The ultimate one pot family meal - Vegan Instant Pot Portobello Pot Roast! We're talking meaty portobello mushrooms, meltingly tender vegetables and a thick, really rich and flavourful gravy. Plus as well as tasting amazing, it's super easy, quick and convenient with minimal washing up. A big YES PLEASE on all counts!
FACT - If you love my Portobello Pot Roast recipe and you have an Instant Pot you absolutely need to make this recipe.
And if you don't have an Instant Pot or you haven't made my Portobello Pot Roast, what are you even doing with your life?
This Vegan Instant Pot Portobello Pot Roast recipe my friends, is the bees knees of Vegan Pot Roasts. It does not get any better. It seriously blew me away when I first made it. The flavour is incredible. That gravy ....
We're talking meaty portobello mushroom slices, soft, melting potatoes, sweet carrots and rich, super flavourful, thick gravy. We're talking ultra deliciousness with bells on.
And don't worry, the mushrooms are not cooked in the Instant Pot the whole time, so they don't end up like little wrinkled, slimy slivers. They get sautéed up until golden in the beginning, then removed until the end so they retain their lovely meaty texture.
Just look at 'em close up ...
There is something incredible about large chunks of potatoes cooked in gravy in the Instant Pot. They become, soft, sweet and delicious and I just can't get enough of them. I discovered how good they were cooked like this when I first made my Vegan Instant Pot Potato Curry. The potatoes in that recipe end up just as sweet and tasty as they do in this Vegan Instant Pot Portobello Pot Roast.
WHAT IS AN INSTANT POT?
Ok, before we go any further, some of you may be wondering what an Instant Pot is.
This is the appliance in question:
And I am just ever so slightly in love with mine. 
And no they aren't paying me to say that. This is not sponsored. I really, genuinely do, love this appliance. Other than my blender, this gets used the most in my kitchen.
Instant Pots are smart, programmable electric pressure cookers which were invented and designed in Canada and they are amazing. They speed up cooking 2 to 6 times while using up to 70% less energy than other cooking methods. They are also able to function as slow cookers, rice cookers, yogurt makers and you can sauté in them. They are incredibly versatile and useful.
I use mine literally every single day for everything from cooking my Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats, making soup, stew and curry, cooking dried beans and grains and for steaming veggies or puddings like my Vegan Christmas Pudding. I wouldn’t be without it.
And this clever little Instant Pot does something absolutely magical to this Vegan Portobello Instant Pot Pot Roast. The flavor really is incredible. I haven't enjoyed a meal so much in ages.
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN INSTANT POT 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
Aside from it's amazing flavour, the great thing about this recipe is it's convenience. Making it in the Instant Pot is so easy and you literally have one pot to wash up after.
A recipe that is easy to make and produces minimal washing up is always a good thing!
Here is what you need:
And here's how you do it:
STEP 1
Sauté those 'shrooms, right there in the Instant Pot then scoop them out and save them for later, then sauté the onions and garlic.
STEP 3
Throw in the potatoes, carrots and seasoning.
STEP 4
Then add the wine, soy sauce, broth and herbs.
STEP 5
Once it's cooked, thicken up the gravy, add the mushrooms back and serve!
It doesn't really need much in the way of accompaniments, apart that is, from a big glass of wine and some good bread to mop up that delicious gravy.
May I suggest my No Knead Focaccia Bread for that job?
If you think making bread is difficult, think again, because this one could not be easier and other than a bit of stirring there is barely any work involved. It makes the perfect gravy mopper-upper!
This Vegan Instant Pot Portobello Pot Roast is:
- Hearty and comforting
- Absolutely bursting with flavour
- Quick and easy to make
- Perfect for weeknight dinners or special occasions
And it's set to become a real family favourite!
For more Vegan Instant Pot recipes, check out these great options:
- Seasoned Pressure Cooker Black Beans
- Vegan Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Lentil Dal
- Teriyaki Instant Pot Rice
- Instant Pot Tomato Soup
- Healthy Chocolate Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
- Vegan Instant Pot Potato Curry
And if you love this recipe, please do check out my cookbook, and subscribe to my email list for a fabulous FREE eCookbook featuring my top 10 recipes. Being on the list means you will be first to see my new recipes and you’ll be kept in the loop on all things new and exciting too!
Vegan Instant Pot Portobello Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil , divided (optional - you can sauté in water instead to make the recipe oil free)
- 5 large portobello mushrooms , sliced into chunky pieces
- 1 large onion , chopped finely
- 3 cloves garlic , chopped finely
- 5 large potatoes , peeled and cut into large chunks (I cut each potato into about 5 pieces).
- 4 large carrots , peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1½ cups / 360 mls red wine
- ¼ cup / 60 mls soy sauce or Tamari (or gluten-free tamari/soy sauce, or coconut aminos).
- 2 cups / 16 oz / 473 mls good quality vegetable or mushroom broth
- 1 teaspoon salt , plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper , plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 4 tablespoons all purpose flour , or arrowroot powder, cornstarch or gluten free flour . Use the same amount.
