One-pot, hearty Vegan Irish Stew that can be made on the stove, in an Instant Pot, or slow cooker. It's loaded with chunky, sweet, tender vegetables, your choice of vegan beef or mushrooms, and Guinness gives the gravy an incredibly rich, deep, delicious flavour!
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"Don't wait for St. Patrick's Day to have this - it's too good for just once a year...This stew is absolutely delicious...Mel's recipes are always terrific, but this one was over-the-top delicious!"
- Colleen ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ More reviews →
This five-star recipe for Vegan Irish Stew is comfort food at its finest. Loaded with root veggies, seared vegan "meat" or mushrooms, and a thick, super-rich, and flavourful gravy made from Guinness, it is quite simply amazing.
Just perfect for serving up with some fluffy vegan dumplings or Vegan Soda Bread as part of your St Patrick's Day celebrations, or for a tasty weeknight dinner!
Mel x
What is Irish Stew?
Traditional Irish stew (Stobhach Gaelach in Irish Gaelic) is a very simple recipe made with lamb or mutton, onions, potatoes, carrots, herbs, and seasonings.
They are cooked long and slow in a thin, completely unthickened broth which gets all of its flavour from the meat and vegetables.
Is Irish Stew Vegan?
Irish stew is not vegan but it's easy to make a great-tasting and hearty vegan stew with an Irish theme.
I should note though, that it's really hard to make a "traditional" Irish stew vegan because it is just lamb, potatoes, vegetables, stock, and seasoning. If we just used those ingredients replacing the lamb for vegan "meat" it would be tasteless because vegan "meat" doesn't have the same flavour.
That's why my vegan version needs some extra "flavour" helpers, but I have tried to keep an Irish theme going as you'll notice with the addition of Guinness beer and the vegetables used.
Ingredients
The ingredients in this vegan Irish recipe are simple, and other than the beer and vegan "meat" (or mushrooms) it's all pretty pantry-friendly. Here's what you will need:
And some notes about a few of the ingredients:
- Dark stout - This is what gives this stew its incredible, rich, deep flavour and dark gravy. I've used Guinness because it's so widely available, it's Irish, and it's vegan, but if you can't find it, I recommend searching Barnivore for another vegan-friendly dark stout. Dark stout is necessary to get the best rich, full flavour in the gravy. For alcohol-free use Guinness 0.
- Potatoes - Yukon Gold potatoes or red potatoes are always my go-to for soups and stews. They get really soft and sweet while still keeping their shape. Starchier potatoes like russets will break down more.
- Vegan beef or sliced portobello mushrooms - These are optional. The stew is still amazing without them, but if you like to include hearty meat substitutes in your meals then I recommend Gardein Beefless Tips, big slices of meaty portobello mushroom, or Beyond Steak. You could also use homemade vegan beef seitan cut into pieces, or soy curls.
- Sugar - Just a touch. It's important for balance. Stout is quite bitter.
- Soy sauce - For "meaty" flavour. It's my secret weapon in any dish that needs deep, rich, meaty flavour. In combination with the Guinness, it adds a massive flavour punch which is important in a vegan recipe like this one which is traditionally made with meat. Use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari to keep the recipe gluten-free.
How To Make Vegan Irish Stew
The great thing about a vegan stew that doesn't use lamb/mutton is that it doesn't need to be slow-cooked for hours and hours to be good. This Vegan Irish Stew can be ready and on the table in a little over one hour but if you get caught up and need to delay it, it will happily simmer away gently for hours.
Here's how to make it (if you're a more visual learner watch my recipe video):
1 - Sear the vegan meat or mushrooms in a really hot pan, then remove them and set aside for later.
2 - Saute the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic in the same pot, add the flour and let it cook out then add the Guinness, stirring as you go.
3 - Add everything else, give it a good stir and bring to a simmer.
