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    Home » Mains

    Hearty Vegetable Stew (Vegan) (Slow Cooker Option)

    Updated: Apr 6, 2021 by Verna Rindler · This post may contain affiliate links · 90 Comments

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    My Hearty Vegetable Stew is vegan, easy, healthy, gluten free and delicious! Winter root vegetables and beefy mushrooms in a rich savoury broth simmered to perfection. I’ve included a slow cooker option as well. Best Vegan Beef Stew Ever!

    hearty vegan stew in a white bowl with a spoon

    When I was Growing up My Mom made a really good stew! The broth was delicious, and she always added beer. It must be a Scottish-Irish thing ?. Well it made the best stew!

    For my beefless stew I add beer and wine for even more depth. It’s a simple recipe with exceptional flavour.

    hearty vegan stew in a white bowl

    Along with the booze there are onions, carrots, garlic, potatoes, and rutabagas, fresh herbs and spices all simmered together with bouillon and tomato paste. I’ve also added mushrooms for an earthy flavour and a meaty chew. The flavour of this stew will blow you away!! It’s SO GOOD!!

    two bowls of hearty vegan stew

    What is the difference between a Rutabaga and a turnip?

    I've always thought that a rutabaga is the same as a turnip but it's not. A rutabaga is a root vegetable similar to a turnip. A rutabaga is sweeter than a turnip and milder in flavour, its flesh is yellow where a turnips is white. In my opinion rutabagas are the best option for stew, far better than a parsnip or a turnip.

    holding a whole rutabaga for hearty vegan stew

    What are the best potatoes for stew?

    I use red potatoes, they are the best in my opinion. They have less starch than other potatoes, which means they take on less water while cooking and hold their shape better than any other potato variety. Yukon gold is a good option as well.

    close up picture of a bowl of hearty vegan stew

    How to make Hearty Vegetable Stew:

    Saute the onions, oil a pinch of salt and pepper on medium heat in your soup pot or Dutch Oven for five minutes or so.

    Add the rest of ingredients and bring it to a boil. Cover the stew and reduce to a simmer for 30-35 minutes or until all the veggies are tender.

    After vegetables are tender remove one ladle full of stew and add to your Nutra Bullet or blender and puree. Now add the puree back to the stew. Stir and serve!

    4 step by step photos of hearty vegan stew being made

    ladle full of hearty vegan stew being pureed in a Nutra bullet

    That’s it lunch or dinner is ready! Serve with a nice hearty piece of bread and enjoy. For full ingredients and slow cooker and stovetop instructions see recipe card below.

    Left over stew will keep in the fridge for up to five days.
    This recipe freezes well.

    Ok guys lets make some Hearty Vegetable Stew you’ll love it, it's:

    hearty

    delicious

    easy

    easily oil free

    flourless

    full of veggies

    savoury

    the perfect comfort food

    gluten free

    Enjoy guys! Happy day to you? feel free to leave a comment and a rating below. I would love to hear from you.

    Follow me on PINTEREST and INSTAGRAM for more tasty Plant based and Vegan Recipes❤️

    Here's a couple other comforting Vegan Main dish recipes for you to enjoy:

    Vegan Mac and Cheese
    Best Vegan Chili Recipe

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    hearty vegan stew in a white bowl with a spoon

    Hearty Vegetable Stew (Vegan) (Slow Cooker Option)


    ★★★★★

    4.9 from 31 reviews

    • Author: Verna
    • Total Time: 55 minutes
    • Yield: 6 servings 1x
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    My Hearty Vegetable Stew is vegan, easy, healthy, gluten free and delicious! Winter root vegetables and beefy mushrooms in a rich savoury broth simmered to perfection. I’ve included a slow cooker option as well. Best Vegan Beef Stew Ever!


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
    • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
    • 3 medium carrots, ( 2 cups) peeled and sliced
    • 1 small rutabaga, (1 and 1/2 to 2 cups) peeled and chopped into bite size pieces, (approximately 1 inch cubes) -see notes*
    • 5 medium red potatoes, (about 5 - 6 cups) peeled and chopped into bite size pieces, (approximately 1 inch cubes)
    • 1/2 lb (227 grams) sliced mushrooms, white or cremini
    • 2 and 1/2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Vegetarian No beef Soup Base, there is also an organic variety available but I have not tried it.
    • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
    • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
    • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
    • 1/4 teaspoon of pepper
    • 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
    • 1/2 cup beer *
    • 1/2 cup red wine
    • 3 cups water

    Instructions

    Stovetop:

    1. Sauté the onions, oil (or broth or water) a pinch of salt and pepper on medium heat in your soup pot or Dutch Oven for five minutes or so, add the garlic and cook for a minute longer.
    2. Now add the rest of ingredients and bring it to a boil. Cover the stew and reduce to a simmer for 30-35 minutes or until all the veggies are tender.
    3. After vegetables are tender remove one ladle full of stew and add to your Nutra Bullet or blender and puree. Now add the puree back to the stew. Stir and season with salt and pepper if necessary and serve.
    4. Enjoy with some nice hearty bread!

    Slow Cooker Option:

    1. Sauté the onions, oil (or broth or water) a pinch of salt and pepper on medium heat in a medium skillet for five minutes or so, add the garlic and cook for a minute longer.
    2. Now add the onions and garlic and the rest of the stew ingredients to your slow cooker, cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6.
    3. After stew is done and veggies are tender remove one ladle full of stew and add to your Nutra Bullet or blender and puree. Now add the puree back to the stew. Stir and season with salt and pepper if necessary and serve.
    4. Enjoy with some nice hearty bread!