- water , to make a slurry
- 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 large sprig fresh rosemary
- 3 to 4 fresh sage leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS (My Instant Pot is a 6 quart. If yours is a different size you will need to scale the recipe up or down accordingly).
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté and add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil (or use a few tablespoons of water instead if you prefer cooking oil free). Add the mushroom slices and cook until they have a good golden colour all over. Then remove to a plate or a bowl and set aside.
- Add the remaining oil (or more water), and sauté the onions until golden. It's important to get a good colour on them because that's what adds lots of flavour. Once golden, turn off the Instant Pot and immediately add the garlic, stirring it in and letting it cook in the residual heat.
- Add the potatoes, carrots, wine, soy sauce, broth, sugar and seasonings then give it all a good stir. Really scrape into the bottom to get the brown mushroomy residue off and into the gravy for extra flavour.
- Place the fresh herbs on top, place the lid on the Instant Pot and seal it, then set it to Manual (Pressure Cook on newer models), High Pressure for 15 mins.
- Once it's done, leave the pressure to release naturally. While waiting make a slurry with the flour. Add water to it gradually to make a lump free paste then add a little more, stirring constantly until it's pourable like cream.
- Once the pressure has released turn off the Instant Pot, remove the lid, scoop out the herbs and discard. Turn the Instant Pot to "sauté" and pour in the slurry, stirring immediately to incorporate. Then add the mushrooms back in and stir gently again. The potatoes will be really soft and might break a little but that's ok. They taste at their best when soft like that in this recipe. Give it a couple of minutes for the gravy to thicken a bit and the mushrooms to warm through then serve.
NOTES
- Cook on the stove top instead. Just follow the instructions as above, but use a large soup pan and simmer on medium low until the potatoes are soft when you poke them with a fork.
- Or, cook it in the oven. Follow all of the same instructions above, but sauté in a pan on the stove top, put everything (except the sautéed mushrooms) into a casserole, cover and bake on 350°f for about 1½-2 hours or until the potatoes are soft. Then thicken the gravy as instructed, add the mushrooms back and let it thicken in the oven for another 10 minutes before serving.
NUTRITION
Nutritional information is provided for convenience & as a courtesy. The data is a computer generated estimate so should be used as a guide only.
Marsha Joyce Smith says
Sorry Mel,
Called you by the wrong name!!!
Marsha J Smith says
Hi Melissa,
We are not wine drinkers so I'm not familiar with the kinds of wine. Can you give me examples of what kind to use? I do have white wine on hand that I use only for cooking, but I imagine the red would be more bold. From Delaware, USA.
Thanks.
Melanie McDonald says
No worries about the name! Red wine definitely makes the tastiest gravy so if you can get some I highly recommend you use it over white wine. If you won't drink the leftovers freeze it in ice cube trays or a container so you can use it when you next make this or any other rich gravy-based meal. I have a great red wine gravy recipe here on my site perfect for the holidays ;O)
For this recipe I usually use a Shiraz, Côtes du Rhône, Pino Noir or Merlot. Most often Shiraz because it's my favourite to drink and I always have some here. My advice for choosing one would be to not go too cheap (like under $10 a bottle) and definitely don't use cooking wine. When it is cooked the wine reduces and intensifies, and its characteristics are intensified so if you start with a bad wine it will become really evident in the recipe. A half-decent bottle will create a really smooth tasting sauce with lots of layers of flavour. So go for a middle of the road kind of red ($15-$20 if you can). I always look for what's on sale and grab the best deal. I hope that helps and that you enjoy the recipe!
Dawn says
I spent many years near some great wine growing regions in California where I learned about and tasted many great wines (and was married to an award-winning home wine maker). In my opinion, you can get a fairly good red wine in the $10-12 range. There are some very good ones that are organic (no pesticides used on the grapes) and no sulfites added as well; that's my 1st choice, for health reasons. Trader Joes has good options, as do many stores. Usually, a red should be at least 13.5 % alcohol (and a white no lower than 13%) though over 14 % is usually better for reds. This is not to get a buzz; it has to do with picking the best grapes (often grown in dry & rocky soil, where the vines had to struggle, producing more intensity) and then picked at their best level of ripeness & sugar, and the resulting flavor. You can even use good quality box wine for cooking.... If you have a plenty of money, go ahead and pay more; you probably won't regret it! Watch the movie 'Bottle Shock'; it's an actual movie -- not a documentary -- based upon true events and its very entertaining! Dawn : )
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm in Canada so my price recommendation was in CAD$. It would equate to about the same amount as you sugggest in USD.
Carolyn says
This was very good! I made on stovetop according to recipe. Non- vegan hubby even complimented this dinner! Served with some sour dough bread, yum. But I do love you no knead focaccia bread...have made it many times !!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Carolyn. I'm really pleased you enjoyed it!
