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Vegan Portobello Pot Roast

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Rich and hearty Vegan Portobello Pot Roast with red wine, herbs & vegetables. They all combine to make a delicious plant-based feast!

Portobello Pot Roast in terracotta dish with a sprig of rosemary on top

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. I used red wine as a substitute for the white as that was what we were planning on drinking with our dinner, and I used fresh sage instead of rubbed sage as I have some growing in a pot outside. Other than this everything was as suggested in the recipe.

Cover shot of The Plant-Based Journey by Lani Muelrath

This recipe was easy to make and the instructions clear. The first step involved sautéing the portobellos in some of the wine. I found that they absorbed the wine very quickly and began to stick to the pan a bit. I would suggest using a non stick pan rather than a stainless steel one as I did. This however was the only problem that I ran into when making it.

Portobello Pot Roast with steamed vegetables and crispy roasted potatoes

WHAT TO SERVE WITH PORTOBELLO POT ROAST

This Portobello Pot Roast smells amazing and is so rich and delicious. I like to serve it with my oil-free crispy roasted potatoes. If you haven’t tried them yet give them a try.

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

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

Also on the side, some steamed vegetables, a little horseradish sauce and a big glass of red wine. The horseradish complements it perfectly!

I thoroughly enjoyed this Portobello Pot Roast and it 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!

TRY IT AS A PIE FILLING!

On occasion, and as a treat, I like to make a pastry crust and fill it with the Portobello Pot roast to make a pie. It is divine and I highly recommend it!

TRY IT IN A SLOW COOKER

This recipe works really well in a slow cooker too. Instructions are in the recipe card.

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

4.84 from 24 votes
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Portobello Pot Roast

Lani Muelrath says: "This recipe came to me as a happy surprise from my friend Jim Presentati. I first met Jim on our favorite mountain biking trail. Soon after he told me his phenomenal plant-based success story (see page TK), Jim raved about the “absolutely delicious portobello mushroom pot roast” that his wife Kathy makes. The next time I saw him, he mentioned it again. Time to investigate! When Kathy graciously sent me her recipe, I couldn’t help but think it was a perfect match for this section of the book. Who doesn’t know and love pot roast? The portobellos make the perfect savory swap-out and create a whole new gustatory experience. Here is my version, adapted from Kathy’s recipe, with just a tweak or two."
Course Entree
Recipe Type gluten-free, oil-free, vegan
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 199 kcal
Author Lani Muelrath

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup | 120mls white wine you can also try red—I’ve even made this with sake, divided
  • 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
  • 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
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (for slow cooker instructions see recipe notes)
  2. In a large saucepan, 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. When the mixture just starts to boil, turn the heat off and add any additional seasonings you prefer. (Kathy suggests parsley and pepper.)
  6. 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.
  7. 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.

Recipe Notes

Alternate Cooking Options: • If you have a large, heavy pot such as a dutch oven that can go from cooktop to oven, you can prepare the entire dish in that fashion, as Kathy does. • Assemble everything in a big pot on the stove or pressure cooker and cook until the vegetables are done. The flavor pizzazz provided by searing the mushrooms, onions, garlic, and gravy is compromised somewhat. Yet if you’re pressed for time, each variation is delicious.

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.

Nutrition Facts
Portobello Pot Roast
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 199 Calories from Fat 7
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0.8g 1%
Sodium 578mg 24%
Total Carbohydrates 39.4g 13%
Dietary Fiber 5.7g 23%
Sugars 8.7g
Protein 6.1g 12%
Vitamin A 213%
Vitamin C 51%
Calcium 7%
Iron 13%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.


Rich and hearty Portobello Pot Roast. Meaty portobello mushrooms, red wine, herbs & vegetables combine to make a delicious plant-based feast. #portobellopotroast #potroast #portobello #vegan
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All commentsI made thisQuestions

  1. 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

    • 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

  2. 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

    • 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

  4. 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

  6. 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

    • 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

    • 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

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. 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

    • 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

      • 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.

        Reply

  11. 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

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

      Reply

      • (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)

        Reply

        • 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.

          Reply

    • 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

  16. 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

    • 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

  17. 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

  19. 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

  20. 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

    • 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

    • 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

    • 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

  24. 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

    • 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

  28. 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

    • 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

  29. 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

    • 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

  30. 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

    • 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

  31. 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

  32. 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

    • 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

  33. 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

    • 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

  34. 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

    • 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

      • 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.

        Reply

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

          Reply

  35. 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

    • 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

    • 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

    • 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

  38. 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

    • 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

    • 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

  40. 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

    • 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

  41. 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

    • 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

    • 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

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

        Reply

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

      Reply

    • 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

  51. 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

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