Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff

I saw photos of this dish on Instagram recently and thought it looked amazing, so I had to try it. I'm a bit obsessed with mushroom stroganoff and have made it a few times before, but finding a vegan recipe was really exciting! We loved it, and I'm sure I'll be making it again. :)Here's the recipe:Serves 4• 8 ounces fusilli• ¾ cup cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours• 1½ cups vegetable or mushroom brothFor the tofu:• 14 ounces extra firm tofu, sliced into thin strips• 1 tablespoon olive oil• Pinch of saltFor the sauce:• 1 tablespoon olive oil• 1 medium yellow onion, quartered and thinly sliced• ½ teaspoon salt, plus a pinch• 4 cloves garlic, minced• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced• 1 teaspoon dried thyme• ½ cup dry white wine• 2 tablespoons tomato paste• Several pinches of freshly ground black pepper• Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish (optional)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. When it's boiling, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.

Drain the cashews and add them to a blender along with the vegetable broth. Blend until very smooth, with only a slight graininess. This could take anywhere from 1 to 5 minutes depending on the strength of your machine. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula now and again to make sure you get everything.

Prepare the tofu: Preheat a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat and add the oil. Saute the tofu along with the salt for 5 minutes or so, until it's just slightly browned. Set the tofu on a plate covered with aluminum foil as you prepare the sauce.

Prepare the sauce: In the same pan in which you cooked the tofu, still on medium heat, add the oil and saute the onion in the oil along with a pinch of salt for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds or so. Now add the mushrooms and thyme and cook until the mushrooms are lightly browned, about 5 more minutes. Add the wine, tomato paste, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper, stir, and turn the heat up to high. Let the wine reduce by about half. This should take 5 minutes or so. Turn the heat back down to medium.

Pour in the cashew mixture. Stir until well combined and let thicken for about 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Add the tofu and toss to coat, carefully, so as not to break the tofu. Serve over the pasta, and garnish with fresh parsley, if you like

Notes: To get the strips of tofu for this recipe, slice tofu in half through the equator, like a clam. Then slice each half into ¼-inch thick strips. You should end up with slices that are about 3 inches long by 1 inch wide.

The original recipe comes from the Isa Does It cookbook.