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    Home » Recipes » Dinner

    Published: Oct 20, 2018 · Modified: May 30, 2022 by Melanie McDonald · This post contains affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 132 Comments

    Vegan Portobello Pot Roast

    JUMP TO RECIPE PIN WATCH VIDEO
    4.58 from 98 votes
    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! 

    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!

    Recipe from The Plant-Based Journey by Lani Muelrath. Shared with permission from both Lani and Ben Bella Books. Image rights belong to Melanie McDonald of A Virtual Vegan.


    This Portobello Pot Roast recipe is the ultimate one-pot family meal. With meaty portobello mushrooms, chunky vegetables, red wine and herbs, it's rich, flavourful and hearty.

    In this post:

    Jump to:
    • How to make Portobello Pot Roast
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Got an Instant Pot?
    • Variations
    • Recipe video
    • Recipe
    • Comments & Reviews

    How to make Portobello Pot Roast

    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 more but you can't take it away.

    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.

    Serving Suggestions

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

    Serve it with some extra oil-free crispy roasted potatoes or my vegan mashed potatoes and some crusty bread to mop up that tasty gravy.

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

    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:

    Variations

    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. A few dried and rehydrated porcini mushrooms to intensify the flavour a little are amazing too. Some other ideas:

    • Cook it, let it cool and use it 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 the word!
    • Cook in a slow cooker - Directions are in the recipe

    If you try this recipe, let me know how you like it by leaving a comment and rating below! And be sure to join my mailing list for more deliciousness!

    Recipe video

    Recipe

    Portobello Pot Roast

    Author: Melanie McDonald
    4.58 from 98 votes
    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! 
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    PREP TIME: 30 minutes
    COOK TIME: 1 hour
    TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 30 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings

    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
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    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 add more broth or some water.
    • 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.

    NUTRITION

    Serving: 1servingCalories: 199kcalCarbohydrates: 39.4gProtein: 6.1gFat: 0.8gSodium: 578mgFiber: 5.7gSugar: 8.7gVitamin A: 10650IUVitamin C: 42.1mgCalcium: 70mgIron: 2.3mg

    Nutritional information is provided for convenience. The data is a computer generated estimate and should be used as a guide only.

    Tried this recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @avirtualvegan on Instagram and hashtag it #avirtualvegan

    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! 

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Iris says

      December 07, 2022 at 2:26 pm

      Can I use sweet potatoes instead?

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        December 07, 2022 at 3:17 pm

        I personally think regular white potatoes work better than sweet potatoes in a pot roast (texture & flavour-wise). Sweet potatoes will get really, really soft and probably fall apart.

        Reply
    2. Kevin says

      April 03, 2022 at 6:09 pm

      I feel like i needed way more broth. With your measurments only had broth maybe half way up the dish, but when i look at the video, yours was full. Am i using to much potati ir sonething? I ended up adding another three cups.

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        April 03, 2022 at 7:29 pm

        The instructions say to add more stock or water to thin as necessary. Everyone likes their gravy a different thickness. The dish you cook things in makes a huge difference to how much liquid evaporates too. Once it's cooked you can always boil a kettle and add a little water to thin again, or cook with the lid off to reduce if it's a little too thin. Hope that helps.

        Reply
    3. Theresa says

      February 20, 2022 at 6:14 pm

      5 stars
      One of the most flavour packed dishes I have ever tasted.

      Reply
    4. Kim says

      December 13, 2020 at 3:43 pm

      5 stars
      Our new favorite comfort food. Love it and will be making it again soon!

      Reply
    5. Wendy says

      March 14, 2020 at 8:18 pm

      5 stars
      DELICIOUS!! So satisfying. I’ve made this a few times. It’s a favorite.

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        March 15, 2020 at 4:15 pm

        I'm really pleased you're enjoying it Wendy. Thank you!

        Reply
    6. Anita says

      February 23, 2020 at 6:13 pm

      5 stars
      Excellent! Have made it once without sage and once without rosemary and both were delicious.