4 - Pick out the stalks from the fresh herbs, stir the vegan beef or mushrooms back into the stew, and let warm for about 10 minutes before serving.
For Instant Pot and slow cooker instructions see the FAQs.
Success Tip - Don't leave the beefless tips, mushrooms, or seitan in the stew for the entire cooking time as they will get too soft and lose their texture. By searing them then setting them aside and adding them back in at the end, you get all the flavour without losing texture.
Serving Suggestions
This hearty one-pot dish is a meal in itself and doesn't need much to accompany it except for some vegan soda bread slathered with vegan butter to mop up that tasty gravy.
If you don't have soda bread crusty bread, vegan dinner rolls, no-knead focaccia, or sweet potato biscuits would all make great accompaniments and don't forget to make some Vegan Chocolate Guinness Cake for dessert!
Recipe FAQs
Guinness in draught, bottle, and canned form has been vegan-friendly since 2018. Read more about it on their website here.
If you don't have Guinness or other dark stout, brown ale or red wine work really well instead. If you don't cook with alcohol at all use Guinness 0 (it's alcohol-free), or replace the beer with more stock, but make sure that it's a really good, flavourful one.
If you are gluten-free, use your favourite gluten-free and vegan beer of choice, cornstarch instead of flour, gluten-free soy sauce, or Tamari and mushrooms instead of beefless tips/seitan.
Guinness is vegan. If you use another brand, most manufacturers are happy to let you know if you shoot them a quick email. Or you can go to Barnivore's website or app and type in the brand name and it will tell you.
I love to use Yukon Gold in soups and stews. They become very soft yet still hold their shape, they don't get floury, and they are naturally sweet when slow-cooked.
Sear the beefless tips/mushrooms in a pan then remove until the end. Saute the onions, carrots, and celery in the same pan as per my instructions, and add the garlic for the last 30 seconds. Then transfer them to the slow cooker.
Stir in the flour then add everything else (adding the liquid gradually to work out lumps) and stir well. Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 7 hours or high heat for about 3-4 hours or until the potatoes are very tender. Remove the herb stalks and add the beefless tips/mushrooms back in. Let them heat through for 10 minutes then serve.
Saute the vegan beef, set aside then saute the onions, celery, carrots, and garlic. DO NOT add the flour. Turn the Instant Pot off and add everything else except the flour. Give the bottom of the pot a good scrape with a metal spoon to get any burnt-on residue off, close the lid, seal the vent, and cook on manual/pressure cook, high power for 15 mins. NPR for 10 minutes then release what's left. Make a slurry with the flour and water, scoop out the fresh herb stalks, and discard. Turn the Instant Pot to "sauté" and pour in the slurry, stirring constantly, then add the vegan beef. Give it a couple of minutes for the gravy to thicken then serve.
Recipe
Vegan Irish Stew
Author:WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil , or use water for oil-free
- 9 oz (255 grams ) OPTIONAL vegan beef or portobello mushrooms , I like Gardein beefless tips or Beyond Steak. (or omit completely - It's still really good with just the veg)
- 1 large onion , diced
- 3 large carrots , cut into ½ inch chunky pieces
- 2 ribs celery , diced
- 5 cloves garlic , minced
- 4 tablespoons all purpose flour , or cornstarch
- 330 mls (11 oz bottle) Guinness , or Guinness 0, or any dark stout (if using a can of Guinness use ¾ of the can, or use it all and reduce the stock to compensate).
- 1 medium (about 800 grams / 28 oz) rutabaga/ swede , or turnips, cut into chunky pieces
- 4 large (about 650g / 23 oz) potatoes , cut into large chunks (each potato into about 6 pieces)
- ¼ head green cabbage , shredded
- 4 cups (960 mls) vegetable stock
- ¼ cup (60 mls) soy sauce , or Tamari
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp white or cane sugar
- 2 large bay leaves
- 2 x 4 inch sprigs fresh thyme , or 1 teaspoon dried
- 2 x 4 inch sprigs fresh rosemary , or 1½ teapsoon dried
OPTIONAL
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large Dutch oven or soup pot (that holds at least 6 quarts / 5.7 litres), add the oil and place over high heat.
