30-Minute Vegan Beef Stew Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is a good substitute for beef in beef stew? ›

If you're like me and you love a good meat replacement, you can use a packaged vegan beef, soy curls, or chunks of seitan. As long as you use an appropriate amount of whatever you choose, the recipe should still work just fine.

The most important key to making stew meat tender is being sure to cook it for a long time. If you want super tender beef, you'll need to cook it on a low heat in a Dutch oven on the stove or a slow cooker for at least a few hours.

I almost always add some beef bouillon crystals to my stew, it helps oomph (yes, a technical term) the beefiness of the stock. Sometimes also use a few shots of worcestershire sauce or soy sauce - both will also add some oomph to the flavor.

The Ideal Stew Ratio: Two Parts Meat, One Part Vegetable

Most meat-based stews call for tough, inexpensive cuts of meat, while vegetarian recipes include the same onions, carrots, and celery typical of a beef stew. Two parts meat to one part vegetables is the perfect ratio for a meaty stew.

Like beef broth, chicken broth is a kitchen staple and makes a good substitute if you are all out of the meaty broth. This savory, salty liquid has a milder flavor than beef broth but is a good one-to-one replacement. Chicken broth also has a similar nutrition profile to beef broth, low in calories and high in sodium.

Chicken broth.

If you have homemade beef stock, use it! However, most commercially produced beef broths taste rather fake; chicken broths are much richer and complex. Bay leaves and thyme – Aromatics for more flavor! Carrots, potatoes and peas are the staple of a traditional stew.

But the liquid itself should not be thick in the same way that gravy is thick. So skip the roux, and don't bother dusting the meat with flour or cornstarch before browning, either, as some recipes will suggest. That will just interfere with getting a good sear on the meat, and gum up the stew with unneeded starch.

Add spices such as turmeric, coriander and cumin at the early stage of cooking, when you are frying onions and garlic, to enhance the taste of the beef stew. Fresh herbs like coriander and bay leaves also contribute a distinct flavour without making the dish too spicy for the younger members of the family.

Dust the beef with flour and shake off the excess. Add some oil to the pot and sear the meat until it is well browned. Add 1.5 cups of beef broth and 1 LBS of stew meat into an InstantPot and pressure cook for 20 minutes (with quick release). Meat will be superbly tender, juicy, and delicious.

Try adding soy sauce or Worcestershire for extra savory (or umami) flavor, a touch of honey or brown sugar for sweetness, lemon zest or vinegar for brightness or chili powder or smoked paprika for spice and depth.

Why does my beef stew have no flavor? ›

Not browning the beef enough would be the first possible problem. That adds a lot of flavour to the finished stew. You can toss the beef in seasoned flour before browning it which will also help thicken the stew. Not adding enough seasoning would be the second potential issue.

Although I added carrots, little red potatoes, rutabaga and cremini mushrooms, you have plenty of options. Parsnip, turnip, pearl onions, squash and fennel will also work. Stir them in gently and immediately return the pot to the oven for the final hour of cooking.

Simmering and Boiling

In the event that your goal is to keep moisture in—like when your pot of soup, stew, or sauce is already at the right consistency, but you want to keep cooking the vegetables and melding the flavors—leave the lid on to keep any more liquid from evaporating.

People add milk to soups for several reasons: To add creaminess: Milk can add a creamy texture to soups, making them feel more luxurious and comforting. To balance flavors: Milk can help to tone down the acidity in soups, making them more palatable.

The Broth – We usually use about 4 cups of broth and then top it off with just enough water to cover the meat and veggies. Our favorite ratio is 2 cups of beef stock and 2 cups of chicken stock – we find all beef stock to be a little intense and all chicken stock to be a little thin, so we split the difference.

Pork stew, chicken stew, turkey stew. I've made them all and they're all good. They don't taste like beef stew, nor should you try to force them to, or expect it. Each meat has its own flavor and often what vegetables you add are important.

Stew meat is made from cuts of beef with lots of tough connective tissue, namely chuck and/or round. When you simmer it in a liquid, the connective tissue breaks down and becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender. That's why it's traditionally braised in stock and turned into beef stew.

What is the Best Meat for Beef Stew? I use stew meat cut from a chuck (shoulder) roast for this beef stew. That said, you can also use a top or bottom round roast, or beef tips for beef stew. Typically the stew meat will come in 2-3″ sized hunks, which I cut down into 1/2 – 1″, bite-sized pieces.

For example, chuck is a lean and tender cut of beef that works well in stew. However, if you would prefer a thicker and more flavorful stew, short ribs or oxtail may be better choices for you. To make a delicious stew, choose good-quality ingredients.