater? No problem

If you don’t have a grater, the cold Earth Balance can be cut into small cubes, then use a pastry cutter or a fork to cut the Earth Balance into the flour. You can also use your hands to rub the Earth Balance cubes into the flour.

Cast iron skillet or baking sheet?

I prefer using a cast iron skillet or skillets, if I am baking all of the biscuits at once, instead of freezing half. However, a baking sheet works just fine. Either way, arrange the biscuits so there is about 1/4 – 1/2 inch of space between each biscuit.

Rise

Occasionally I get a low overnight rise and sometimes a very high overnight rise. This depends on how active the starter was and at what point during the rise I start cutting the biscuits. This stuff also depends on how warm it is, humidity and a bunch of other minutiae. For me, the biscuits turn out delicious. Sometimes they are fluffier (higher rise) and sometimes the are a little denser (lower rise).  

Easy freeze biscuit dough

To freeze some or all of the biscuits, just cut the dough into biscuits and carefully place them in one layer, into a freezer bag or freezer-safe air-tight container. I bake them within a month’s time when I do this.

No need to thaw, just place them on to the skillet or baking sheet and bake from frozen. If using cast iron you may want to place a baking sheet under the cast iron skillet because sometimes frozen biscuits over cook on the bottom from frozen. For safety purposes, place the baking sheet in the oven first and then add the cast iron to it. Avoid lifting the baking sheet with the cast iron on top of the baking sheet.

Ingredients for gravy

Vegan yogurt

I use Kite Hill Plain Unsweetened Almond Yogurt. The key here is an unsweetened, neutral-tasting vegan yogurt.

Nooch

I like adding non-fortified nutritional yeast to this gravy. It adds a nice depth of flavor. If you are using fortified instead of unfortified, just use a small amount, like a teaspoon.

I find that fortified nutritional yeast has a vitamin-y, synthetic taste. You could also skip the nooch all together and it will still be amazing gravy.

Nutritional yeast is typically gluten-free.

Mushroom broth

I use Pacific Mushroom Broth for this recipe. In addition to being vegan, it’s gluten-free. Unfortunately, other mushroom bases I’ve seen contain whey and other forms of dairy.

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Flour

I use AP flour. If you need this to be gluten-free use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour. I do not recommend almond flour for this gravy.

Whisk

If you are using a non-stick pan, use a coated whisk like this awesome silicon coated whisk. Otherwise, a regular whisk in a regular sauce pot works too.

Mushroom Mince Tips

To make this oil-free

Omit Earth Balance/oil and just sauté in a large non-stick pan.  There will be enough liquid from the mushrooms that you don’t need to sub anything for the Earth Balance.

Is poultry seasoning vegan?

It is. Poultry seasoning is a blend of thyme, sage, black pepper, marjoram, rosemary, and nutmeg. You could try different seasonings or some extra sage when making mushroom mince.

Portobellos and/or baby bellas

You can make this with ~4 large portobellos or ~18 oz baby bellas, a.k.a. creminis.

Food processor or mince with a knife

I love this food processor; it’s durable and affordable. If you don’t have a food processor, you can mince the shrooms with a knife.

Let it sear

While sautéing, occasionally press down the mince with the spatula and let sit and sear as opposed to keeping it moving the entire time.

Multi-task

You can cook the Creamy Vegan Biscuit Gravy & Mushroom Mince while the biscuits are in the oven. I usually prep the gravy ingredients and put them on one side of the stove. Then I mince the mushrooms in the food processor two at a time & measure the spices and set the mushroom stuff together on the other side of the stove. Lastly, I get my gravy and mushroom mince pans out before putting the biscuits in the oven.

Let’s Make Vegan Sourdough Biscuits & Gravy with Mushroom Mince

Please adjust the timeline on the recipe to your schedule.

Day 1

Noon: Activate starter, this usually takes 6 – 12 hours. To activate the starter add 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup flour. You can also add a pinch of sugar to jumpstart activation, just don’t over do it. Stir and it will get bubbly and grow. The starter is ready to use when it’s 50% to 100% larger. Read more about this and how to do a spoon test here.

9 PM: Make the Vegan Buttermilk by stirring lemon juice or apple cider vinegar into the plant milk and letting it sit for 10 – 30 minutes. It will curdle.

Measure the flour into a mixing bowl using a zeroed-out food scale if you have one.

Grate the Earth Balance stick into the mixing bowl of flour.

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Use a spatula or a fork to cut the cold Earth Balance into the flour until it forms small, pea-sized crumbles.

Add active sourdough starter, Vegan Buttermilk, salt & sugar and stir with a stiff spatula until fully combined.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, cheesecloth, or a thin, clean, non-fuzzy kitchen towel and let it sit on the counter for 10-12 hours.

Day 2:

9 AM: Generously flour your work surface and turn the dough out onto it.

Flour the top of the dough and use your hands to press it into an oval shape, about 1 inch in thickness.

Use a biscuit cutter (see notes for options) to cut biscuits, pressing straight down and pulling straight up. Do not twist the cutter as it will seal the edges and interfere with the biscuits ability to rise. Press down, then wiggle it a little if needed and pull straight up, just don’t twist.

Fold together and press out the remaining scrap dough and cut out one more round of biscuits.

Place the cut biscuits 1/4 – 1/2 inch apart in a cast iron skillet or on a baking sheet or combination of both. I usually cut all of the biscuits and put 6-7 in a ~12″ cast iron skillet and freeze the rest of the cut biscuits in a freezer bag. When I’m feeding more peeps I bake all of the biscuits.

Let the cut biscuits rise in the cast iron or on the baking sheets for 60 – 90 minutes. Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C). I let them sit on the oven while it preheats.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the tops are golden. While the biscuits are in the oven make the gravy and mushroom mince.

Gravy

 

Melt Earth Balance in a large skillet or pan over medium heat.

Then whisk in onion powder, garlic powder, and flour. Let it bubble, whisking occasionally for a few minutes to remove any floury taste.

Next, add broth, salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast. Whisk until smooth.

Whisk in yogurt and reduce to low heat.

Adjust consistency to preference with more broth. Season to taste.

Mushroom Mince

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Heat Earth Balance and add minced mushrooms.

Sprinkle with poultry seasoning, salt & pepper.

Sauté and let rest & sear over medium-high to high heat until the mushrooms shrink and dry out, creating a clumpy, sausage-like texture.

Taste and add more seasonings if desired.

To Serve

 

Plate biscuits and gravy, then top with mushroom mince.

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• Slow-Roasted Zesty Greek Lemon Potatoes
• Vegan Swedish Meatless Balls
• Vegan Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Did You Make Vegan Sourdough Biscuits & Gravy with Mushroom Mince?

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