- When really hot add the beefless tips or mushrooms and sear in the pan until golden on all sides. Scoop them out and put in a bowl or on a plate and set them aside until near the end.
- Turn the heat down to medium, then to the same pot (don't clean it .. we want any stuck-on residue for flavour!), add the onions, carrots and celery. You might also need to add a teeny bit more oil depending on the pan you're using. If you are not using vegan beef, seitan or mushrooms begin with this step, adding the oil and warming the pan first.
- Let them sweat down and just as they are beginning to colour add the garlic.
- After about 30 seconds add the flour. Stir it around so everything gets coated and let it cook out for a minute or two to remove the raw flour flavour. If you use cornstarch instead of the flour it will get a bit gloopy and weird but don't worry, once you add everything else it will be fine.
- Pour in the Guinness/stout slowly, stirring as you go, then once it's all in, give it another really good stir to work out most of the lumps. Don't worry about any small lumps.
- Add the rutabaga/swede, potatoes, cabbage, stock, soy sauce, salt, pepper, sugar and herbs and give it a really good stir.
- Bring slowly to a boil stirring frequently, then immediately turn down to medium-low and let it simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally until the potatoes are soft and the gravy is thick. I like to wait until the potatoes are really soft and just starting to break down before I serve. It will take about 45 to 50 minutes, but you can leave it simmering away much longer if you want to. Just turn it down to low and cover with a lid if it's going to be significantly longer.
- About 10 minutes before you are going to serve, add the beefless tips/mushrooms back in and give it a stir.
- If you used fresh herbs be sure to pick out the stalks before serving.
NOTES
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Karen says
Amazing! Have made this one a few times. So rich and tasty.
Barb says
Once again you've hit it out of the park Mel! Made this last night and my husband and I both loved it - in fact, he's excited we get to have it again tonight. Made it with the Guinness 0 and was amazed by the depth of flavour. Thank you for still another recipe that will be on the rotation.
Melanie McDonald says
I'm so pleased you both enjoyed it, Barb! You'll find the leftovers are even better!
Bonnie says
Excellent. I used mushrooms instead of vegan beef and substituted vegan beef bouillon for the broth
Patricia G. says
Looking forward to making this again for St. Patrick’s Day. Just so you know, I have used nonalcoholic stout that I buy at the local London drugs, and it works fine. The only problem is the cans are 473 L; haven’t found smaller ones. Also, I have seen a soda bread recipe which uses only flour, stout, and salt, might be an interesting option to explore.
Emily says
I have made A LOT of stews in my life...both vegan and non-vegan. I regularly try new Irish Stew recipes because I am always searching for the perfect one. My search is over. This turned out FANTASTIC. I followed the recipe to a T, with a few minor exceptions: I omitted the cabbage and rutabaga and added peas toward the end (last 15 minutes of cooking). I did half mushrooms, half Beyond Steak tips. I love that I don't need to chop up the herbs! And I love that there's no tomato paste (my husband's GERD is triggered by tomatoes). This was so flavorful. Rich without being overpowering, with lots of depth. The instructions were easy to follow. Also, for others reading reviews, this is the standard amount of flour. I think the person who gave a bad review doesn't know how to add flour to soups and stews.
Melanie McDonald says
That makes me so happy, Emily. Thank you, I'm really pleased you enjoyed it!
Michael says
This recipe was a disaster. The combination of Guinness, soy sauce, and rosemary was bizarre, and the texture was goopy due to the large amount of flour. I did substitute ground Be’f instead of chunks, which was a bad choice. I’ve made a different Irish stew before and like it, but this one I just had to throw away.
Michelle says
Is it okay to freeze the leftovers ?
