Vegan Beef (Irish) Stew! A rich and flavorful plant-based stew that's healthier, but just as tasty as meat based stew. The Portobello mushrooms give it it's umami flavor and meaty texture. It's also so easy to make.
This recipe and the pictures have been updated from the original to make it even better. Enjoy!
And just like that, an entire pot of vegan beef stew was gone. There were a few potatoes and carrots to pick out of the pan, and a few spoonfuls of broth to slurp, but the rest was happily tucked away in our bellies.
No regrets, just pure satisfaction. That’s the wonderful thing about plant-based food, you can eat until your heart’s desire and not have room for guilt, because, why would you feel bad about eating potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, and a rich and savory broth?
It’s been decades since I’ve eaten real beef stew. My mom’s was the best, but I was also known to open up a can of Dinty Moore and blast it in the microwave. Why? Thank God I’ve smartened up, but that didn’t mean that the flavors of one of my favorite comfort foods didn’t stick in the back of my mind.
I’ve certainly craved the rich and savory broth that makes beef stew so delicious, and as the weather turns from warm to cold, this recipe needed to be veganized and shared.
We made it in our Wolf Gourmet Multi-Function Cooker. It's so much more than a slow cooker, because it allows you to saute/sear the onions and carrots before adding the rest of the ingredients to slow cook. It also lets you sous vide and make rice. Click here to learn more.
MUSHROOMS ARE A GREAT SUBSTITUTE FOR MEAT
When I think of plant foods that make good meat substitutes, mushrooms are always first on my list, especially Portobellos. They have a meaty texture, umami flavor, and the perfect color—for those who demand meat in their bowl.
Besides ditching the beef, everything else in this beef stew recipe stayed the same. Well actually, that’s not totally true, I swapped out beef broth for mushroom broth, and added more umami flavors, such as tamari, but besides those two things, everything else stayed the same.
Even though it’s been a long time since I’ve had beef stew, the memory of how it tasted didn’t escape me, and I was so pleased with the results.
The aroma that wafted through my kitchen while it simmered reminded me of my childhood. I could almost hear the scrape of a fork against the pan as my dad secretly snuck a piece of potato. Funny enough, even my meat loving dad seemed to prefer the gravy soaked potatoes in this dish.
I wish he was still with us so he could try my vegan version, I think he’d like it.
If you’re looking for something delicious, easy, and healthy to make for dinner, this is it.
VEGAN IRISH STEW IS GREAT FOR ST. PATRICK'S DAY
Beef stew, also known as Irish stew, is a great dish when the weather is cold, and it's also absolutely perfect for a St. Patrick's Day dinner.
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN BEEF STEW WITH MUSHROOMS
It's so easy to make this mushroom and potato stew, it only takes a bit of chopping and sauteing.
STEP ONE
- Heat the olive oil or the mushroom broth in a large stock pot, Dutch oven, or your Wolf Gourmet Multi Cooker (Wolf gave us a cooker to try and we loved it! All opinions are ours). Once the oil or broth is hot, add the onions and carrots and saute until the onions are translucent.
STEP TWO
2. Add the garlic and mushrooms and stir to combine. Cook until it becomes fragrant.
STEP THREE
3. Add the mushroom broth (we love Pacific Foods brand), mushrooms, potatoes, the rest of the seasonings, and the bouquet of herbs and stir to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 60 to 90 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
STEP FOUR
4. Make the roux and add it to the stew and stir until the broth thickens.
That's all you'll need to do to make a delicious and hearty vegan beef stew.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH VEGAN STEW
We our slow cooker or stove top vegan beef stew and serve it with a warm loaf of bread and a fresh and crisp side salad. This one is perfect.
Make this and let us know what you think. We love to hear from you! And, don’t forget to take a picture of your gorgeous creation and tag us @veganosity on Instagram.
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VEGAN BEEF (IRISH) STEW
Ingredients
- 1 10 oz [283 g] package of Baby Bella Mushrooms, stems removed and quartered
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 large carrots peeled and sliced at an angle into 1 inch (3 cm) thick pieces
- 32 ounce mushroom or vegetable broth, divided
- 20 baby potatoes cut in half
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh oregano
- 4 sprigs of fresh parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
For The Roux
- 4 tablespoon vegan butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 cup plant-based milk
Instructions
- Tie the thyme, parsley, and bay leaf into a bouquet with kitchen twine.
- Put 2 tablespoon (30 ml) broth in a large skillet, Dutch oven or stock pot see note) and heat on medium heat. When the broth begins to boil add the mushrooms, onion and carrots and cook for five minutes. Stir frequently and add a few more tablespoon of broth if needed. Add the garlic and stir well. Cook for two minutes.
- If you are cooking this in your slow cooker, transfer the onions, carrots, mushrooms and garlic from the pan to the cooker (if cooking in a stock pot or Dutch oven, leave the onions and add the potatoes and remaining ingredients) and add the potatoes, the remaining broth, 2 cups (480 ml) water, tamari or soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, herbs, and salt and pepper. Gently push the herbs into the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook for one hour, or two or more hours in your slow cooker. The longer you cook the stew the softer the potatoes will become.
