A Virtual Vegan logo

Vegan Portobello Pot Roast

JUMP TO RECIPE

The ultimate one-pot family meal – Rich and hearty Vegan Portobello Pot Roast with red wine, herbs & vegetables. They all combine to make a delicious plant-based feast! 

The ultimate one-pot family meal – Rich and hearty Vegan Portobello Pot Roast with red wine, herbs & vegetables. They all combine to make a delicious plant-based feast!

This post contains affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

This is a popular recipe that was previously published on A Virtual Vegan in 2015. I have updated the post and added a video to make it even better! 

Today I am sharing with you a recipe from the The Plant-Based Journey by Lani Muelrath as part of a blog tour organized to promote the book.

There were a few recipes in the book that I considered featuring, but anyone who knows me well knows how indecisive I am! Because I couldn’t choose I put forward a vote on my Facebook page. The Portobello Pot Roast was a clear winner.

I made and photographed the Portobello Pot Roast last night.

I am the only vegan in our household and my husband and son were having roast beef for dinner. I cooked this alongside it and because they were having roast potatoes I did not add the potatoes to the recipe, which is why you can’t see them in my photos.

Cover shot of The Plant-Based Journey by Lani Muelrath

HOW TO MAKE PORTOBELLO POT ROAST

SEE MY VIDEO FOR A VISUAL GUIDE. FOR INGREDIENTS & FULL INSTRUCTIONS PLEASE SEE THE RECIPE CARD AT THE END OF THIS POST

A traditional Pot Roast is made by searing the meat, then placing it in a pot with the vegetables, broth, sometimes some wine and herbs. It’s then all roasted together really slowly in the oven.

This Vegan Pot Roast is made in much the same way, by searing the portobello mushrooms then cooking them with the vegetables and broth in the oven.

Remember when you put it all together, that not much evaporation happens in the oven because it has a lid on it,  so don’t add too much broth at first. Check it as it’s cooking and add a little more if you think it needs it. You can always add a little more but you can’t take away if you add more than you’d like.

I like to use the broth sparingly when I make this recipe so that the gravy is really thick, dark, rich and flavourful like in the photos, but you can add more broth (like in my video), so it is much thinner if you prefer. It’s almost like a stew then.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH PORTOBELLO POT ROAST

This Portobello Pot Roast smells amazing and is so rich and delicious.

When I make it, I tend to always omit the potatoes, and cook my  oil-free crispy roasted potatoes to serve on the side instead.

Just look…They are made with no oil at all ????

Healthy No Oil Crispy Roasted Potatoes in a bowl with rosemary garnish

That way you have all the textures going on, which, as you know I love.

Also on the side, some steamed vegetables, a little horseradish sauce and a big glass of red wine. The horseradish complements it perfectly…. as does the wine – hic …

This recipe has become a staple for us.  I do however add a little more red wine to the sauce and a bit less stock, plus a few dried and rehydrated porcini mushrooms to intensify the flavour a little. When you do this it is out of this world!

GOT AN INSTANT POT?

If you have an Instant Pot, I have created a Vegan Portobello Instant Pot Pot Roast which you will love!

Here it is:

OTHER WAYS TO SERVE PORTOBELLO POT ROAST

  • As a pie filling. Make it as directed so the gravy is pretty thick. Then make a pastry crust and fill it with the pot roast to make a pie. Divine is not the word!
  • Cook it in a slow cooker – Directions are in the recipe

THE MINDFUL VEGAN

If you love this Portobello Pot Roast and oil-free, healthy recipes in general, then you might also be interested in my review of Lani’s latest book, The Mindful Vegan. I featured her recipe for Healthy Oil-Free Vegan Biscuits and they have been so popular.

