We would pour this fabulous sauce over homemade crusty Italian bread, a vintage old recipe from childhood in Upstate New York.
It was actually a specialty in many local Italian Restaurants there in Utica, New York and still is.
Always a Tuesday special somewhere in good ole Utica also referred to as "Little Italy".
Lucky for us our mom Margaret Ann Fanelli Colenzo was such a great cook we never had to visit those local establishments.
Well to date I still make this even though the recipe now if around 90 years old because she learned from her mom.
Amazing the years that go by we still can remember through home-cooked meals the wonderful memories, aroma's and keep them going generation to generation.
Simple, easy and just plain delicious.
The second recipe is from my late Aunt Mary Di Orio.
I have both recipes in the printable recipe card below, just scroll to the end to print it off.
Growing Up in Little Italy
Growing up in Utica, New York (also referred to as little Italy), we always had the best of best Italian foods.
Many households were Italian, and in our neighborhood, the mushroom stew was a once a week staple growing up.
It was an economical way to feed a large family.
My dad and brother would pick fresh mushrooms during the season they grew.
There was nothing better than a home-cooked meal like a mushroom stew with crusty Italian bread to comfort us.
The sauce is spectacular and if you are a mushroom stew lover, you need to make their recipes!
Iconic 1950s 1960s Recipes
Like most fashions in the Retail industry, food falls in and out of style.
Back when kids of the '50s and '60s were growing up, family dinners were with neighborhood kids, family get-togethers (and everyone showed up cousins, Aunts, Uncles), holiday meals, or even a dinner party your parents threw together.
This is a recipe from the kids of the '50s and '60s who will remember back in those days, this mushroom stew was a staple in just about every home in Utica, New York or really all of Central New York.
It was so inexpensive and many times mom could feed the whole block on a pot of this stew, sound familiar?
If you were from the Utica/Rome New York Area, then this recipe will be a fond memory for you guys.
You can still find it in many local restaurants back home and it's a true classic that will never get old!
Try Some Other Delicious Recipes We Love!
Crockpot London Broil Burgundy
Crockpot Chicken and Wild Rice
Crockpot Rump Roast and Burgundy Vegetable Stew
Crockpot Vegetables stew
Crockpot Chicken Zucchini Stew
Ingredients You Will Need To Make Mom's Mushroom Stew
(for exact measurements scroll to the recipe card below)
- crushed tomatoes
- or fresh plum tomatoes crushed in a blender
- sliced fresh mushrooms
- fresh basil leaves
- oregano
- Burgundy wine or more if you like as it gets thicker use water if you do not like wine flavor
- sugar
- finely minced garlic, garlic powder
- Italianalle green peppers or bell
- boneless pork, veal or beef cubed (we always used pork) and in a pinch grandma used chicken
- red pepper flakes to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
- minced celery
- minced onions (optional)
- sliced carrots for sweetness in the sauce
- Olive oil
- Italian bread
Mom's Mushroom Stew Upstate New York Style Recipe Pin for Later
Mushroom Stew
These two versions are similar but with sausage and the other with meat.
Two different flavors, choose what you like and add what you want.
Cooking any recipe is just a basic guide and you can adapt this to however you prefer.
Both these recipes are vintage Classic Mushroom Stew Recipes from Central New York State and a staple in our home back in the 1960s.
If you love garlic bread try some of our Garlic Knots with this dish, they are delicious dipped in the sauce!
Mom's Mushroom Stew Upstate New York Style Recipe
Yield: 6
There are two recipes for a Mushroom stew that mom and my Aunt made back in the 1960s. They are both different and delicious so you can choose from memory which one you prefer. One is made with sausage the other boneless meat.
ingredients:
- 2 cans crushed tomatoes
- 28-ounce size or 4 pounds plum tomatoes crushed in a blender
- 2 pounds of sliced fresh mushrooms
- 1/4 chopped fresh basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 cup Burgundy wine or more if you like as it gets thicker use water if you do not like wine flavor
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 4 cloves finely minced garlic + 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 or 3 chopped Italianalle green peppers or bell
- 2 pounds boneless pork, veal or beef cubed (we always used pork) and in a pinch grandma used chicken
- 1/2 teaspoon or more red pepper flakes to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup finely minced celery
- 1/2 cup finely minced onions (optional)
- Options: sliced carrots for sweetness in the sauce
- Olive oil
- Italian bread
instructions:
How to cook Mom's Mushroom Stew Upstate New York Style Recipe
- In a large sauce, pot adds 1/4 cup oil.
- Brown the meat.
- Lower heat, add the garlic, onion, celery, cook until soft around 3 minutes.
- Do not brown garlic.
- Add everything else.
- Simmer on low for at least 2 1/2 hours or until meat falls apart.
- Add more wine or water is getting too thick.
- Serve over Hard crusted Italian bread.
- Aunt Mary's Recipe:
- 3 lbs hot sausage
- 2 medium onions cubed
- 3 bell peppers chopped
- 3 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley
- 2 pounds fresh mushrooms
- 3- 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 3 teaspoons black pepper
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- In a large saucepan fry onion, peppers, garlic in olive oil until soft and clear.
- Add the sausage, cook till completely browned.
- Add mushrooms, tomatoes, seasonings to taste and parsley. Simmer on low for 3 hours.
- It can also be done in a crockpot.
- Serve over rigatoni, ziti with lots of Romano cheese or over bread.
Calories
325
325
Fat (grams)
15
15
Sat. Fat (grams)
7
7
Carbs (grams)
12
12
Net carbs
7
7
Sugar (grams)
22
22
Mom's Mushroom Stew Upstate New York Style Recipe Pin for Later
More Favorite Recipes We Love
Lamb Stew
Venison Stew
Copycat O'scugnizzo Pizza
Italian Stuffed Meatloaf
Escarole and Capicola Breakfast Pie
Copycat Manny's Cheesecake
Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2013. It was edited and re-published in 2018.
Mmmmm....this must have an incredible depth of flavor! Such a yummy stew!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Claudia!!! My husband wanted Mushroom stew and I knew where to look.
DeleteBest to you, Your computer teacher
I love this stew! I`ve been looking for the recipe. My mother used to make this all the time when I was growing up in Utica.. She used to combine hot Italian sausage with the pork steak. Thank you for posting! Makes my day!
ReplyDeleteThis is so flavorful and delicious! Perfect comfort stew!
ReplyDeleteMade this for the family and it was hit! We all loved it!
ReplyDelete