For the Roux
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan on medium heat. When it's melted whisk in the flour until it's creamy and thick. Whisk in the milk until it's creamy and slurry. Stir it into the stew until it's completely combined and let it simmer for approximately ten minutes until the broth thickens. Remove the herbs. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Veronica says
Thank you so much for sharing this AMAZING recipe! I was trying to use up what veggies I had in the fridge (I call this a "fridge dump" haha!) so I tweaked it some. I added some finely chopped celery and used russets since that's all I had. I also had some shallots that I wanted to use up (maybe five?) and I also had about a cup or a cup and half of red wine I wanted out of my fridge! IT TURNED OUT AMAZINGLY!!!! Since I added the extra wine (it was an impulse decision after it had already started to cook) it came out very brothy and less stewy but I am glad I did it! The broth is DELICIOUS. I keep eating an extra bowl just because it tastes so good! This will be added to my regular rotation and I know that my non vegan friends and family will actually like this one. <3
Linda Meyer says
Hi Veronica! Thank you so much, we're so happy you liked the recipe. More wine is always a good thing, as long as you cook it down to get rid of the alcohol. That broth must taste heavenly. 🙂
Tammy says
This stew was incredible. I have tons of Penzey spices, so used dry. The flavor is amazing. This will be something I make often, although I may try throwing in some beef style seitan. It doesn't need it, I'd just like to try it. Thank you!
Linda Meyer says
Hi Tammy! Thank you so much for your comment, we truly appreciate it. beef seitan would be awesome in this. Happy New Year!
Jodi Sandvik says
Can this stew be frozen?
Linda Meyer says
Hi Jodi! Yes, just heat it on a low temperature until it's heated through. Enjoy!
Glenn McCarthy says
This stew is delicious. Made it last night and LOVED it. Thank you for this excellent recipe. I recommend you try it.
Alex Meyer, MA says
Hey Glenn, Thank you so much for the comment! We love that you loved the stew! It's comments like yours that inspire us to keep making plant-based recipes : )
Reva C Davis says
I made this yesterday. My husband, who is not vegan, cannot stop raving about this. It was amazing.
Alex Meyer, MA says
Hey Reva, Thank you so much for commenting! We absolutely love hearing that our vegan dishes are impressing non-vegans : ) We've definitely found this recipe to be a crowd pleaser too! We hope you find other recipes on our site that you and your husband can enjoy!
Manju Mahadevan says
I made an Irish Lamb stew for the boys last week, I should have made this vegetarian version for myself. Next time!
Linda Meyer says
Totally.
Hauke Fox says
Yes, that looks fantastic! Perfect for St. Patricks. I can't even lay off my German accent, so I won't even bother trying an Irish one 😉
I'm off to the kitchen now, even more hungry than before.
Linda Meyer says
Ha! You definitely don't want to hear my horrible attempt at an Irish accent. Thanks, Howie!
Anna says
That sure looks delicious and comforting, especially on a cold or rainy day. Mmm. Totally saving it for the occasion. I'm also checking out that matcha cupcakes recipe. Love your blog!
Linda Meyer says
Hi Anna! Thank you so much. The cupcakes are so good. Let me know if you try them.
J L Gulliver says
I made this in honor of St. Paddy's Day and we really liked it. We ate lunch out with some good friends, so I used my Instant Pot to save time. Excellent taste; many thanks for the great recipe. Looking forward to the leftovers!
Linda Meyer says
Hi J L, thank you so much! I'm so happy you enjoyed it. I love the flavors of the fresh herbs in this stew too, it's such a cozy dish. The leftovers are even better because the flavors have time to soak into the veggies. Enjoy!
Agness of Run Agness Run says
Mouth-watering stew, Linda! So colorful and definitely worth making!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you so much, Agness! 🙂
Uma Srinivas says
Fresh herbs always make stew tastier. This is actually new to me and I will love to try this 🙂
Linda Meyer says
Yes they do. It's a totally different flavor when you use fresh herbs. Thanks, Uma!
Christine @ Run Plant Based says
This looks wonderful - agreed on the ingredients and hubby will love this. Thanks!
Linda Meyer says
You're welcome! Thank you, Christine. 🙂
Jac -Tinned Tomatoes (@tinnedtoms) says
That looks awesome. All the ingredients I love. I'm a sucker for anything with mushrooms and I love a good stew.
Linda Meyer says
Thank you! I feel the same about mushrooms, I just love them. 🙂
Linda Meyer says
Thank you! I love mushrooms too, I eat them at least twice a week.
MaryEllen@VNutrition says
This looks perfect for the weather we're having right now! And a delicious meal for St Patrick's day tomorrow! The fresh herbs probably make this even more delicious!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you! Yes, the fresh herbs take it to another level. 🙂