This hearty stew includes large chunks of potato, carrot, celery, and onion, and portabella mushrooms stand in for the beef. Garlic, paprika, and fresh rosemary provide excellent flavor. This is one of my most popular recipes–especially with husbands!
Beefless Stew
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6 to 8 (makes about 10 cups)
Ingredients
- 1½ large yellow or white onions, chopped into ¾-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
- 3 medium carrots, sliced lengthwise and cut into ¾-inch pieces (about 2¼ cups)
- 3 ribs celery, cut into ¾-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
- 2 medium portabella mushrooms, cut into ¾-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
- 1½ tablespoon finely chopped garlic (about 6 medium cloves)
- 5 cups water
- 2 pounds white potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch chunks (about 6 cups)
- ⅓ cup tomato paste (half of a 6-ounce can)
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian herb seasoning
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1½ cups cooked peas (if frozen, rinse under warm water)
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of water in a soup pot over medium-high heat. When the water starts to sputter, add the onions, carrots, and celery, and and cook, stirring frequently, for about 8 minutes, adding water as needed.
- Stir in the mushrooms and garlic, and continue to cook while stirring for 5 minutes more, adding water as needed.
- Add the 5 cups of water, potatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and paprika, and bring to a boil, uncovered. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the rosemary. Cover and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the carrots and potatoes are very tender.
- Add the peas and cook for 5 minutes more.
- Place 2 cups of the stew (broth and vegetables) into a blender, and blend just briefly. Stir the mixture back into the pot to thicken the stew. Stir in the parsley.
Notes
Peeling the potatoes: I like to peel my potatoes before cooking them, but you can also leave the skins on.
Fresh rosemary: Fresh rosemary is wonderful in this stew, but if you only have dried, use ½ teaspoon.
In the Instant Pot: I put everything in on manual, high pressure for 9 mins (then let naturally pressure release; takes about 10-15 mins), except the parsley and peas (add those when done; they don’t need to cook, just warm). I also cut the slower cooking, denser veggies (potato, carrots) a little smaller than the faster cooking veggies (onions, celery, mushrooms), which can be bigger. Then proceed with step 5 if desired.
Fresh rosemary: Fresh rosemary is wonderful in this stew, but if you only have dried, use ½ teaspoon.
In the Instant Pot: I put everything in on manual, high pressure for 9 mins (then let naturally pressure release; takes about 10-15 mins), except the parsley and peas (add those when done; they don’t need to cook, just warm). I also cut the slower cooking, denser veggies (potato, carrots) a little smaller than the faster cooking veggies (onions, celery, mushrooms), which can be bigger. Then proceed with step 5 if desired.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: ⅛ recipe (1.25 cups) Calories: 168 Fat: 0.7g Saturated fat: 0.2g Carbohydrates: 36.9g Sugar: 9.8g Sodium: 93mg Fiber: 7.5g Protein: 6.2g Cholesterol: 0g
If you make this recipe and enjoy it, please share a comment below or on my Facebook page. If you’d like to print this recipe, use the green “Print” button near the top-right of the recipe. Learn more about the Straight Up Food Cookbook here. Thank you!
Thank you for such a great recipe, it works as a good base which you can add to depending on your personal preference. I used vegetable stock instead of water. I added a teaspoon of onion powder, quarter of a teaspoon of chilli powder, 2 teaspoons of marmiMa, 1 teaspoon of light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of brown sugar, salt and lots and lots of fresh rosemary (it’s my favourite!) I skipped the mushrooms as they aren’t to my taste and bulked it up with lentils instead.
did you marjoram? vs marmima? thanks
So… you didn’t make this recipe at all 😂
LOL
Your comment feels a little uncalled for. I’m sure you could think of something better to do with your time.
Right, I think of most recipes as a base from which to add or subtract. 🌹
Not a waste of time, I thought the same thing. Totally worth the time.
😂
🤣
When do you add the lentils? Same time you’d add the mushrooms? Ty!
What is the cooking time in a crock pot?
