Classic, hearty and so cozy, this vegan stew is sure to warm you up on cold nights! It’s thick and has plenty of chunky potatoes and vegetables, plus vegan “beef”!
This vegan stew will remind you of the classic stew you used to eat, but with no beef! It’s savory, rich and thick.
I love serving stew with some crusty bread or vegan biscuits for sopping up the delicious gravy at the bottom of the bowl!
I’ve used soy curls for the meat here, which I am a huge fan of. Why? They are an easy pantry item to keep on hand, they take on the flavors they are cooked with and have a wonderful chewy texture. Plus they don’t have a million ingredients, just soy and are pretty minimally processed, similar to tofu.
But if you can’t find soy curls, can’t have soy or just don’t like them, I have other options for you, so keep reading!
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
- Warm water
- Better than Bouillon paste – I pretty much always use this for vegetable broth. I love that the container is small in my overflowing refrigerator and the taste is great. They also have a “no chicken” broth that I enjoy, especially in my Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup recipe!
- Soy curls – see below for other options.
- Soy sauce – Use tamari for gluten free, or just leave it out.
- Garlic powder
- Black pepper
- Flour – May substitute gluten free flour or even cornstarch/arrowroot if needed.
- Olive oil – Use water/broth for oil free.
- Onion
- Garlic
- Red wine – May leave out if needed, but it adds a lot of flavor!
- Vegetable broth
- Potatoes – I used russet, but any white or gold potato will work.
- Carrots
- Celery
- Tomato paste
- Dried rosemary
- Dried thyme
- Cornstarch – Or arrowroot, for thickening the stew.
- Frozen green peas – Fresh are fine as well, I just always have frozen on hand.
- Salt + pepper, to taste and parsley for serving, if desired.
How to prepare soy curls
Soy curls are a dried product and need to be rehydrated. Here we are going to soak them in a mixture of warm water, broth paste and soy sauce for about 10 minutes. Then toss them with garlic powder, black pepper and flour before sautéing with the onion and garlic.
What can I use instead of soy curls?
- Jackfruit – I tried a version made with jackfruit and it was pretty darn tasty! If you like jackfruit, you will love it. Simply use 2 cans of jackfruit, drained and rinsed well. Sauté along with the onion and garlic, and you can skip all the other ingredients that go with making the soy curls.
- Seitan – Buy at the store or make your own (like my vegan chicken). Cut into chunks and throw them in with the potatoes and other vegetables.
- Chopped tempeh – Probably not my favorite option, but it would work.
- Chopped up beyond/impossible burgers – Very beefy, a great choice!
Or, if you don’t want any vegan “meat” in your stew, just add a few additional potatoes and a little more vegetables for vegetable stew!
Once you prepare the soy curls, the rest of the process is simple. Sauté the onion, garlic and soy curls in a large pot for 3-4 minutes, then pour in the wine and broth. Scrape any bits from the bottom, then add the rest of the ingredients (except the cornstarch slurry).
Simmer for about 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender. In a small bowl make the cornstarch slurry, then slowly add and stir until the stew has thickened. Stir in the peas. That’s it!
Season with salt + pepper, to taste and garnish with parsley, if desired.
Leftovers + freezing vegan stew
Leftover stew will keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days and is perfect for meal prep! It can also be frozen. I love having soup/stew frozen in smaller, single serving containers for quick meals.
What to serve with stew
As I mentioned above, crusty bread or biscuits are a good choice to sop up the gravy. You can make either my Southern Style Vegan Buttermilk Biscuits or these healthier Vegan Biscuits with no oil.
Or serve stew on top of some mashed potatoes, so good!
Want more hearty, “meaty” vegan recipes?
- Ultimate Vegan Chili
- Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup
- Creamy Vegan Carbonara
- Vegan Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Vegan Jambalaya
- Vegan Butter Chicken
Vegan Stew - Classic & Hearty!
Ingredients
Soy Curl "Beef"
- 3 cups warm water
- 1 tablespoon better than bouillon vegetable paste*
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 8 ounce bag soy curls
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
The Rest
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup red wine may leave out if needed
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 2 russets)
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 4 stalks celery, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 cup cornstarch*
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
- salt + pepper, to taste
- fresh chopped parsley, optional for garnish
Instructions
- Mix the warm water, better than bouillon paste and soy sauce in a large bowl. Add the soy curls and soak for 10 minutes until they are rehydrated. Drain, then add back to the bowl and toss with the garlic powder, pepper and flour.
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the soy curls, onion and garlic, and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Now add the wine and vegetable broth and stir, scraping off any browned bits from the bottom.