    Notes

    • for gluten free: add gluten free beer
    • do not add more than 2 cups of rutabaga to the stew or it will be to sweet. 1 and 1/2 to 2 cups is perfect.
    • Same with carrots 2 cups is plenty?
    • at the end of cooking add a little more water if necessary if your stew is to thick.
    • Prep Time: 20 minutes
    • Cook Time: 35 minutes
    • Category: Mains, gluten free
    • Method: Stovetop or Slow Cooker
    • Cuisine: Irish, Scottish

    Keywords: vegan stew, hearty vegan stew, easy, meatless, best, Irish, Scottish, rutabagas,

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @cheeky_chickpea_ on Instagram and hashtag it #cheeky_chickpea_

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Deborah

      January 07, 2023 at 9:00 am

      I made this stew in my crockpot, and while it was very tasty, it was very watery. I made a roux and mixed it in and that helped. I was surprised that the liquid for the crockpot version was the same as the stovetop version. Usually crockpot recipes use much less liquid. If I make it again I would cut the water down by at least half, maybe 1-1/12 cups instead of 3.

      ★★★

      Reply
    2. Emma

      March 15, 2022 at 9:06 pm

      Highly recommend! Tasted very traditional comforting and delicious.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Verna

        March 16, 2022 at 5:53 am

        thank you so much!

        Reply
    3. Lauren

      March 10, 2022 at 7:51 am

      Hi there!!!

      This stew was amazing!!!
      So so yummy and rich in flavor and so easy to put together.
      I made it in the crockpot and made some substitutions for personal reasons. Subbed red wine vinegar for the red wine (forgot to check here first for your recommendation of balsamic), veggie stock for the beer, and celery + salt for the celery salt. Oh, and at the end I totally forgot to puree some of the stew, oops!!!

      However, it all turned out incredible. My meat-eating father took one bite, and exclaimed with surprise how delicious it was and how much it tasted like the homemade beef stew he had just finished eating earlier!!!!! (Without the beef of course). He was genuinely shocked at how delightful it was and how much he enjoyed this vegan stew.

      My vegetarian mother and I also thoroughly enjoyed it, and I will definitely be making it again!!! Thanks for an amazing recipe!!!!

      Reply
      • Verna

        March 10, 2022 at 8:22 am

        I am thrilled you all enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review, you totally made my day!! Feel free to leave a star rating too 🙂

        Reply
    4. Lenard

      February 18, 2022 at 6:43 am

      Hi Verna could I add some vegan beef chunks to the stew for protein? I am going to be using my crockpot.

      Reply
      • Verna

        February 18, 2022 at 6:56 am

        Yes you can! Just fry up the vegan beef chunks with your onions. I like to use my vegan steak recipe https://thecheekychickpea.com/vegan-steak/ or gardein beefless tips. Enjoy the stew Lenard!

        Reply
    5. Barbara

      February 17, 2022 at 1:24 am

      Rutabaga = a swede in UK. (I had to look it up!)

      Reply
    6. Reese

      January 24, 2022 at 10:10 pm

      10 big stars from my family 🙂

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Verna

        January 25, 2022 at 8:32 am

        Thank you!

        Reply
    7. Franny

      September 25, 2021 at 3:34 pm

      Super tasty stew! I used less rosemary because my husband isn't huge fan of it and added fried and chopped seitan and some leftover peas. This one's a keeper very classic flavours

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Verna

        September 26, 2021 at 7:40 am

        Thrilled you all enjoyed it!

        Reply
    8. Kelly

      September 17, 2021 at 6:04 am

      Is this safe for kids/toddlers with the wine and beer? How do we know the alcohol is cooked out?

      Reply
      • Verna

        September 17, 2021 at 6:25 am

        The stew simmers for awhile so it is fine, if you're uncomfortable adding it just add in some veggie stock instead, flavour won't be the same but still tasty. Hope that helps -Enjoy Kelly!

        Reply
    9. Angie

      January 19, 2021 at 12:34 pm

      Oh my days! Can’t tell you how much I loved this...followed your recipe exactly and it was absolutely delicious!! Who needs meat when a veggie stew tastes this good! Thank you so much for the great recipe - perfect for a cold, wet January night here in the UK! Your ultimate vegan chilli is next on the list.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Verna

        January 19, 2021 at 1:08 pm

        Thank you so much for your kind words Angie! Thrilled you liked it! Enjoy the chili!!

        Reply
    10. Terry

      January 18, 2021 at 9:10 am

      Really good!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Verna

        January 18, 2021 at 11:56 am

        Thank you so much Terry, glad you enjoyed it! Really appreciate your comment!

        Reply
    11. Katherine

      January 17, 2021 at 9:22 am

      What type of beer do you recommend using for this recipe?

      Reply
      • Verna

        January 17, 2021 at 9:34 am

        You can use a dark beer like Guinness, etc... or regular or light beer whatever you like. I usually add whatever beer my husband has in the fridge, lol! Enjoy Katherine!

        Reply
    12. Deb

      November 30, 2020 at 3:42 pm

      Found it. 6th time is the charm apparently.

      Reply
      • Verna

        November 30, 2020 at 4:10 pm

        lol happens to the best of us😊 enjoy!

        Reply
    13. Deb

      November 30, 2020 at 3:34 pm

      So other than the beer and wine there's no liquid? I may be missing it but I've read through the recipe at least 4 times.

      Reply
      • Maggie

        January 18, 2021 at 3:14 pm

        3 cups of water is the last listed ingredient!

        Reply
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    Hi, I’m Verna! Major foodie of all things vegan! Welcome to The Cheeky Chickpea; here, you’ll find hundreds of restaurant-worthy easy vegan recipes. Some oil-free and gluten-free, from veggie-powered plant-based comfort foods to decadent desserts. Lots of tricks and tips up my chef sleeve…Grab your apron let’s get cooking!

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