Here they are ????Healthy Vegan Biscuits with Almonds piled up in a bowl

Portobello Pot Roast

The ultimate one-pot family meal - Rich and hearty Vegan Portobello Pot Roast with red wine, herbs & vegetables. They all combine to make a delicious plant-based feast! 
4.88 from 31 votes
Print Pin
Course: Entree
Cuisine: gluten-free, oil-free, vegan
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
Calories: 199kcal
Author: Melanie McDonald

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup | 120mls red or white wine , I think red works best
  • 4 large portobello mushrooms sliced into 3/4-inch pieces
  • 1 large onion sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic pressed
  • 3 tablespoons flour if sensitive to gluten use gluten-free flour
  • 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 3 cups | 720mls vegetable broth divided. If you use all the broth it will end up with thin gravy like in my video. I personally prefer to use less and have a thicker gravy. Usually about 500 mls total.
  • 4 large potatoes quartered
  • 4 large carrots cut into 3-inch pieces
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper or lemon pepper to taste
  • 2 teaspoons vegan Worcestershire sauce , or 1 tablespoon of soy sauce or tamari
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (for slow cooker instructions see recipe notes)
  • In a large saucepan (or a large stovetop to oven like a Dutch Oven , heat 1/4 cup of the wine and add the portobello mushroom slices. Allow them to cook through and brown a bit—you’ll need to keep moving them around and turning them—and then remove from the pan and set aside.
  • Add the remaining 1/4 cup wine to the pan and add the onion and garlic. Caramelize the onions by stirring them until they wilt and begin to brown. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside.
  • Mix the flour, sage, and basil together in a small bowl. Stir in 1/4 cup of the broth to create a paste, and pour the mixture into the same pan you used for the mushrooms and onions. While stirring constantly over medium heat, very slowly add the rest of the broth so that you create a gravy or sauce. 
  • When the mixture just starts to boil, turn the heat off and add any additional seasonings you prefer, such dried herbs and black pepper. 
  • Add the potatoes, carrots, salt and pepper, and Worcestershire sauce to the gravy mixture. If more liquid is needed to keep the vegetables from drying out, add more broth.
  • Add the mushrooms and onions to the mixture and ladle into a large ceramic or glass pot or casserole dish with a lid, layering in the sprigs of rosemary and thyme. Place the lid on and put into the oven and bake for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and serve hot.

Notes

For more flavour, replace some of the broth with extra wine and throw in a handful of dried porcini mushrooms before it goes in the oven.
If you would like to cook this Portobello Pot Roast in a slow cooker then prepare as directed until the gravy is made, then tip it into the slow cooker and add the rest of the vegetables and the seasonings. Sit well and  cook on low for around 4 hours or until the potatoes are tender. Add a little more liquid if it looks like it might dry out towards the end. You could use broth or some red wine.

Estimated nutrition per serving:

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 199kcal | Carbohydrates: 39.4g | Protein: 6.1g | Fat: 0.8g | Sodium: 578mg | Fiber: 5.7g | Sugar: 8.7g | Vitamin A: 213% | Vitamin C: 51% | Calcium: 7% | Iron: 13%
Tried this recipe?Tag @avirtualvegan on Instagram and hashtag it #avirtualvegan

Portobello Pot Roast in terracotta dish with a sprig of rosemary on top  Portobello Pot Roast with steamed vegetables and crispy roasted potatoes

A Virtual Vegan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This post may contain affiliate links.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mary says

    January 16, 2019 at 11:40 am


    Loved this recipe. Through in some swede and peas becoi would if I had made a beef stew. Also soaked som dried portabella mushrooms and added their liquid. Was rich and satisfying. Real winter comfort

    Reply

  2. Terry Ouderkirk says

    January 6, 2019 at 8:54 am


    Absolutely wonderful! Made it last night in the instant pot. Just put the ingredients in and pressure cooked for twenty minutes. I only used two cups of vegetable broth and used 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 tsp each of dried rosemary and thyme. YUMMMM! This is going to be a solid addition to our vegan menu.