- Stir in the potatoes, carrots, celery, tomato paste, rosemary and thyme. Reduce heat to medium/low heat and simmer for about 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
- In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water together to make a slurry. Slowly add the slurry to the pot, stirring, until you have reached a thick consistency. You may not need all of the slurry.
- Stir in the peas and simmer for about 5 minutes, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with chopped parsley and perhaps a side of crusty bread, biscuits or salad. Enjoy!
Notes
- Other vegan "beef" options: You could use jackfruit (simply sauté with the onions and garlic, no need to soak), chopped tempeh, seitan, cut up beyond burgers or other vegan meat substitute.
- If you don't have better than bouillon, you can use 3 cups of vegetable broth for the water/paste for the soy curls.
- May substitute gluten free flour or cornstarch for the flour in the soy curl mixture.
- Arrowroot is a fine substitute for cornstarch.
I was nervous about making this because I’ve never cooked with wine before, but it turned out amazing! I have found that with Nora Cooks recipes, I prefer to halve the amount of soy curls. Just personal preference. So I used 4oz instead of 8, and made up for it by adding 1/2 cup of orecchiette near the end. I also added an extra cup of water to accommodate the pasta cooking. The soup turned out sooo thick and hearty, it tastes just like beef stew and is perfect for fall weather! I will definitely be making this again!
Hi Emma. I love stew this time of the year! I’m glad yours turned out wonderful! Thanks for sharing your cooking experience and ideas! I appreciate your fantastic review!
Can I assume that it isn’t necessary in this dish to squeeze all the excess liquid out of the soy curls before cooking? I look forward to trying this now that it’s cooling off in the Midwest.
Correct. The soy curls only need to be drained before cooking. Enjoy the stew!
I made this stew for the first time tonight and both of my teenagers loved it! My son said, “mom, you make a lot of stews and soups and I don’t really like them. But this one is good. I like it.” My 16 year old was already thinking ahead to when she’s a college student and that she could make this for herself as it could last her for the week! Lol The stew was flavorful, filling and delicious. My daughter even asked if we could put this meal on high rotation. 🙂
Hi Tricia. How awesome that the stew was a hit with your teenagers! I love it! Thanks for sharing the fun feedback from your children, and the fabulous details of how you enjoyed the stew! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
Nora I love your recipes! On this one if I want to make it via slow cooker, would it be pretty much put everything in the pot and cook on low or high depending how quickly you want it done? I’d probably add frozen peas at the end of cooking time. Thank you!
Hi Louise. Thank you for using my recipes! I’m glad you are loving them! I think this could be made in the slow cooker. I’d say 8 hours on low. I recommend that the soy curls be prepped in a separate pan first. Hope this helps!
OK, so it’s summer, but I really wanted some stew! I made this almost exactly as written and it was amazing. I added some fresh kale at the end, to have some greens. I used some Orrington Farms vegan “beef” base (3 tablespoons) since it’s what I had on hand. The flavor is pretty mild so I added more than suggested. This is a very filling stew! I love the chewy texture of the soy curls. I like my stew very chunky, so I brought it to a boil before simmering.
It’s ok to make stew in the summer! Hopefully it didn’t make your house too warm! Thank you for sharing your review and feedback! I’m thrilled you loved the stew!
I wonder why, regarding the potatoes especially, you didn’t say to bring to a boil first. I’m making this per your instructions and just simmering the potatoes for 30 minutes in med/low heat does not cook them hardly at all. I now am in the process of trying to bring it all to a boil so it will cook all the way. What am I missing about your instructions?
As long as the potatoes are diced into bite-sized or small cubes, they should cook when simmered in the stew. If you’re worried about the potatoes being undercooked, you can turn up the heat slightly or simply boil them in a separate pot and stir them into the finished stew.
I really liked this recipe!! It was easy and makes a lot. I recommend putting some red wine or apple cider vinegar for more depth or flavor- it really enhanced this dish!
I really liked this recipe!! It was easy and makes a lot. I recommend putting some red wine or apple cider vinegar for more depth or flavor- it really enhanced this dish!
I appreciate you sharing your review and feedback! I’m glad you like the stew! Happy cooking!
Made this today and it turned out great ?
I used red beans instead of soy curls and I added some sage, chervil and chili oil…
When it was ready I took half of the vegetables and made some creamy puree of it which I put back at the end so I got more creaminess ?
Thanks for the recipe ♥️
Wow! Such a hearty, delicious soup. I used impossible meat instead of soy curls and it was amazing. We paired the soup with your Dutch oven bread recipe and they were perfect together! Thank you for another incredible recipe, Nora!
