Vegan Stew – The Stingy Vegan

This is the best vegan stew recipe that starts with a dark roux for deep, rich, meat-like flavor. Comfort in a bowl!

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Why this is the best vegan stew!

When creating vegan alternatives to traditional meat-heavy recipes, I never just replace the meat with mushrooms and call it a day.

I think in terms of flavors and textures. The secret to a good beef stew is a lot of deep, rich umami flavors and a broth that is thick and silky from the meat releasing collagen.

When I want to make a vegan soup, stew or sauce that replicates these flavors and textures, I borrow from gumbo and make a dark roux.

A roux is simply fat and flour cooked together over medium-low heat until it has a dark chocolate brown color. 

The roux thickens the soup but the main purpose in this recipe is for the deep, rich flavor that it creates.

Some people think that roux is tricky to make, but it really isn’t. It just takes a bit of time. 

Considering that many stew recipes call for hours of simmering, this vegan stew is still faster to make even with the addition of a roux!

This is definitely a vegan recipe for meat lovers!

What to use instead of beef in a stew?

Mushrooms are a great substitute for beef in a stew thanks to their meaty texture. 

Many types of mushrooms lend themselves well to a stew: white button, cremini, portobello, oyster, shiitake, shimeji, etc. 

You can use fresh mushrooms or dried porcini or other wild mushrooms.

Other substitutes for beef in a stew are legumes such as beans or lentils. White beans or kidney beans, green, brown or caviar lentils can add heartiness to a stew. 

Seitan, tempeh or tofu, especially smoked tofu, are vegan alternatives to providing meatiness in a beef-less stew.

Finally, if you’re rich and can afford such things, there are many vegan meat products that can get the job done such as “beef” strips, beefless tips, soy curls, etc.

How to thicken a vegan stew?

The most common way to thicken a vegan stew is with flour.

Most recipes will call for sprinkling flour over the sautéed vegetables before pouring in the vegetable stock.

The flour will thicken the stock as it simmers.

My recipe is also thickened with flour but it is first cooked with oil to make a flavor-packed roux before adding the vegetables and stock. The stew tastes better this way.

Another way to thicken a vegan stew is with cornstarch.

For the cornstarch method, the vegetables, meat alternative and stock are cooked together like a soup. Then a slurry (a mix) of cornstarch and water is added at the end to thicken the stew.

The cornstarch method gives the stew a more shiny appearance. It’s not as thick as the flour method and if you add too much you’ll get a goopy texture. 

However, if you’ve made your stew with flour and don’t think it came out thick enough, you can add a small amount of cornstarch at the end to help thicken it up.

Finally, a method that’s common in Irish stew is to use mashed potatoes. A couple spoonfuls of instant mashed potatoes or fresh mashed potatoes mixed in to the stew at the end will thicken it right up.

How to make vegetable stew taste better?

The secret to a delicious vegetable stew is to build umami flavors into the broth or stock.

There are lots of ways to add umami to a soup or stew. This vegan stew recipe is made from a base of dark roux which adds tons of deep, rich flavor.

Additionally, a couple tablespoons of tomato paste add umami and a touch of sweetness.

A technique I have used in other recipes like this vegan Hungarian goulash is one or two tablespoons of dark miso paste.

Soy sauce is an easy way to not only season your stew but it also adds umami.

Mushrooms also have umami so they’re a great ingredient to use in place of beef in vegetable stew.

Dried herbs add a ton of flavor. I like to keep it simple with just one herb so that the flavors don’t get muddied. 

Many herbs will work; choose your favorite: thyme, sage, rosemary, marjoram, bay/laurel, etc. 

You could even add a pinch of some warming spices such as cinnamon, cloves or nutmeg. 

Ingredients

You’ll be surprised by how much flavor these simple and cheap ingredients can make!

Flour: All-purpose white flour is needed to make the roux. I have never tried to make a roux gluten free but some sources suggest you can use rice flour. I have no idea if it would work in this recipe. Substitute at your own risk.