      Reply
    7. SandyK says

      February 09, 2020 at 12:52 pm

      What kind of red wine did you use.

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        February 09, 2020 at 1:06 pm

        It doesn't really matter. Just make sure to use a decent middle of the road kind of priced one and not a really super cheap one or a cooking wine, and double check it's vegan. I tend to drink Shiraz so that's usually what I put in mine.

        Reply
    8. elisabetta says

      December 24, 2019 at 8:08 am

      5 stars
      Made this last week and it was fantastic. So rich and comforting perfect on a cold winter evening :-). There was enough left over for the following day and it reheated well and still tasted amazing. I have tried a few of your recipes and love every single one of them.

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        December 24, 2019 at 8:22 pm

        Thank you so much. I'm really pleased you are enjoying my recipes. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave feedback too. It's much appreciated!

        Reply
    9. RL says

      December 08, 2019 at 5:25 pm

      4 stars
      I made this the other day, and it was very good. I made it according to your recipe, but with the leftovers, I added some coffee to it. My mom used to do this when I was growing up, and I think it does add another wonderful layer/depth of flavor, making it even better.

      Reply
    10. Michelle Giroux says

      November 20, 2019 at 7:12 am

      Any suggestions on what to sub for the wine is I don't drink/buy alcohol.

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        November 20, 2019 at 10:45 am

        It really is best with wine as it adds so much flavour but you could use more stock instead, and if you have some, 3 or 4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar would be nice for a rich wine-y taste without the alcohol.

        Reply
    11. peggy says

      October 24, 2019 at 8:47 pm

      Heeelp!! I made the pot roast this afternoon but don't plan to cook/serve it till tomorrow. I hope I am not making a mistake!! No time to prep tomorrow but didn't want to cook it today and have to reheat it.

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        October 25, 2019 at 7:41 am

        It should be absolutely fine. I have made it up to the part just before you put it in the oven, then stopped and cooked it later. You just need to make sure the potatoes are well covered with gravy so they don't go brown.

        Reply
    12. Antonia says

      September 27, 2019 at 10:40 am

      This sounds so amazing. Do you think this would work as a sort of 'Lancashire Hot Pot' - my husband likes having the potatoes like that on top.

      PS - just made the pancakes - so yummy. Am rating.

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        September 27, 2019 at 12:54 pm

        Definitely! That would be really great. Prepare it as instructed (minus the potatoes. maybe use something else instead like squash or swede), then add the raw sliced potatoes to the top as it goes in the oven. It will be so good!
        There is a Hot Pot recipe in my cookbook by the way!

        Reply
        • Antonia says

          September 27, 2019 at 1:11 pm

          Ohhh yes - will report back. You book looks fantastic Must Get!

          Reply
    13. Mary says

      January 16, 2019 at 11:40 am

      5 stars
      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
    14. Terry Ouderkirk says

      January 06, 2019 at 8:54 am

      5 stars
      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
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        January 06, 2019 at 10:55 am

        I'm so glad you enjoyed it Terry. I have an Instant Pot version too, which I think is even better than this recipe. You should try it next time! https://avirtualvegan.com/vegan-instant-pot-portobello-pot-roast/

        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??

          Reply
          • 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.

    15. Marlo says

      January 01, 2019 at 9:24 am

      Hi!
      Sounds delicious!
      What kind of potatoes do you recommend?
      Thanks!

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        January 01, 2019 at 11:11 am

        I love Yukon Gold potatoes for most things, but russets or red potatoes work well too.

        Reply
        • Dorothy says

          December 30, 2019 at 4:05 pm

          What is “Swede” ? Thanks

          Reply
          • A Virtual Vegan says

            December 30, 2019 at 5:43 pm

            Swede I believe is called rutabaga in America and Canada? Hopefully that is familiar to you.

    16. Roberta says

      December 05, 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 05, 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
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