I’m not sure, as I’ve not made it in a crock pot. But you can google a similar stew in a crock pot and see what it uses. 🙂
The ingredients say 2 medium portabello mushrooms – about 4 cups. Is that right? Must huge over there. Looks delicious. I will make.i Thanks.
the only suggestion I would say is that it needs stock.
I use Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Stock
Cathy, this is the BEST stew!! My honey just consumed 3 bowls. Tastes a lot like my mother’s beef stew. This is so healthy and wholesome. I love portobello mushrooms, but next time I will try adding either jackfruit or soy crumbles. The taste is outstanding. Love your recipes!!
Thanks so much Joanne! 😉
Any recommendations on how to thicken the broth for more of a stew texture?
Step 5 is where you thicken it; if you want it even thicker, you can blend more of the veggies and broth.
Lentils or quinoa are good thickeners. Quinoa will turn soup into stew in a hurry.
6 at Instant Pot?
Delicious!
It does fit in the 6 at Instant Pot.
Made this for dinner tonight.. omg! it’s so wonderful Thank you !!!
😉
Such a great recipe! I use veg broth in place of the water and add a dash each of soy sauce and Kitchen Bouquet before serving to satisfy the family. They like it over bowtie pasta. Thank you for sharing this!
It was pretty good. For a vegan dish with no oil or salt haha 🙂 tasty and hearty dish. I think a slice of bread and butter would go nicely with it too… but im on a diet so i wont this time!
Kids 2 years and 4 years ate it with a little encouragement. Also we are currently not vegan or vegetarian but looking at eating healthier.
Lots of yummy looking recipes on here 👌
You can make the pumpkin cornbread to go with it; it’s so moist and sweet, you don’t need butter. 🙂
This was absolutely delicious. We had it last night and I’m having it for lunch today. We subbed roasted eggplant chunks for the mushrooms because my wife is allergic to them.
Great idea with the eggplant! 🙂
Yes, I love the eggplant idea. I’m not a fan of mushrooms.
But I’ve only had them stuffed. Think I will give them a try again.
Thank you
Thank you for this delicious recipe!! I made it for my family to have before trick or treating last night. I didn’t have mushrooms so subbed 1/2 lb cooked lentils, added with the peas, and used a diced turnip in place of the celery. I didn’t blend. I used the instant pot directions. Delicious broth!!
Relatively new to whole food plant based eating. Made this on Thursday, yum another great recipe to add to the favourites list. Because it makes multiple servings I get ready made meals in the freezer.
SO good!!! I did everything exactly how it’s laid out and it came out perfect. And I love how you thicken it!! No added fillers. You can make as thick or thin as you want. Delicious 🙂
I made this yesterday and it is the absolute best stew I have ever tasted. I added 1 cup of red wine, 3 tsp of salt and subbed the following for the Italian Mix: 1/2 tsp each of Sage, Marjoram, thyme, savory, oregano and basil. I blended to thicken, but given the addition of the wine, pulled some sauce out and thickened additionally with flour, then reintroduced to the stew and it did the trick. This one is a keeper–wow!
I don’t have an intesta pot. How long woulld I cook it in a covered casserole in a 350 degree oven?
I also used vegetable broth instead of water and added Kitchen Bouquet and a tablespoon of onion powder. I also added Gardien’s ‘Beefless Beef’ as my mushrooms has gone bad (they look and taste like beef cubes). I think the idea of the red wine sounds yummy – next time. Thanks for this recipe as it was cold and damp here today and it fit the bill.
Tried this tonight — also a rainy, cold day and the stew was delicious. I made it in the Instant Pot. Does it drive you crazy when people change your recipe? 🙂 I made the following modifications: I used the saute feature on my Instant Pot for the first time – onions, garlic, celery and carrots with a few tablespoons of water for about 8 minutes. Then I threw all the remaining ingredients in, added a bay leaf, stirred it up and set it on manual for 9 minutes, with a natural relate (took over 30 minutes, for some reason.) I added frozen peas, uncooked (it’s pretty darn hot – they heat up immediately) and I added a can of cannellini beans and 1T of low sodium tamari. Yummy. Thanks, Cathy. You are awesome.
Hi Alison, not at all! I encourage people to use my recipes as templates if they like, and do what feeling right according to their tastes and what they have on hand. 😉 Thanks!