Your meal sounds delicious! Thank you for using my recipes, and for taking time to share your fantastic review!
I made this with Better than Bouillon no beef base instead of vegetable base, and extra peas. It turned out great – very hearty and comforting!
Can you cook in a slow cooker instead? Thanks!!!
Probably! I’d say 8 hours on low. But I would still prep the soy curls in a separate pan first.
Do you think I could make this in an instant pot? It looks delicious!
I think you probably could, but I haven’t tested it. I’d try 15 minutes at high pressure.
So excited to try this one! Just one question: we’re an alcohol free house. If omitting the red wine, do you recommend substituting it for anything? I was thinking maybe vinegar or vegan Worcestershire sauce, but I’m not really sure what function the wine serves besides “flavor” haha
Hmm yeah it’s hard to totally replicate the flavor of red wine in a dish like this, I would just leave it out personally. It’s still really good!
I saw on IG last night made with Beyond Meat steak bits, but I don’t see them listed as an alternative here. How much? The whole bag? This looks amazing!
Also, for the one poster who asked, I regularly replace red wine with pure pomegranate juice. Mimics the wine perfectly and adds the depth of flavor too.
Hi Suzy. I did use the whole bag in my stew! You can adjust the amount to your liking. Thanks for your feedback about the pomegranate juice!
Delicious!! Definitely gonna make it again!
Made this in case our power goes out during the storm. I can put it on the wood stove to re heat. It is so yummy. Ordered soy curls but they haven’t arrived so I used gardein beefless tips, huge bag on sale at grocery outlet for those of you that live near one. Another 10 star recipie from my favorite website. Thank you Nora!!!!
Hi Carrie. Sounds like you’re getting some winter weather! I hope you are staying warm and cozy. I’m so glad you like the stew! Thank you for using my recipes, and for sharing your comments!
Would a 5 1/2 quart dutch oven be a large enough pot to make this in?
Yes, I have a 6 quart and it fits with room to spare.
This was really tasty. Thank you so much for the recipe
You are welcome, Traci! Thank you for using my recipe. I”m glad you enjoyed it!
Very good flavor. I’ll probably only add about 6oz soy curls next time and make sure to make the pieces much smaller. And I added a little more wine. I could see making this a smidge thicker and using as a pot pie with vegan flaky crust /puff pastry to top. Really happy with this. Thank you…
You’re welcome!
Another winner! I used seitan since I was running low on soy curls. Love your recipes!
Thanks!!
I keep my soy curls in the freezer. Should I thaw them first, before adding BTB, etc?
Do you keep them frozen and dried, or are they already soaked? If they are already soaked, I would thaw them. If not, I would just soak them in warm water as directed.
Can this be cooked in a crock pot? If so, how would you change the directions?
I’m sure it could! I would follow the instructions for soaking the soy curls, then sauté the onion, garlic and soy curls, then add to the crock pot with everything else (except the peas and cornstarch slurry). High for 4 hours should do it, or low 7-8 hours. After that, stir in the peas and cornstarch slurry. Hope that helps!
What about lentils or beans instead of the vegan meat? I like to steer clear of soy as most of it is GMO and not the healthiest option for men. Thanks!
Sure! You could add some beans (maybe kidney beans) or lentils. I’d probably add about 2-3 cups. Enjoy!
When you talk about red wine, so you mean red cooking wine (which means salt) or wine from the wine shoppe? Or maybe it doesn’t matter? ?
Just plain old red wine like you would drink, not red cooking wine. I used a red blend. Hope that helps!
What exactly are soy curls? Im trying more and vegan recipes but some of the meat substitutes scare me;-)
Soy curls only have one ingredient – soy. They don’t taste like tofu but are meaty, chewy and delicious! But you can totally just use more potatoes/veggies if you’d like.
Do you have an alternative for soy curls as they aren’t available in Canada.
Yes, in the post I give many other options. 🙂
Fellow Canadian & soy curl lover here! If you ever want to try them, Vegan Supply in BC sells them (they also ship across the country. It’s pricey but it helped me stock my pantry when store shelves were bare back in March and April). Depending on where you are, I’ve also seen some vegan restaurants selling them on UberEats as a grocery offering (i.e. Vegan Danish Bakery in Toronto).
If you want to give them a try, I hope you’re able to find some where you are ☺
They are available in Canada! You can order online from Vegan Supply. They also carry them at a local grocery store chain in BC called Nature’s Fare, so look around, maybe you’ll find them near you!
They are in Canada actually! I’m not sure where you are located, but if you go to any Adventist Book Center, they generally have them – in giant boxes too!