Thursday, March 21, 2019

The Best Vegan Beef Stew

This hearty vegan beef stew uses tender portobello mushrooms in place of meat, along with potatoes and veggies in an herbed red wine broth.


Ingredients:


  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 lb. portobello or cremini mushrooms stemmed and coarsely chopped
  • 1 large onion coarsely chopped
  • 2 celery stalks chopped
  • 2 carrots sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 tbsp. tomato paste
  • 2 lb. red potatoes, chopped into 1-2 inch chunks
  • 3 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 tsp. liquid smoke
  • 1-2 tsp. marmite, optional, but highly recommended for savory flavor
  • salt and pepper to taste


Instructions:


  1. Coat the bottom of a large pot with oil and place over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add onion, celery, carrots and garlic. Cook until veggies begin to tenderize, about 5 minutes more, flipping occasionally with a spatula. Add red wine and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer until wine is reduced by about half, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour, a bit at a time, until fully incorporated.
  2. Add broth, tomato paste, potatoes, thyme and rosemary. Stir to fully incorporate ingredients. Raise heat and bring to a simmer. Lower heat and allow to simmer, uncovered, until potatoes and veggies are soft, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a bit more water to the pot if mixture becomes too thick and starts to sputter.
  3. Season with liquid smoke, Marmite if using, salt and pepper. Serve.