Ann says
Omigosh! I wish I could give it 10 stars. This was absolutely delicious- made exactly like the recipe. Everyone loved this savory comfort food right out of the pot. I will be making this again and again. Next time I will have some crusty sourdough bread along with it. Reaaallllly good!!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm so pleased you all enjoyed it Ann. And crusty sourdough is THE perfect accompaniment to mop up all of that lovely gravy!
Kathy says
This was today's dinner. We are not vegans - but are eating vegetarian, for a season. This was a fabulous dinner. Our variations were - we did not have wine so I used a quart of Beef Broth. We had some yellow squash and added that - just because. This was a delicious dish. Vegan or not - we will definitely make this again and again and again.....
PAULINE FLAGA says
Help? I am allergic to sulphites (in red wine). Substitute?? I can't wait to try this recipe. Please answer soon? I bought the mushrooms already!!
Thank you! This will be incredible!!!
A Virtual Vegan says
You can replace it with a really good, flavourful stock. If you can eat balsamic vinegar (I'm thinking maybe you can't though?) and have some add a couple tablespoons of that too for a wine-y flavour without the wine. Or a few tablespoons of red currant jelly if you happen to have that is good too.
I haven't tried it but I suspect red grape juice would work well. As it's sweet I'd only use half a cup though and top up with stock to make up for the rest.
I hope that helps!
Mary Taylor says
I love it. But more important, my non-Vegan husband loves it.
A Virtual Vegan says
Great to hear Mary! I'm really pleased you both enioyed it!
Kym says
Would you please provide amount of dried herbs that could be used instead of fresh? Thank you, sounds delicious!
A Virtual Vegan says
I would use a teaspoon of dried thyme and rosemary and a quarter teaspoon of sage.
Joshua says
I use a slightly heaped quarter teaspoon of each and find that to be perfect.
Made this for the fourth or fifth time tonight, always turns out great. Tastes so decadent but actually so healthy. Green beans and dried porcini mushrooms make good additions.
Lori says
Do you think this would freeze well?
A Virtual Vegan says
I haven't tried freezing it. I think it would be ok but not at it's best. Potatoes tend to turn a bit floury once they've been frozen and the mushrooms might become a little slimy. I'm sure it would be perfectly edible, just not as good as it is freshly made.
A says
Hi, I want to make this recipe for my first instant pot meal, but I want to know if I can use canned potatoes or if fresh are required? I randomly already have canned potatoes and would like to get them out of my pantry but I’m not sure if they will survive the pressure of the pot.
A Virtual Vegan says
Definitely don't use canned potatoes. It must be fresh potatoes. The potatoes are the highlight of this recipe. They get so soft and sweet and that just won't happen with canned ones, even if they do miraculously survive, which I don't think they would. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't even know you had added them by the time it was finished. I highly recommend you get yourself some fresh ones and use them, but if you really do want to use yours up, you could cook it with some fresh ones in then once it's finished cooking, you could add some more drained canned potatoes right at the end when you add the mushrooms back in. That way they wouldn't get cooked anymore. Hope that helps!
Bonnie says
This was absolutely delicious!! The flavor was so good! Pleasantly surprised because my hubby is a meat eater but was a good sport to try it and he also actually liked it a lot!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you both enjoyed it Bonnie!
Shannon says
I made this last night for dinner and all i can say is WOW!!!! So delicious!! I was worried about the wine because i don't drink and i never liked wine. I thought about leaving it out. I am so glad i didn't! The recipe is perfect!! I ate some for breakfast this morning even! Thank you so much!!!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm really pleased you enjoyed it Shannon and that you gave the wine a chance. It adds so much flavour, as you discovered!
Eileen Devine says
We use the instant pot a few times a week and your recipes are the best we have used. This stew is fantastic! We alter the spices a little to our taste and leave the mushrooms in throughout the pressure cooking time. They turn out great and the flavor is very deep and rich. Thank you.
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Eileen. I'm really pleased you are enjoying this and my other IP recipes. I think it's about time I made some new ones. Watch this space!
Dawn says
Thank you for posting your comment about leaving the mushrooms in throughout the cooking time! I was wondering why they were removed. When I've made something like stroganoff in the past, the mushrooms were left in and it was unthinkable to not do that.... so that's how I plan to do it here, too. Thanks again! Dawn
A Virtual Vegan says
I highly recommend sauteeing them then removing them as per the instructions for the best results. Mushrooms don't need anywhere near the same cooking time as raw potatoes. All of my recipes are tested thoroughly every which way, and the texture is way better when they are removed. The mushrooms retain their size and "meatiness". There is no difference in the rich flavour of the finished dish.
Christine says
This was my very first instapot recipe. And vegan recipe. Turned out really well. Nice blend of flavours. Will make again. Thank you!
A Virtual Vegan says
Glad you enjoyed it Christine!
Melissa says
Best vegan Instapot dish yet!!! Much thanks!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Melissa!