    Reply

      • anonymous person says

        January 23, 2019 at 8:27 pm

        Why is the instant pot version better than this regular portobello pot roast? I don’t have an instant pot. Is the instant pot portobello pot roast recipe better because you made a lot of tweaks and/or flavor changes to recipe or just because you heart using your instant pot??

      • A Virtual Vegan says

        January 24, 2019 at 2:10 pm

        The original Portobello Pot Roast isn’t actually my recipe. It was from a book review I did and I shared it with permission from the author as part of my review. Although it’s nice, it isn’t as flavourful as I like my own recipes to be. On the other hand, my Instant Pot recipe, which you can make on the stove top if you don’t have an Instant Pot, is packed with flavour. It is really rich tasting with lots of depth. I think is way better than the other one and it has had nothing but glowing feedback from everyone who has tried it.

  4. Roberta says

    December 5, 2018 at 12:00 am

    Hi, this looks like a perfect Christmas lunch for my young, vegan visitor . I would like to make it look for fun by serving it in individual dishes with,noerhaps, some vegan filo pastry crumpled on top. Do you think this would work ? Any tips would be gratefullly accepted. Your site is wonderful and so helpful. Many thanks

    Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      December 5, 2018 at 4:30 pm

      Thank you. I often use this as a pie filling actually. Just make the gravy quite thick by using less broth and top with puff/shortcrust pastry or filo. A lot of the ready made store bought pastry is accidentally vegan. I would make the pot roast as directed then let it cool before putting in individual oven proof dishes then topping it with the pastry. Then cook them in a hot oven until the pastry is crispy and the filling is hot. You can brush the top with a little plant-based milk or for an even more golden top, mix a tablespoon of maple syrup with the milk and brush it on. I hope they go down well with your guests!

      Reply

  6. Jennifer Kennedy says

    November 14, 2018 at 10:02 am


    Hello. I love this recipe and have made it a couple of times but I wanted to try it with your oven roasted potatoes this time and I noticed that the mushrooms cook for an hour at 350 degrees and the potatoes at 450. I only have 1 oven and don’t want to have to cook them one after the other. Could I finish up the mushrooms on the stove and save the oven for the potatoes? How do you do both together? Thanks again for the great recipes.

    Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      November 14, 2018 at 12:07 pm

      Thanks Jennifer. I’m glad you are enjoying it. I don’t suppose you have an Instant Pot do you? I posted a new Instant Pot version of this recipe today and that would solve your problem! If not though, yes, you could finish the pot roast on the stove top no problem, or just cook the potatoes on the lower temperature with the pot roast, then 10 minutes before it’s due to be done, turn the oven right up. It won’t hurt the pot roast just for 10 minutes. Take it out when time is up and continue to cook the potatoes until they crisp up. They will probably only need about 20 minutes and as long as you don’t peek at the pot roast, as it’s covered, it will stay hot for a while anyway. That’s what I tend to do. Or you can set it on the lowest stove top heat to keep it warm while you finish up the potatoes. If you do this, you might need to add a drop of water (or wine!) if it starts drying up a little so keep an eye on it. I hope that helps!

      Reply

  7. Shelly says

    November 12, 2018 at 11:21 am

    This recipe looks amazing! I am looking to make this for my Christmas Eve dinner. There is a potato allergy in the family. Do you think rutabaga or celery root would work as a substitute? Or do you have another recommendation?

    Thank you!

    Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      November 12, 2018 at 2:02 pm

      I think rutabaga would work really well. It might take a tiny bit longer to cook through but not much longer. Even butternut squash chunks would be nice. Hope you enjoy it!

      Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      October 31, 2018 at 8:14 pm

      Ah, glad you spotted it Lani! I gave it a bit of a facelift as it’s been a while (Google likes that ;O) and made a quick video too because Google now wants them in blog posts as well. Got to keep those Google gods happy and in turn it should keep it popular in search engines and hopefully sell you more books!