Made this tonight and AMAZING!!! So perfect for a cold winter night. I read some of the comments and added vegetable broth in place of water and a few tsp of coconut aminos. So delicious..will be making again very very soon.
Cooked it this weekend as I seen it in FOK magazine. It is delicious! Thank you!
Great! 🙂 Thanks Don!
I made this today exactly as the recipe is written and I love it! I wouldn’t change a thing. It is both flavorful and healthy.
Made this today. Added Vegetable broth and the Creole in me added Creole seasoning and a can of Ro-tel Tomatoes. I can not thank you enough for this dish. So delicious…
Thank you,
Michelle
Have made this several times now, with and without stock. Both ways good but prefer stock. I use Vecon veg stock and this time was going to add some beans but didn’t have any so threw in a handful of red lentils instead … just because you can 🙂 Delicious though any way!
Just trying it in my slow cooker fingers crossed
I have made the Beef-less stew many times, we love it. The only changes I make is adding 1/3 tsp black pepper and I double the green peas. Fantastic!!
made this tonight. I used vegetable stock instead of water and made a cornstarch slurry instead of blending
Excellent beefless stew. I usually do not give a recipe a chance if there were no star reviews and only comments, but I gave this one a shot anyway. I only didn’t add mushrooms because I didn’t have any at the time, but otherwise did all else as suggested. The whole family loved it. I served with a sliced roasted pork tenderloin and a salad. It will be my quick go to dinner for days when I do not have the perfect stew protein. Thank you!
Delicious made as written. Thank you for putting all the great flavors together without the cow. Also made your pumpkin walnut cornbread to go with – YUM!!! Our tummies are happy.
This recipe gave me warm memories of childhood and my Irish grandmother’s beef stew- a dish I did not even know I had missed until I tasted this one . I think the fresh rosemary is the key to making this dish taste so authentic and fantastic. The only change I made was using homemade vegetable stock instead of water, but that’s just because I had it on hand. This one is a keeper, I mean it, I have a spiral notebook with the title “Keeper” on the cover and it went right in there. Thank you Cathy, a perfect recipe.
Jan, you’re too kind. 😉 Thanks so much for the comment!
Great recipe! Question: paprika – sweet or smoked?
It’s up to you; I usually use sweet, as all smoked can be too much (but a little might work).
I made this tonight and it was fabulous! Just needed a bit of salt for me. I will definitely be making this regularly and sharing the recipe with others. Its like good old fashioned comfort food. Thanks!
It’s smelling great Cathy. I’ve done a side by side as I had both mushrooms for her and beef for me. Her’s smells better. I added zucchini since I had them.
Great Will! Never heard of anyone doing a side by side, how interesting! 😉
Just made this last week. Wow! So tasty and it looks very much with what I grew up with sans the meat. Made a second batch to freeze and take for lunches to work. Thank you!
Yay! Love this recipe! 🙂
Hi Cathy, loved the recipe. OMG does it feel good to eat healthy!! My kids which are 8 & 7 loved it as well. thank you !
Yay! 🙂 Thanks Patrick!
Hi Cathy! I’ve been vegan for 5 years. I’m not a very good cook but I followed your recipe to the letter and it was one of the best things I have eaten as a vegan!!! I love it! Thank you so much for your hard work and for sharing!
Thanks Maria! 😉
Made this over the weekend and it was a massive hit. Great flavor. Added a slurry of corn starch and water at the end to thicken the sauce a little. Very good
I love this recipe, just like I love *all* of these recipes! I do however add 1 cup of lentils for some additional protein, which makes it more filling (and thicker). It’s bitterly cold today and this will make a wonderful hot dinner! I also use Imagine low sodium veggie broth in place of water (and an extra cup of water so the lentils have enough liquid). So much better than the beef stew I grew up eating, actually!
For the past month, I have had my mom on Dr. Esselstyn’s guidelines for heart disease and she has been hard to please. But this stew was a big hit! I love that I didn’t need veggie broth as that is getting expensive since most recipes call for it. I added more portobello mushrooms and also parsnip in my 2nd batch and am now making your pumpkin cornbread to have with the leftovers! I am so glad I found your recipes from a comment on the Well Your World fb page. Thank you!
