Beef-less Stew – Whole Food Plant-Based

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Beef-less Stew - Whole Food Plant-Based
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Beef-less Stew – Whole Food Plant-Based

Servings

4-6

servings
Prep time

20

minutes
Cooking time

40

minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 red onions chopped (about 2 cups)

  • 3-4 large cloves garlic minced

  • 2 pints white button or crimini mushrooms, stems roughly chopped and caps cut in bite-sized pieces

  • 15-ounce can great northern beans, drained and rinsed

  • 32-ounce box of low sodium vegetable broth

  • 3 carrots sliced in bite-sized pieces (about 1½ cup)

  • 2 celery ribs, sliced in bite-sized pieces (about 1 cup)

  • 1 pound yukon gold potatoes cut in bite-sized pieces

  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste

  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley

  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme

  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

  • ½ teaspoon dried sage

  • ½ teaspoon crushed rosemary

  • ½ teaspoon granulated garlic

  • ½ teaspoon granulated onion

  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

  • 1 bay leaf

  • Optional: 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast

Directions

  • Add onions to a large pot or dutch oven preheated on medium-high heat. Allow onions to cook untouched for a few minutes. As the onions start to turn brown, add a splash of water and stir around to deglaze the pan. Repeat until onions are nicely browned, about 5 to 10 minutes total.*See Notes
  • Add garlic and mushroom stems (reserve the caps for later), and cook another few minutes until the mushroom stems have softened.
  • Add the great northern beans along with the onions and mushroom stems to a high speed blender. Add just enough vegetable broth to cover the ingredients and blend until smooth. Set aside for step 5 below.
  • Add the mushroom caps as well as the rest of the vegetables to the large pot and create a space in the center and add the tomato paste. Cook the tomato paste for just a minute or two and then stir distribute evenly on the veggies.
  • Add all of the seasonings (except the nutritional yeast) as well as the pureed mixture from step 3 to the pot and stir everything well. Cover and bring to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer for 30-60 minutes (the longer the better!), stirring occasionally.
  • After you’ve cooked the stew for 20-30 minutes, check the thickness. If you like it soupier, add some more broth or water. If you want it thicker, leave the lid off and continue simmering until thickened.
  • Taste the stew and adjust the seasonings as needed. At this point you may add the nutritional yeast if you feel the flavor is missing something.
  • Serve the stew over mashed potatoes or rice, or with a rustic whole grain bread.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • For a simpler and quicker preparation: Blend the beans, uncooked mushroom stems, and enough broth to cover until you have a smooth mixuture. Add this mixture along with all the remaining ingredients to the pot and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer, and stir occasionally, until everything is fully cooked through. Remove the lid and continue simmering as needed to reach desired thickness. *This convenient method won’t have quite the same depth of flavor, but it is still delicious and will save a bit of time when you’re in a hurry!