      Reply

  9. Forest Grace says

    October 29, 2018 at 6:19 pm


    This is utterly delicious. I put the potatoes in with everything else too. The Focaccia Bread is an excellent accompaniment to this meal as well. Thank you, Mel ❤️❗️

    Reply

  11. Kelc says

    September 17, 2018 at 10:26 am

    Hey there,

    When removing the onions from the pan, do you leave any liquid in there for the gravy making? OR do you remove it all and start fresh with the gravy making?

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      September 17, 2018 at 11:35 am

      You will find that by the time the onions have sautéed, the wine will have evaporated so there will be no liquid, or very little left. So you remove the onions, mix up the gravy ingredients in a little bowl as directed, then add that to the same pan you used for the onions, so any caramelized bits on the bottom will be soaked up in the gravy. Hope that helps!

      Reply

  12. MC Fortin says

    August 11, 2018 at 3:21 pm


    This was excellent. Had it over rice this time and will try it over pasta tomorrow! I added a couple of shakes of Tabasco for heat and a fresh bay leaf.

    Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      July 21, 2018 at 10:24 pm

      Ooo I’d love to. It’s something I haven’t tried. I am really busy writing my first cookbook at the moment but I have added it to my list of things to work on once I’ve finished. I would think you could follow the sautéing instructions, take the mushrooms out, add everything else minus the flour and cook it then add the mushrooms and a flour slurry at the end and just let them warm through in the gravy. Maybe 10 mins with NPR? That’s what I’d go for first. Good luck if you give it a try!

      Reply

  14. Lee says

    June 21, 2018 at 10:24 pm


    Delicious! ! Next time I make it, I’ll put it over noodles or rice.
    My husband liked it too. The recipe made enough for 2 dinners for both of us.
    Will definitely make it again.

    Reply

  16. Karl Yates says

    April 14, 2018 at 11:36 am


    Delicious! I made this today – as a pie -with your Easy Vegan Mushroom Pie pastry, and just had it for tea. My wife said it was delicious too, and she’s still a meat eater – though she doesn’t eat as much meat these days. I’m steadily moving towards a vegan lifestyle, and have found your website a great help – so many great wholesome recipes. I also make your vegan butter – that’s how I found your website during a vegan butter search – it’s the only butter I use now.
    I’ll definitely make the Portobello Pot Roast again.
    Thanks for sharing these great recipes.

    Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      April 14, 2018 at 12:12 pm

      I actually made this as a pie for our Christmas dinner so know how good it is like that! I’m really glad you enjoyed it Karl and thank you for your kind words. It’s so nice to know my recipes are helping you move towards being vegan. I think realizing you can still eat really well is half the battle!

      Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      April 7, 2018 at 10:50 pm

      I state the number of servings you will get from the recipe in the recipe card at the top just above where the ingredients are listed, then the calories just below that are an approximate calculation of the number of calories in one of those servings. There is also a nutritional info table below the recipe with more info like carbs, protein, sodium etc. I don’t weigh the finished dish and work out the servings by weight. Hope that helps!

      Reply

  18. Tori says

    March 19, 2018 at 11:54 am


    It was my turn to make the office meal today and I decided to make this since I have a vegan coworker and enjoy trying new things.. It’s all gone already so needless to say it was a hit. I used pinot noir, a crockpot, homemade vegan worcestershire, and half the needed potatoes (I made three times what this recipe calls for) and it was very sweet and aromatic. It was pretty good. I personally am not a fan of sweet meals but I would make it again for a group for sure.

    Reply

  19. Jeannine says

    February 27, 2018 at 2:52 pm


    Thank you for the great recipe! This is certainly a make again. Next time, I’d like to make it in the slow cooker using a pinot noir wine.

    Reply

  20. Charlie says

    February 22, 2018 at 11:12 am

    Hi, this looks fab and I am planing on making it tomorrow but….it says to add potatoes to the gravey…I don’t see any potatoes in the dish? Just the roast potatoes on the side? As I reading it wrong??

    Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      February 22, 2018 at 12:37 pm

      You aren’t reading it wrong. Potatoes are included in the recipe and if you read the post it explains why the potatoes aren’t in the gravy in the photos.

      Reply

      • Charlie says

        February 23, 2018 at 6:04 am

        Haha! I did read that but it didn’t comput in my brain…..right great I’m not going to add them either I much prefer the look of them on the side! Sorry to sound dumb! I’m so new to cooking and only 8 weeks vegan so it’s all new to me.

      • A Virtual Vegan says

        February 23, 2018 at 11:19 am

        No worries! I much prefer having crispy golden potatoes with it. Hope you enjoy it when you get to give it a try!

  21. Betty Bogda says

    February 20, 2018 at 5:53 pm


    This was excellent and very filling. I think I will add some turnips or parsnips next time, but was very good just as written.

    Reply

    • Connie Goudy says

      January 31, 2018 at 11:50 pm

      I read the other comments and found my answer about the wine. Pacific brand Mushroom broth with a vinegar added. Thank you.

      Reply

      • Janel Barthe says

        February 2, 2018 at 9:36 am

        (1) nonalchol substitution with which vinegar added, please?
        (2) I plan to use a crockpot to cook this rercipe. Do I do all the stove cooking first, then continue in crockpot. What are steps (1) and step (6)

      • A Virtual Vegan says

        February 2, 2018 at 9:54 am

        I would just use a really great, strong tasting broth instead of the wine. I love Pacific brand mushroom broth. It has a really deep tasting flavour and is great for gravies and sauces etc. If you have some, add a couple tablespoons of good balsamic vinegar too. It will help give a little more depth and a winey richness.
        I have amended the directions for the slow cooker. I used to have numbered steps on all of my recipes and changed it to a check off list instead a little while ago so my instructions here did not make sense! It should be clear now.

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      January 27, 2018 at 2:43 pm

      I haven’t tried freezing it. Be aware that potatoes don’t always freeze very well.Their texture tends to change and go a bit funny. As long as you are ok with that then it would be ok. It reheats perfectly so that side of it won’t be a problem.

      Reply

  26. Susan says

    January 9, 2018 at 11:59 am


    Hi – I made this exactly as detailed in the recipe / using a dutch oven. We ate half and froze the leftovers. I thought the frozen version would result in a weird texture but it did not! Served over polenta both times and it’s definitely going into the rotation.

    Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      January 9, 2018 at 12:24 pm

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it and it’s great to know it freezes ok as I have never tried. We always eat it all too fast ;o) Thank you for stopping by to leave feedback. Much appreciated!

      Reply

  27. Renee says

    December 27, 2017 at 9:31 am


    My son is a Vegan and I am a Pescatarian and also have 2 meat eaters in the house — so for Christmas Dinner we made this — I figured it would be something that everyone could have together and enjoy — I can say it was a Great Choice because there were no left overs — My husband used Marsala Wine for the wine and since we had everything in the house for it he made the vegan Worcestershire sauce from scratch — Would definitely make it again

    Reply

  29. Mimi says

    December 25, 2017 at 10:20 am


    I made this exactly as written, and it was beyond delicious! The combination of the herbs with the mushrooms, smelled wonderful. I can’t wait to make it again. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!

    Reply

  30. C-A says

    December 22, 2017 at 12:38 pm

    If I want to prep everything until step 6 and bring my slowcooker over my friends house (I am the only vegan in the team!), will it be ok? Or do you suggest to stop at step 5 and complete step 6 when I get there? I will cook something else if it is not realistic… But this looks so tasty! Let me know :)

    Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      December 22, 2017 at 12:51 pm

      It’s definitely do-able. I would go up to step 5, let the gravy cool, then put it and everything else into the slow cooker, transport it and turn it on when you get there. I would cut the potatoes into smaller pieces than quarters to be sure they cook through well in a few hours as you don’t want everyone else to be eating and you sat there with nothing because your potatoes are too hard! It does reheat really well too so you could cook it completely the day/evening before then just warm it through when you get to your friends house. Either way it will be great!

      Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      December 16, 2017 at 6:10 pm

      I have never done it so I can’t say for sure. Perhaps allow an extra hour, bringing it up to 5 hours on low. All slow cookers are different though and the size you cut the potatoes will affect how long it takes too so it’s really hard to say. I find that most things tend to be cooked after 5 hours in my slow cooker though so as long as you don’t cut huge chunks of potato you should be ok.

      Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      December 16, 2017 at 8:55 am

      I would just use a really great, strong tasting broth. I love Pacific brand mushroom broth. It has a really deep tasting flavour and is great for gravies and sauces etc. If you have some add a couple tablespoons of good balsamic vinegar too. It will help give a little more depth and a winey richness.

      Reply

  34. Gwen says

    November 30, 2017 at 6:17 pm


    We loved this!!! We are not vegan, not vegetarian. However, we try to cut meat out a few times a week and like to do that without a ton of dairy. This was perfect! It was hearty and fulfilling! Thank you for sharing this recipe. We will use it over and over again. I used red wine, by the way. I also may coaresly chop the rosemary, as getting whole needles was strange. Thanks again for a delicious recipe.

    Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      November 12, 2017 at 5:30 pm

      You could just use more broth in place of the wine. Make sure you use a really nice, richly flavoured one though as you will lose a bit of flavour by omitting the wine.

      Reply

  38. Bev says

    September 27, 2017 at 10:19 pm


    Hi,
    We are new vegetarians and landed on your site. So glad we did! We tried the portabella pot roast recipe tonite. Oh yum! My son actually stated he was willing to join us on our new vegetarian journey after eating two large bowls of this savory dish, Thank you for sharing the recipe. We look forward to trying many more!

    Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      September 27, 2017 at 10:55 pm

      I’m so pleased you all enjoyed it! It makes life so much easier if everyone is happy and willing to be on board. Thank you so much for stopping by to let me know and have fun trying my other recipes!

      Reply

  39. Renee says

    September 7, 2017 at 8:43 pm


    This was so delicious! Great depth of flavor. No one would ever miss the beef. My flour did’t blend well, so I just mixed it with the broth in my nutribullet then added. Worked great. I also used Marsala wine that I really like cooking with, alone with fresh rosemary and thyme from my garden. I don’t remember if the recipe called for bay leaves, but I added those too. I love them in everything. This will be a regular at my house. Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe!

    Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      September 7, 2017 at 8:50 pm

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it Renee. It’s certainly a favourite of mine. I too love cooking with Marsala. It gives gravies and sauces such a lovely rich flavour. Thank you so much for coming back to leave feedback. I appreciate it!

      Reply

  40. Dawn says

    July 24, 2017 at 1:39 pm

    I had no idea younger supposed to remove the black stuff known as the gills from the mushroom. I hope my crockpot dish is not ruined now.

    Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      July 24, 2017 at 2:15 pm

      Your meal wont be ruined. This isn’t actually my recipe though, it’s one I shared (with permission from the author) from a book I reviewed. The recipe is printed as it is in the book and doesn’t state to remove the gills from the mushrooms because you don’t need to. However, I personally don’t ever remove the gills from portobello mushrooms unless I am stuffing them and then it’s only so there is a little more room for the filling. I personally feel that it’s a waste to remove them and throw them away. The only reason people suggest you do is because they are so dark they can discolour sauces etc. That isn’t an issue with this recipe because the sauce is already dark. They can also have a bit of grit caught in the gills but a long as you clean them properly that’s not an issue.????

      Reply

  41. Denise says

    July 22, 2017 at 6:04 pm


    I made this tonight and it’ was very good. Mine isn’t as pretty as yours, though. ;-)

    I used cauliflower rather than potato and almond flour rather than regular flour but this is definitely a keeper. Thanks!

