Tocană de Cartofi cu Ciuperci (Potato and Mushroom Stew)

Romanian Fast With Oil Published April 10, 2026

This is the stew that appears when the pantry is nearly bare and the fast still has weeks to run. Potatoes and mushrooms in a paprika-rich tomato sauce — nothing more, nothing less. It is peasant logic at its most efficient: cheap, filling, warm, and the kind of food that makes you feel properly fed when the wind is howling outside and meat is forbidden.

The paprika is the engine of this dish. Sweet paprika for warmth, smoked paprika for depth. Together they give a simple potato stew the kind of backbone that would otherwise require bacon or sausage. This is not a coincidence — Hungarian-influenced Romanian cooking has always used paprika this way.

FASTING LEVEL: Fast With Oil (omit oil for strict days)
SERVINGS: 4-6
TIME: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

- 3 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 2 large onions, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 400g mushrooms (cremini or button), quartered
- 1kg potatoes, peeled and cut into 3cm chunks
- 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 can (400g) crushed tomatoes
- 3 cups water or vegetable stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Crusty bread for serving

METHOD

1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook without stirring for 4-5 minutes until well browned on one side. Stir and brown the other side. Remove mushrooms and set aside. (For strict days: skip the browning and add mushrooms with the potatoes in step 3.)

2. Reduce heat to medium. Add the onions to the pot and cook for 6-7 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add both paprikas and stir for 30 seconds — the oil should turn a deep red. Add the tomato paste and stir for another minute.

3. Add the potatoes, crushed tomatoes, water or stock, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are tender and starting to break apart at the edges. Some potatoes should hold their shape, others should thicken the sauce — this dual texture is what you want.

4. Return the browned mushrooms to the pot. Simmer for 5 more minutes to let everything come together. Season with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaves.

5. Serve in deep bowls with crusty bread and a scattering of fresh parsley. A pickled hot pepper on the side is the Romanian finishing touch.

NOTES

- Do not add the paprika to high heat or it will turn bitter. Always reduce the heat before adding it to the oil.
- For more protein, add a drained can of white beans in the last 10 minutes of cooking. This turns the stew into a complete one-pot fasting meal.
- The stew should be thick, not soupy. If it seems too thin, mash a few potato chunks against the side of the pot to thicken the sauce.
- Keeps well for 3-4 days refrigerated. Add a splash of water when reheating.