Vegan Beef Stew

One of the most famous Comfort Food Classics, full of BEEFY deliciousness, but totally VEGAN! A perfect Cozy Meal for Chilly Nights!

Growing up I didn’t eat as much Beef Stew as I probably should’ve. In fact, I’m bummed to say I mostly know it from Dinty Moore, which if memory serves me right, is not so good!

Well recently I’ve been replaying Red Dead Redemption 2, and I love how Arthur Morgan just eats a bowl of stew and tosses the empty bowl on the ground. And it also got me craving a real good Vegan Beef Stew!

Why you’ll dig vegan beef Stew

In short, you’ll love this stew because it’s hearty, comforting and super dang delicious! It’s also easy to make, especially if you meal prep my Soy Curl Beef beforehand!

Ingredients for vegan beef Stew

The “beef”

I’m using SOY CURLS for this, which won’t be a surprise if you know me. Soy Curls are dehydrated soy chunks that you can flavor anyway you like. They are pretty affordable too. You can order them from Butler Foods (not sponsored!) or on Amazon.

Any large TVP style chunks will work too, since I know that kind of product is available in other parts of the world.

Instead of Soy Curls, you could make some Tofu “Steak” like I did in my Tofu Cheesesteak Recipe as well. Or you can use some jackfruit too, maybe some store-bought vegan beef if you have some accessible. Honestly, any of your favorite vegan beef replacements should be fine!

We’ll also be using a few of my favorite ingredients for vegan beef.

Vegan Beef Broth (veggie broth is okay too!)
Nutritional Yeast
Miso Paste – for more UMAMI!

the veggies and aromatics

Beef Stew typically uses carrots, onions and garlic. We’ll also be using some thyme and other seasonings. Oh and don’t forget the potatoes!

I recommend trying to get carrots that are the same width for the entire length. If you can’t find that, don’t worry. Just try to cut them into equal sized pieces.

Same with the potatoes! I like using Baby Yukon Golds. Just cut them into equal sized pieces. If they are small enough you can just cut them in half. Otherwise you may need to quarter them.

the wine

I like adding some dry red wine to my stew, but if you don’t do alcohol, you can skip it and just replace with more broth instead.

If you do want to add some wine, use Barnivore to make sure your wine is vegan too!

how to make vegan Beef Stew

One of the coolest things about making Vegan Beef Stew is that fact that it’s way easier and faster than making a traditional one. During my research for this, I watched a few videos for a non-vegan version. And it takes a LONG time to make the beef.

Luckily, all we need to do is rehydrate the soy curls, then reduce them down in a beefy marinade.

Then, reserve the soy curls and to a Dutch Oven over medium heat, add the carrots and onions. Cook them down for about 8 – 10 minutes or until they’ve softened a bit.

Next add in the garlic, cook that for one minute. Then add in the vegan butter and seasonings.

Stir that to combine, add in some flour, stir and cook off the raw flour for a minute. Next add in the wine and broth.

Add in the soy curls and potatoes. Bring to a simmer, then add the pot uncovered to an oven preheated to 350 F / 175 C for 30 minutes.

Add in a cornstarch slurry to help it thicken, then bake for another 10 – 15 minutes. Baking will not only cook the veggies, but it will reduce the stew and concentrate the flavors.

Lastly, stir in some frozen peas, stir to heat them up and then dig in!

storage

You can store any leftovers in the fridge for 3-5 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months. I’ve just been reheating it in the microwave and it comes out fantastic!

Vegan Beef Stew

1 batch Soy Curl Beef (or 1.5 pounds Vegan Beef of choice)
2 cups Diced Onions
2 – 3 Carrots (sliced 1/2 inch thick)
4 cloves Garlic (minced)
1/4 cup Vegan Butter
2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
2 tsp Miso Paste
2 Tbsp Vegan Worcestershire
1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
1 cup Dry Red Wine (or more Broth)
4 cups Vegan Beef Broth (or Veggie Broth)
5 Sprigs of Thyme (tied in a bouquet)
2 Bay Leaves
1 pound Baby Yukon Gold Potatoes (Halved or Quartered)
1 cup Frozen Green Peas
1.5 Tbsp Cornstarch + 3 Tbsp Water (Cornstarch Slurry)
Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Instructions

Prepare the Soy Curl Beef and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 F / 175 C
In a large pot or dutch oven, over medium heat on the stove top, drizzle about 1 tbsp of cooking oil (Avocado, Olive, Vegetable etc). Then add in the diced onions and carrots. Add a pinch of salt, stir occasionally, and cook those down for about 10 minutes or until they have softened and the onions get translucent.
Add in the minced garlic, stir and cook for 1 minute. Then add vegan butter, stir to combine until melted.
Next toss in the tomato paste, nutritional yeast, miso paste and vegan worcestershire. Stir to combine.
Add in the flour and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute to get rid of the raw flour flavor.
Next add in the broth and red wine if using. Stir to combine. Then add in the reserved soy curls and potatoes. Toss in the thyme and bay leaves. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Bring to a simmer.
Add pot uncovered to an oven preheated to 350 F / 175 C for 30 minutes.
Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Remove the pot from the oven, and add in the cornstarch slurry and stir to combine. Check to see if the potatoes are fork tender. If they are cooked to your desired doneness, skip to the next step. Otherwise add the pot back to the oven for another 10 – 15 minutes.
Once veggies are cooked through and stew has reduced a bit, add the frozen peas, stir to heat through. Taste and adjust for seasoning.

Remove the Thyme and Bay Leaves and dig in!