Creamy White Bean and Mushroom Stroganoff

With a high-protein cottage cheese sauce.

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January calls for simple weeknight comfort food, and this creamy white bean and mushroom stroganoff hits all of those notes. Crispy mushrooms and cannellini beans are tossed in a creamy (high-protein!) stroganoff sauce for a vegetarian riff on the classic dish that’s as satisfying and delicious as it is simple to make.

The secret to the crispiest browned mushrooms is actually water. While it sounds counter-intuitive, adding a few tablespoons of water to the pan with the mushrooms helps to evenly distribute the heat in the pan, and this prevents the mushrooms' delicate cell walls from rupturing, releasing all their water, and then shriveling up. Instead, it allows the mushrooms to cook gently, maintaining their shape as they release the water slowly. Once all the moisture has evaporated, the mushrooms are then able to brown and crisp up more evenly as well. Try it; you’ll never sauté mushrooms any other way.

Now let’s talk cottage cheese. I fully acknowledge that blending cottage cheese with water to create a faux heavy cream replacement might sound like something only a protein-maxing Gen-Z TikTok influencer would do. But before dismissing it completely, stop and consider: it’s simply another dairy substance that contains plenty of thickening power. And when it’s combined with a little starch (such as the beans here,) it has the ability to create a sauce that’s just as luscious as a typical sauce made with heavy cream. But unlike a heavy cream sauce, it’s fairly stable, so it won’t break when you reheat it, it eats lighter because it doesn’t contain nearly as much fat, and it actually brings a good amount of protein to the party. For me, that’s a win-win-win.

Stroganoff is traditionally served over egg noodles, and while you can certainly bulk out these beans by adding those noodles, you don’t have to. In testing, I found them equally delicious served over toast—or honestly, just eaten plain. Also, while these beans make great leftovers, and they’re also good for meal prep! Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you’re only warming up part of the leftovers, I recommend giving them a mix before scooping from the container, since the sauce will want to pool at the bottom. No one wants dry beans!

Enjoy!

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Creamy White Bean and Mushroom Stroganoff

(Serves 4)

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup cottage cheese, preferably full fat

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons water, divided

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced

1 ¼ tsp. kosher salt, divided (I used Diamond Crystal)

1 yellow onion, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 (14.5-oz) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

¼ cup sour cream

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Finely sliced chives, for serving (optional)

Cooked egg noodles, for serving (optional)

Equipment: blender, large pan, rubber nonstick spatula or wooden spoon, small plate, small bowl, small whisk or fork

Instructions

1. In a blender, combine cottage cheese and ¾ cup water. Blend until completely smooth, about 30 seconds. Set aside.

2. In a skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add mushrooms and remaining 2 tablespoons of water and cook, stirring occasionally, until water has evaporated and mushrooms are browned, about 12 minutes. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and transfer to a plate. Set aside.

3. Return pan to medium heat and melt remaining two tablespoons butter. Add onion and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.

4. Stir in reserved cottage cheese mixture, Dijon, and Worcestershire. (Mixture may suddenly look grainy, but don’t worry; the texture will improve as it cooks). Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat; lower heat to maintain a simmer and cook until slightly reduced, 3-4 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, remove 2 tablespoons of liquid from the pan (avoid the onions) and transfer to a small bowl. Add sour cream and whisk until smooth.

6. Add the cannellini beans to pan and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Stir in the sour cream mixture, then fold in three-quarters of the mushrooms and black pepper to taste.

7. Serve topped with chives and remaining mushrooms, on top of egg noodles, if desired.

Originally posted January 11, 2026.