Melanie McDonald says
Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months, just be aware that potatoes can become a little floury once they have been frozen, defrosted, and reheated.
P LaLande says
Absolutely fantastic recipe. This is definitely one of our keepers. I have made it many times. Two things I did add. To make it more nutritious, for the thickener I use ground flax seed, about two tbsps, instead of the flour and water. Works perfectly and flax is just so good for you. And the last two times I have added a cup of red wine that had been uncorked too long and that would have been thrown out and it adds an even richer taste to the stew.
Max says
I made it with a mix of portobello mushrooms and soya chunks and used parsnips instead of rutabaga and it was great! My only downside (which was my own fault) was that I only had a can of Guinness (500ml vs the 330ml called for in the recipe) and thought there’d be no harm in adding the whole thing…. Definitely wasn’t the smartest idea! Unless maybe you’re a big Guinness fan! Tried fixing it and was still really good. Excited to try it again sometime with the correct amount of Guinness.
Sammy says
This is by far the best stew I've eaten EVER! OMG thank you so so much for such a scrumptious meal! I'll be making this so often I'll be sick of it! 🤤 How does it go after freezing?
Melanie McDonald says
So pleased you're enjoying the recipe! Potatoes tend to become a bit soft and grainy when frozen in things like stews. I personally don't like that so don't freeze it, but if you're ok with it go for it!
Alexandria Phillips says
OH my word!! Sooo good. I did it in the IP with mushrooms. My whole family devoured it. I did something not Irish and served it over rice and everyone from the 2 year old to the 16 year old ate it up. Two kids even get seconds. This is very much a comfort food dish for me and will go into regular rotation.
Melanie McDonald says
I'm so pleased you all enjoyed it, Alexandria! Thank you for coming back to leave a review. Its much appreciated!
Steve says
Brilliant recipe, very impressed, just added a squirt of tomato purée and a dumpling.
Vicky Lilley says
Yum!
Had a bottle of guinness left over from a party for ages that I didn't know what to do with and now it looks like I'll have to go buy some on purpose now!
Used some fake beef pieces but it really didn't need them.
Johanne Beaulieu says
II’m making it with both mushrooms and beefless tips. And my beer was a 500ml can. Can’t wait to taste it!
Celeste Grone says
Love, love it! I used "Meati.com steak" (mmm, very yummy) and Costco portobello mushrooms for the "meat". I added fresh kale from my garden for the "cabbage" as I did not have cabbage (similar taste). I also added more potatoes as I did not have turnips (I didn't have them on hand, nor do I like them). I chose Tamari over the Soy Sauce but no real difference (no reason--just because I had both on hand and chose Tamari over Soy). All other items were exactly the same as the recipe (especially including the delightful "beer"--which meant two bottles--one for me and one for the recipe!). OMG! It is so wonderful. Super rich and tasty! It is a special meal and very delicious!
Margot says
This recipe is delicious, even better the next day. I made the 1/2 quantity with 2 'tweaks'. On day 1, I added more mushrooms, because I love them. If you love mushrooms, I doubt you'd miss vegan 'meat'. On day 2, before reheating, I made even more mushrooms - because I could - & doubled the plain (all purpose) flour for a slightly thicker gravy, cooking the extra flour in the oil used for cooking the mushrooms. The more authentic thin gravy of day 1 was very tasty but I wanted more body on day 2. I'll be making this stew a lot in future.
Lynne says
We really enjoyed this recipe! The only change I made was substituting yams for the rutabaga. Thanks for another recipe to add to our collection of vegan meals we'll make again. I had to laugh at Lorraine's comment about how long it takes to prepare this recipe. I also appreciated your response which clarified why I always take so much longer to prepare ANY recipe than what the recipe says. Now I understand the times suggested and what they mean. I just always thought I was the slowest cook in the world. I am grateful to have a wonderful "sous chef" for my husband who helps with the peeling, chopping, stirring, etc.