Hearty Hungarian Goulash

Traditional goulash is a soup or stew of meat and vegetables, seasoned heavily with paprika. Chef Linda's version of Hungarian Goulash, she uses mushrooms instead of meat.

Olive oil
 2 (10 ounce) packages of button mushrooms, quartered
 2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
 2 medium onions, chopped in 1/4-inch pieces
 6 large cloves of garlic, minced
 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
 ¼ cup sweet Hungarian paprika
 3 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers (green tends to be too bitter)
 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes (in season, use 2 large fresh tomatoes)
 6 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
 2 large waxy potatoes (like Yukon Gold), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
 4 cups vegetable broth
 2 dried bay leaves
 ground pepper to taste
 fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

1

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place quartered mushrooms in a bowl. Drizzle with a little olive oil, the tamari and nutritional yeast. Sprinkle with a little salt. Toss to coat then empty onto a baking tray. Place in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until mushrooms have shrunken in size and are nicely browned.

Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven on medium heat. Add the onions and cook slowly until they start to soften, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another few minutes. Pour in paprika and stir to coat.

Add the peppers, carrots, and potatoes to the pot and stir, then add vegetable broth, bay leaves, and peppers. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about an hour. Taste and add more salt or pepper, if necessary. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.