That’s great, thank you Margaret! 😉
Kathy,
Thankyou so much for this recipe and for all of your hard work to teach us how to cook healthy and clean and cheaply!
This recipe is great, just as is,I cook this once a week
and my family loves it! It has saved us so much money and time in this busy,crazy, and very expensive world!
Thankyou so much, keep going strong ahead!
Thanks so much! 😉
Très bon! Merci we are trying to eat better and this is a good transitioning to no meet dish..
Wow , wow, wow!! This recipe was AMAZING!!! I don’t eat meat but my boyfriend does and this was the perfect VERY HAPPY medium. I split the water measurement up with veggie stock and added some Worcestershire sauce since I’m pesci. Blending the veggies and stock and then adding them back in , using that trick going forward for all types of recipes ! Thanks for sharing !!!
Thanks Aleka! 😉 Men love this recipe!
I’m anxious to try this! I cook for one person. Do you know if this freezes successfully?
You can always halve the recipe, but it does freeze well too. 🙂
Thank you for this comment, Cathy. I made this last night and it was amazing but since it’s just hubby and myself I have a lot left over. I was going ask if it froze well, concerned that the potatoes might change texture. Now I’m happy, will freeze some for a later date!
The potatoes change a bit, but it’s still good! 🙂
I loved the photograph that you posted with the sprig of fresh rosemary…how beautiful!
I had to make that night for dinner! It was everything I wanted it to be! Thank you, Cathy!
This goes into my own looseleaf notebooks as a favorite. We had it for dinner and finished all of the leftovers today.
Does your cookbook, Straight up Food have the spiral on the side like the one in a video I saw?
The spiral is a GREAT idea that allows the cook to lay the book flat.
How do I get the book with the spiral?
Thank you!
Thanks so much, Linda! 🙂 You can order my cookbook on Amazon or on my website here.
I loved the beefless stew with Rosemary!! Now, it’s my new favorite ‘go to’ dinner!
It was really fabulous and SO healthy!
I’d like to buy your book, STRAIGHT UP FOOD, with the spiral side. How do I order that?
I feel so lucky to have found you and your recipies!
Best,
Lindy
Thanks so much, Linda! 🙂 You can order my cookbook on Amazon or on my website here.
Made this Beefless stew the other day and it’s delicious.
Thanks Alan! 😉
Hi Cathy, I’ve made this stew a bunch of times, it is delicious!! I’m wanting to do the Instant Pot version, and am wondering if you still use all 5 cups of water?
Thanks,
Jen
I think so since I didn’t change this amount. It’s been so long since I wrote this, I’m not sure; but you can try with a bit less if you like. Or make it once as written for IP then adjust next time if needed. 🙂
I love this recipe! Every time I make it for visitors I am asked for the recipe. Its a great meal to make for omnivores. They never complain about it needing meat. Thank you so much.
Thanks Amanda! 😉
THANK YOU FOR THIS RECIPE…. I had to shout it out, as this is now my favorite dinner recipe and I make it often. Leftovers freeze beautifully, and toast is perfect for sopping up the tasty sauce. I’m making your Sheperd’s Pie next. Your recipes are helping me to stay sane while ‘staying at home’. Thank you so much for sharing them.
Thanks so much, Brenda! 😉
Based on the comments, I had high hopes for this stew. I had never cooked with portabella mushrooms and was amazed at how they produced the lovely brown color for the stew broth. I followed the recipe, checking each ingredient twice and using the fresh herbs. However, the resulting stew, while healthy and appealing,didn’t have much flavor. I am used to low to no salt cooking and often enjoy vegetables just steamed with no other seasoning or fat. So I really expected a different result. I suspect something besides water like vegetable broth would help and some more seasonings. I appreciate the posting of recipes for others to try. Thank you.
Thanks Maret. Feel free to flavor this dish in a way that works for you. Everyone’s flavor and spice preferences are different. I try to hit the mark for “most people” but I fully encourage people to use my recipes as templates or starting points/guides and tweak them to their heart’s content. 😉