Easy Vegan Beef Stew with Potatoes and Peas makes a hearty and delicious plant-based meal. With jackfruit as the 'beef' this stew is reminiscent of traditional beef stew. It's also completely gluten and oil-free!
Okay so you probably figured out that there isn't real beef in this stew. But I'm still calling it vegan beef stew. Why? It's got an amazing flavor like it was cooked with beef AND the texture to match.
What's the secret?
There are two:
First. Jackfruit. Jackfruit has a texture very similar to pulled pork or like tender beef that has been stewed all day.
Second. Flavor science. A clever mixture of vegetable stock, red wine, onions and garlic, and the super secret ingredient: cloves
I know you want to try this stew. Let's make it!
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Why I love this Easy Vegan Beef Stew
- Dietary needs - this recipe is plant-based, oil-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free
- Super quick - most stews cook for hours on the stove or in a crockpot. Not this one! You can be done with this recipe start to finish in just 40 minutes. And it still tastes like you stewed it all day
- Seriously easy winter meal - there's just a couple steps to this recipe. But basically, you just throw everything in a pot. Done!
- Umami flavor - no meat, no problem! A clever combo of ingredients creates a rich, deep flavor that you'll love. You won't miss the beef!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Yellow Onion: or white or red. Any color works!
- Oat Flour: I used certified GF oat flour. But really any flour will do.
- Dried Rosemary: you could also use fresh, just be sure to finely chop it so you don't end up with chunks of rosemary in your mouth
- Mushroom Powder: this is optional but gives a good umami flavor, which is especially helpful since there isn't any meat to create the umami. I used Trader Joes mushroom spice.
- Ground Cloves: hear me out on this one. Cloves pair nicely with sweet vegetables like carrots and peas, as well as stock - so just a pinch of cloves will help create a deep, rich flavor for the stew.
- Salt & Pepper
- Red Wine Vinegar: a kick of acid helps create a balanced flavor profile
- Red Wine: red wine is often used in stews and helps create that depth of flavor we are looking for, especially in the absence of meat
- Vegetable Broth: look for a vegetable broth or stock that has no added sugar
- Young Green Jackfruit: jackfruit is the real mvp of this dish. It has a pulled-pork texture and works great as a substitute for the texture of beef. You can buy jackfruit whole, but it's much easier to buy it in a can. Make sure to buy Young Green Jackfruit in Brine (as opposed to ripe jackfruit which is sweet)
- Carrots: it would be fun to try this dish with parsnips too
- Yellow Potatoes: I love yellow potatoes because they seem traditional to me, but you could also try this dish with sweet potatoes
- Frozen Peas: you can use fresh if you have them, but frozen peas are quick and easy
- Garlic: I left the cloves whole in this recipe for that beautiful burst of garlic flavor when you bite into one, but if you prefer, you can mince the garlic and cook it with the onion at the beginning
- Bay Leaves: bay leaves are great to help develop a deep flavor. I highly recommend using them, but they are optional.
How to Make Vegan Stew
Step 1. In a large pot, sauté the onion for 3-5 minutes, using a splash of the vegetable broth if necessary to prevent burning.
Step 2. Add the flour, rosemary, mushroom powder, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat.
The idea here is to lightly toast the spices and help meld the flavors together.
Step 3. Pour in the vinegar and wine and loosen any bits of onion stuck to the pan. Allow the alcohol to cook off for 30 seconds.
Step 4. Add the vegetable broth, jackfruit, carrots, potatoes, garlic, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and let cook for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes and carrots are tender.
Test the tenderness with a fork - if you can easily pierce through the potatoes and carrots, the stew is ready.
Step 5. Find the two bay leaves and carefully pick them out.
If you can't find them, don't worry. Just remember when you eat that you need to watch out for the leaves.
Step 6. Serve with a baguette or your favorite bread. Enjoy!
How to Thicken Vegan Stew
I know some people like there stews pretty thick. And, I'll have you know, this stew is already pretty thick. But I have a few tricks to help you if you want a thick vegan stew.
Add more flour.
Flour is super absorbent and will help soak up some of the liquid. Another ¼ to ½ cup will thicken the stew nicely. Add the extra flour after you cook the onion and spices, as directed in the instructions.
Use less vegetable stock.
It stands to reason that using less liquid will help you create a thicker stew. If you know you want your stew super thick, I recommend decreasing the amount of veggie broth from 4 cups to 3 cups. Any less and you won't be able to cook the vegetables.
Throw in some cornstarch.
This isn't the most glamorous solution, but cornstarch will help thicken up your liquid. This is a good option for after you cook the stew. If you realize it's too thin for you, some cornstarch and a few more minutes on the heat will work wonders.
Eat your stew with some bread.
Okay so this won't actually create a thicker stew, but a nice piece of bread will help sop up the liquid you have leftover. And it's delicious!
Recipe Prayer
Thank you God for this stew. Thank you for the family and friend with whom we get to enjoy it.
More vegan soups and stews
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📖 Recipe
Easy Vegan Beef Stew with Potatoes and Peas
Ingredients
- 1 Large Yellow Onion chopped
- ¼ Cup Oat Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Dried Rosemary
- 1 Teaspoon Mushroom Powder optional
- Pinch Ground Cloves
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Pepper
- 2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 Cup Red Wine
- 4 Cups Vegetable Broth
- 2 20 Ounce Cans Young Green Jackfruit drained and roughly chopped
- 5 Medium Carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch rounds
- 2 Pounds Yellow Potatoes about 6, cut into ¾-inch cubes
- 2 Cups Frozen Peas
- 6 Cloves Garlic
- 2 Bay Leaves
Instructions
- In a large pot, sauté the onion for 3-5 minutes, using a splash of the vegetable broth if necessary to prevent burning.
- Add the flour, rosemary, mushroom powder, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat.
- Pour in the vinegar and wine and loosen any bits of onion stuck to the pan. Allow the alcohol to cook off for 30 seconds.
- Add the vegetable broth, jackfruit, carrots, potatoes, garlic, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and let cook for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes and carrots are tender.
- Find the two bay leaves and carefully pick them out.
- Serve with a baguette or your favorite bread. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.
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