(Recipe) Portobello Vegan Beef(less) Stew

This hearty vegan stew uses tender portobello mushrooms in place of meat, along with potatoes and veggies simmered in a savory herbed red wine broth. You won’t miss the meat in this hearty vegan version of classic beef stew!

I’m all about vegan comfort food recipes this winter, and this stew is no exception. This stew was super cozy and delicious, and this is coming from someone who didn’t even like beef stew in her omnivore days!

I think it was the beef part that I didn’t like, because a bowl of steaming hot potatoes, veggies, and in this case, portobello mushrooms (in lieu of beef) in a savory red wine broth sounds pretty much like heaven to me. In addition to the herbs you’d normally find in beef stew (rosemary and thyme), I included a few ingredients to give it a savory flavor that might otherwise be lacking.

(Recipe) Portobello Vegan Beef(less) Stew

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings 6

 

This hearty vegan stew uses tender portobello mushrooms in place of meat, along with potatoes and veggies simmered in a savory herbed red wine broth. You won’t miss the meat in this hearty vegan version of classic beef stew!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound portobello or cremini mushrooms, cleaned and roughly chopped
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 medium celery stalks, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 pounds red potatoes, cut into 1 to 2 inch chunks
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1–2 teaspoons Marmite (optional, but highly recommended for savory flavor)
• ½ teaspoon liquid smoke, or to taste (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Coat the bottom of a large pot with oil and place it over medium heat.
2. Give the oil a minute to heat up, then add the mushrooms in an even layer. Let them cook for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned on the bottoms. Flip and cook for about 5 minutes more, until softened.
3. Add the onion, celery, carrots and garlic. Cook everything until veggies begin to tenderize, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Sprinkle in the flour, a bit at a time, stirring between additions to form a coating on the veggies. Cook the veggies and flour for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.
5. Begin adding the broth, a bit at a time, stirring to eliminate any lumps that form from the flour. When all of the broth has been added, stir in the potatoes, thyme, and rosemary.
6. Raise the heat and bring the liquid to a simmer. Lower the heat and allow it to simmer, uncovered, until the potatoes are just tender but still a bit undercooked, about 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
7. Stir in the red wine, tomato paste and Marmite. Bring the stew back to a simmer. Allow the stew to simmer for about another 20 minute, stirring occasionally, until the broth is thick and the veggies are very tender.
8. Remove the pot from heat and season the stew with liquid smoke, salt and pepper.
9. Ladle into bowls and serve.