Vegan Beef Stew Recipe (2024)

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4.84 from 6 votes

35 minutes minutes

by Marly

Updated 4/19/23

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This vegan beef stew recipe is so easy to make and so delicious even your omnivore people will love it! Tender vegan beef pieces are added to a beefy broth with potatoes and carrots. Hearty vegan stew recipes are perfect for meal prepping, so make a batch on the weekend and enjoy the leftovers throughout the week.

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When the weather gets colder, the dishes get hotter! I start dishing out soups and stews, like Vegan Minestrone. We love these all year long, to be honest! And this vegan beefless stew is another go-to favorite.

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Why Vegans Like Stew

There have been some people over the years who’ve questioned me for recreating vegan versions of dishesfrom mychildhood. As if we leap to becoming vegan and we have to give up everything we loved from our past? Whatever!

I make no apologies for loving meatless beef stew!

So, why do vegans like meatless stew? I don’t know. Maybe for the same reason anyone likes stew because it’s savory, comfort food perfect for chilly nights.

Key Ingredients

You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe, including substitution ideas:

Olive oil — Any vegetable oil will due, but I prefer using olive oil.
Aromatics — I add chopped onion and 2 or 3 minced garlic cloves.
Veggies — We’ll be using chopped carrots, potatoes, and corn (I use a 15-ounce can of corn).
Vegetable broth — I’m picky about vegetable broth, so I recommend using Better than Bouillon Vegetable Broth combined with water.
Canned Tomatoes — You’ll need a 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes. You can use fire-roasted for even more oomph to the flavor.
Bay leaf — This magical leaf adds subtle savory flavor to stews while they’re cooking.
Beefless Tips — I love using Gardein beefless tips for this stew. You can find these at many stores (health food stores, Target, Walmart, etc.).
Wine — I love the flavor wine adds to a stew. If you agree, you can add a little bit of red or white wine.

Storage Tips

Store leftover stew in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It can be frozen in freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months.

How to Make Stews Thicker

If you prefer your stew to be nice and thick, here are some tips to get there:

Mash a few potatoes — Potatoes are excellent thickeners because they’re starchy. Use a fork or a potato masher to mash some of the cooked potatoes.
Cornstarch slurry — Combine a tablespoon of cornstarch with cold water. Stir the two together, then pour the slurry into the soup as it simmers.
Mashed beans — Beans are a great way of adding fiber and texture to stews. Add up to a cup of mashed beans. Transfer them to a food processor and blend until smooth. Then transfer this thick paste to the soup and stir until combined.
Flour Slurry — Combine one tablespoon of flour with a couple of tablespoons of broth. This creates a thick slurry. Stir that into your stew and watch it transform into a thick, delicious sauce!

Marly’s Tips

Remove the bay leaf before serving. Oh, and what’s the point of a bay leaf? I love this article on adding a bay leaf to savory dishes!
Substitute cooked mushrooms for the beefless tips
Cook the stew in a crockpot. Vegan stew slow cooker recipes are fantastic time savers!
Beef stew without beef is possible in more ways than using beefless tips, you can substitute veggie crumbles for a vegan hamburger stew.

Frequently-Asked Questions

How do you make vegan recipes taste beefy?

You can add a beefy flavor to any dish with soy sauce, vegan Worcestershire sauce, or even a dash of red wine. Adding smoky seasonings like chipotle, smoked paprika, or even cumin can add a beefy flavor. Finally, you can cook with mushrooms, shallots, and garlic.

What can I substitute for beef broth in stew?

You can use vegetable broth, mushroom broth, or a no-beef broth bouillon. Adding wine to your broth, especially red wine, will add flavor.

What meat substitutes are good for stew?

There are a variety of beef substitutes you can use to create a vegan beef stew. These include seitan (wheat meat), tempeh, lentils, and black beans.

Serving Suggestions

Serve bowls of hot vegan stew with any of the following:

Vegan Dinner Rolls
No-Knead Whole Wheat Bread
Vegan Breadsticks
A side of Vegan Caesar Salad is always nice.

More Vegan Soup Recipes

If you love this easy vegan beef stew, you’re going to fall head over heels for these soups and stews:

Vegan Red Beans and Rice

90 mins total

Vegan Split Pea Soup

50 mins total

Vegan Carrot Ginger Soup

40 mins total

Vegan Potato Soup

50 mins total

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Vegan Beefless Stew

You'll love this savory, easy-to-prepare vegan beefless stew for chilly fall and winter nights. Make up a pot and enjoy leftovers throughout the week!

4.84 from 6 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 10

Calories: 312kcal

Author: Marly McMillen

Ingredients

▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
▢ 1 medium onion peeled and chopped
▢ 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
▢ 2 cups chopped carrots
▢ 2 cups chopped potatoes ( scrub potatoes and chop into ½" cubes)
▢ 34 oz vegetable broth
▢ 15 oz can corn drained
▢ 15 oz can stewed tomatoes with juice
▢ 1 bay leaf
▢ 1 package Gardein Beefless Tips
▢ Optional: 1 tablespoon red or white wine. Salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions

Pour 1 tablespoon of the olive oil into a dutch oven and heat over medium heat. Add the chopped onions, carrots, and cubed potatoes and cook for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are just starting to become tender. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add the vegetable broth, drained corn, stewed tomatoes (with the juice), and a bay leaf. Bring to a simmer.
Pour the second tablespoon of olive oil into a skillet over medium heat. Add the beefless tips and stir until each piece is coated with oil. Cook over medium heat until each side is browned, about 5 minutes.
Add the browned beefless tips to the pot and continue simmering for another 15 to 20 minutes to allow the flavors to combine. Remove the bay leaf before serving. See notes below for thickening the stew. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Optional: Add a tablespoon of red or white wine to the stew as it's cooking. This adds a nice flavor to the finished stew. You can also use a potato masher to mash some of the potatoes to create a thicker broth.
To serve, let the stew cool slightly. Transfer servings to soup bowls and serve with dinner rolls or crusty bread.
Store leftover stew in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It can be frozen in freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months.

Recommended Equipment

Soup Crocks

(The products above contain sponsored links to products we use and recommend)

Video

Notes

We buy Gardein Beefless tips at Target, the health food section of our local grocery store, and health food stores.

To thicken the stew, mash some of the potatoes or add a slurry of 1 to 2 tablespoons of cornstarch combined with water. Add it to the pot, stir, and bring it to a boil. Cook for one to two minutes, until the stew thickens.

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a rating below then tag @namelymarly on Instagram and hashtag it #namelymarly. I love seeing your creations!

This post was originally published in 2015 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2022.