Oil: A roux can be made with butter or oil. Since vegan butter is a combination of ingredients and stabilizers that could behave differently in this application, I recommend using a neutral-flavored oil such as sunflower, canola, vegetable, or avocado. I don’t use olive oil because it has too much flavor that’s unpleasant at this quantity. 

Vegetables: Typical stew vegetables are onions, garlic, celery, carrots and potatoes. You have some flexibility here to add or substitute your favorite veggies. 

Mushrooms: White button or cremini mushrooms are my meat replacement in this vegan stew.

Tomato paste: Tomato paste adds extra umami and a touch of sweetness to the stew.

Vegetable stock: You can use good quality vegetable broth or a vegan beef stock.

Seasonings: Bay or laurel, dried thyme, soy sauce and/or salt and pepper are the only seasonings in my recipe. You can replace the thyme with your favorite herb.

How to make vegan stew

This vegan stew is easy to make and all in one pot. The extra step of making a roux is worth it for the flavor payoff! 

Prep

Start by peeling your onion, garlic, carrot and potatoes.

Finely dice the onion and garlic. Chop the celery, carrots and potatoes into bite-sized pieces.

Make the roux

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. 

Once it’s warmed up, sprinkle over the flour and stir it with a wooden spoon or whisk to dissolve any lumps.

Now cook it, stirring almost continuously, until it reaches a dark chocolate color.

This takes about 20 minutes. 

The slower it cooks, the more flavor it will develop but don’t go crazy cooking it super slow over super low heat for 45 minutes or anything. 

You can adjust the heat up or down if it’s browning too slow or too fast.

You should stir it continuously so that it doesn’t burn but you can put your spoon down for 20 seconds or so without ruining it if you need to take a break.

Season

Once your roux has a dark chocolate color and a nutty smell, add the onion and celery. Cook until softened, stirring regularly – about 5 – 7 minutes.

Add the ginger and cook it for another 30 seconds or so.

Add the tomato paste, thyme and bay leaves. Stir together and allow to cook for a minute or so.

Simmer

Add in the carrots, potatoes and mushrooms and pour over the vegetable stock. Mix it well to incorporate the roux.

Raise the heat to bring it to a boil then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer.

Simmer the stew until the vegetables are cooked through – about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how large you cut the vegetables.

Finally, season the stew with soy sauce and salt to taste.

If you’re not happy with the thickness of the stew, keep in mind that it will thicken slightly as it cools. You can add more stock to thin it out or you can simmer it down to thicken it up.

Substitutions and variations

Wine or beer: A lot of vegan beef stew recipes call for dry red wine such as a cabernet sauvignon to make a stew more akin to beef bourguignon. Other recipes add ale, porter or stout such as Guinness to make an Irish-style stew.

Protein: Instead of, or in addition to mushrooms, try a vegan beef substitute, seitan, jackfruit, tempeh, beans, lentils or soy curls.

Vegetables: Carrots and potatoes are typical stew vegetables but other root vegetables such as parsnips, turnips or sweet potatoes would work. Peas are a common addition.

Seasonings: I personally like thyme but you can substitute other herbs such as rosemary, sage, fennel seeds or caraway, etc.

FAQs

Make ahead and storage tips

This vegan stew keeps great in the fridge, sealed in an airtight container, for 4 – 5 days.

To freeze stew, allow it to cool completely in the fridge in a freezer-safe container or bag before transferring to the freezer. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Allow to thaw in the fridge before reheating.

This vegan stew can be reheated in the microwave or in a pot on the stove.

How to serve vegan stew

I love to serve this vegan stew with just a slice of buttered bread for dipping.

A green salad or garlic bread, dinner rolls, biscuits or French bread would also go great. 

Your favorite steamed or roasted vegetable like broccoli, green beans, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, etc would make a nice side dish.