    Reply

  42. Kristal says

    July 17, 2017 at 4:30 pm


    I don’t recall eating a ton of pot roast when I was a child, but since I love mushrooms and potatoes, and the picture was so inviting, I had to try it. I must say I was not disappointed. Even though it is well over 80 degrees outside, this is comfort food at its finest. Like others suggested, I added more mushrooms (a few crimini and shiitaki) , but no other revisions. My only regret is that the gravy didn’t get as thick as I would have liked. I take the blame. I’ve got to work on my gravy skills. Nevertheless, it was delicious! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes.

    Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      July 17, 2017 at 8:02 pm

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It’s one of my favourites meals for sure. If your gravy is ever too thin (in any recipe) and you want to quickly thicken it, just put a tablespoon or 2 (depending how much gravy there is) of arrowroot powder or cornstarch in a small bowl or cup and mix a little water into it gradually to make a thick but pourable paste. Pour it into the gravy, stirring constantly and it will thicken up beautifully!

      Reply

  43. AJ says

    April 23, 2017 at 11:43 am


    I found the slow cooker version needed a lot more than 4 hours on low, because the potatoes were still hard.
    Other than that, this is a tasty dish,thank you!

    Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      April 23, 2017 at 2:41 pm

      Sorry it needed longer than it says in the recipe. My potatoes cook within 4 hours in my slow cooker but they are all slightly different. Yours must run a little cooler than mine. I’m so glad you enjoyed it though. It’s one of my favourites!

      Reply

  44. Jayme says

    December 17, 2016 at 2:03 pm

    This is an amazing recipe. HOWEVER, tag says “gluten free”. It absolutely is NOT!!! Three tablespoons flour. Dangerous mistake for those with Celiac Disease. ????

    Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      December 17, 2016 at 4:48 pm

      I had some problems when my recipe card was changed a few months ago and things didn’t transfer over very smoothly. I had to go through every single recipe and correct them all. This was obviously one detail I missed. Thank you for picking it up and I have amended it to say to use gluten-free flour if necessary.

      Reply

      • Jayme says

        December 17, 2016 at 4:57 pm

        Thanks. I wasn’t criticizing. I know how this happens I figured it was just an error that hadn’t been noticed. Love the recipe and have learned to recognize gluten traps, immediately, in recipe and packaged ingredients. Some, especially newly diagnosed, haven’t learned what to watch for, yet, so they depend on search terms and tags of “gluten free”. Appreciate your site and the fact you responded so quickly.

      • A Virtual Vegan says

        December 17, 2016 at 5:01 pm

        I’m just grateful you picked it up :O) So glad you are enjoying the recipe. It’s a personal favourite of mine!

  45. Tasha says

    December 9, 2016 at 12:39 pm

    Hi Mel,

    This recipe looks and sounds amazing! I am planning on making it for a pot luck tonight but I’ve never actually had any sort of pot roast before. Is this supposed to be eaten like a stew? Sorry for such a naive question!

    Thank you!

    Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      December 9, 2016 at 1:14 pm

      No problem at all! Pot roast is usually eaten with veggies as a side like you would with a regular roast, but you could totally eat it as a stew too. It would be nice like that and much easier for a pot luck than having to worry about cooking extra veg. I like crispy roast potatoes so usually leave the potatoes out and roast them separately but they are lovely cooked in it as per the instructions too. Hope that helps and enjoy!

      Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      September 23, 2016 at 8:07 pm

      Yes I would. That is how I have made it in the past and it gives the best flavour. I have also made it by just throwing it all in and not browning everything and it was still nice but no where near as flavourful. I hope you enjoy it!

      Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      September 20, 2016 at 8:44 pm

      That’s great to hear Alex! Thanks so much for letting me know and I hope you enjoy the other ones you try as much :O)

      Reply

  48. Marc says

    May 20, 2016 at 9:19 pm

    I made this for dinner tonight. Wow , it was terrific. Thanks for the recipe. Really one of the best dishes I’ve made in a long time !

    Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      May 20, 2016 at 11:18 pm

      Wow Marc that is so good to hear! It is one of my favourites too. It’s so rich and comforting. Thank you so much for stopping by to let me know! :O)

      Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      May 6, 2016 at 9:02 am

      You can just use some extra really good and flavourful broth. If you can get it mushroom broth gives a lovely deep flavour and would be great in this recipe. Tamari is also good for giving a rich savoury flavour so 2 tablespoons of that would be good added too as it will give it a bit of a flavour boost. Just a shot in the dark but if you happen to have some marsala in the back of a cupboard somewhere it is awesome with that instead of the wine!

      Reply

  50. Lauren C says

    October 6, 2015 at 4:56 pm


    This was a pretty great recipe. However, it took way longer than an hour to cook. This might be because I used normal sized potatoes. Maybe if I had used fingerling potatoes or something smaller and quartered them, the chunks would have been tender after an hour. But they were like rocks after an hour. My boyfriend and I ended up getting take-out at 10 pm when it was still not cooked. However, by 11 pm, it was done (we put it in at 7:20 pm) and the house smelled amazing and we were excited to have it for lunch the next day. It was very good, especially with french bread to dunk in it! Next time, though, I would cut up the potatoes into much smaller chunks, double or triple the portobellos called for, and definitely use red wine instead of white (didn’t have any at the time). This wasn’t very hard to put together and definitely is hearty and delicious. I would make again for sure.

    Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      October 6, 2015 at 5:12 pm

      Hi Lauren, Thanks for taking the time to comment! I am sorry to hear your potatoes took so long to cook. When I reviews Lani’s book and cooked the recipe I made roast potatoes separately so omitted the potatoes from the actual pot roast. If I had cooked them in it then I would probably have had the same problem as you! I will make a note on the recipe later so that people know to cut them very small or be prepared to cook for longer.
      I agree with you, red wine is definitely best for this recipe as it has a much richer flavour and makes the gravy a better colour.
      I am glad that you enjoyed your pot roast, even if it was the day after and I hope the take-out was good!
      Have a great evening ????

      Reply

  51. Camille says

    September 19, 2015 at 7:38 am


    I did this yesterday and it is amazing! I didnt have potatoes so I just used sweet potatoes, it turned out very tasty, my boyfriend really liked it too! I am going to serve this to my sister (omni) this sunday! Thank you for this great recipe! :)

    Reply

    • A Virtual Vegan says

      September 19, 2015 at 7:40 am

      Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment Camille. I am glad you both enjoyed it. I love sweet potatoes and will have to try them in this at some point. I hope your ‘omni’ sister enjoys it too! Have a great weekend! ????

      Reply

    • Christen says

      May 11, 2016 at 1:03 pm

      Thank you for sharing… there’s nothing more helpful than a reader commenting on how it tastes AFTER trying the recipe out rather than just from looking at the photo online. Thank you! :)

      Reply

      • A Virtual Vegan says

        May 11, 2016 at 8:25 pm

        You’re welcome. It’s a great recipe. Even better with a few little tweaks as I mention. I hope you enjoy it!

  56. Lani Muelrath says

    September 9, 2015 at 1:37 pm

    Howie – you had me at ‘insightful’! I think you’ll find Journey to be just that….There is a 40 page Preview downloadable from my site, too! Best to you. And oh that Portobello PotRoast!

    Reply

  61. A Virtual Vegan says

    September 8, 2015 at 11:17 am

    Thanks Howie. It is a really interesting book. I thoroughly enjoyed reviewing it (and eating the Portobello Roast)!!!

    Reply

  62. Linda @ Veganosity says

    September 8, 2015 at 10:38 am

    My mom and I just had a conversation about how much I used to love her pot roast. It makes me feel horrible to think about it now, but this looks like it could be a fabulous substitute. I’m reading Lani’s book now, it’s fantastic.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ABOUT ME | PRIVACY POLICY | CONTACT ME | WORK WITH ME | RECIPE INDEX

MENU