Substituting stewing beef with chunky mushrooms is a great way to make Vegetarian Beefless Stew. Use hearty mushrooms, like portabella, for best results. It’s so delicious and so hearty, everyone will love it – even the meat lover in your family!

Vegetarians rejoice! A hearty beef stew is no longer off limits to you! By substituting the beef with chunky, sauteed portabella mushrooms, the recipe maintains its meatiness and texture. Together, with root vegetables, fresh herbs, and a thick, gravy-like broth, the beef will not be missed at all in this vegetarian version of a home-style classic dish!
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THE RIGHT MUSHROOM IS MEATY
Mushrooms are complicated. Not in terms of cooking or taste, but in terms of what each variety is called and how to spell each one! I spell the particular mushroom in this dish as follows: portabella. But, I pronounce it like this: portobello.
According to the Mushroom Council, yes, the Mushroom Council – I googled it too! – declared that the spelling of the popular variety should be spelled with two As; so, I guess I have the spelling correct at least. Maybe I’ll have to work on the pronunciation.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE
The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.
- Olive Oil – I always use extra virgin light olive oil so that the flavour is muted. Olive oil has a high heat tolerance, so it’s perfect for sautéing.
- Onion – I use yellow, white, and sweet onions interchangeably. Either of them will do just fine.
- Carrots – I save my thinner carrots for crudités because they tend to be sweeter. If you buy carrots by the bag, use the larger carrots for soups and stews. Plus, with larger carrots, you can get a more even dice.
- Celery – I love celery in soup, but it can overpower the flavour, so use it sparingly.
- Portabella Mushrooms – You will need four large mushrooms.
- Seasonings & Spices – Salt, ground black pepper, dried oregano, dried basil, paprika, fresh rosemary, fresh parsley.
- Fresh Rosemary – Dried rosemary is fine, but the fresh is much better in this soup. If using dried rosemary, use only one teaspoon.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic will result in the best flavour every single time.
- Vegetable Stock – If you are using store-bought, use low sodium. Some of them can be overly salty!
- Potatoes – Use white flesh potatoes.
- Tomato Paste – In savoury dishes, tomato paste adds a deep, home-style flavour. It also adds colour to the dish and in some cases, will help to bind or thicken sauces too.
- Frozen Green Peas – I love using frozen veggies. They come in handy at any moment, whether you need an extra side dish or want to incorporate it into a dish you are already cooking.
- Parsley – For freshness and garnish.
PORTABELLA OR PORTABELLO?
Did you also know that portabellas are cremini mushrooms that have been allowed to remain unharvested for an additional five to seven days? Who knew!? Evidently, the usage of the two words – portobello or portabella – is simply an issue of a marketing brand.
Whatever you want to call them is up to you. Just be sure to use them! Portabella mushrooms are a great beef substitute. They are dense and hearty; and they hold up very well to longer cooking methods, such as stews or soups.
In my Vegetarian Beefless Stew, I selected portabella mushrooms for that reason. Sauteing them in a little oil with onions and garlic simply infused the mushrooms with flavour while texturing the vegetable to resemble a chunky cut of beef.

WHAT MAKES A STEW A STEW?
Vegetarian Beefless Stew is a rustic, simple dish that has been adapted from a traditional family favourite. As you know, Dear Reader, a stew is basically a combination of vegetables and a tougher cut of meat that’s been simmered in a liquid for a longer period of time. Ingredients such as carrots, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, and peas, which tend to hold their shape and texture, are often common in stews.
In terms of liquid, a good stock is the best. I tend to use vegetable stock in all of my soups and stews. Even though store-bought vegetable stock is seasoned, the addition of fresh herbs is really good in stews. In this particular recipe, you can add dried herbs if you choose to do so, but the fresh rosemary is key – it adds so much depth to the flavour profile.
Since a stew is suitable for the least tender cuts of meat that become tender with slow cooking, the portabella mushroom is the best choice for a vegetarian version. The portabella mushroom will hold up well and take on a meaty texture.
In most meat-based versions, the meat is usually lightly coated with flour and then seared. The flour helps to thicken the broth. In my vegetarian version, once the vegetables are fully cooked, I scoop out two cups of the stew and use my hand-held immersion blender to emulsify it before returning the mixture to the pot. This will thicken the stew nicely without the need for flour or cornstarch.

HOW TO MAKE VEGETARIAN BEEFLESS STEW
Be sure to use a large soup pot or a Dutch oven for this soup recipe. Start by adding the onions and olive oil to the pot over medium heat. Sauté the onions for 2-3 minutes until they become soft. Next, add the mushrooms and stir into the onions. Sauté until the mushroom release their moisture and become browned – this will take about 10 minutes.
Next, add the chopped carrots, celery, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Next, add the vegetable stock, potatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, paprika, and rosemary. Stir to combine. Cover the pot with a lid and allow to cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Check to see that the potatoes and carrots are fork-tender. If not, allow five more minutes of cooking time. If they are tender, move on to the next step. Add the frozen peas. Stir into the soup and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes.
Scoop out two cups of the stew – try to get an even amount of vegetables and broth. Puree in a blender until completely smooth. Return the puree to the pot and stir into the stew. Add the chopped parsley. Stir and turn off the heat. Place the lid back on the pot and allow the stew to sit for five minutes. Stir again and serve immediately.

CONCLUSION
Once all is said and done, you’re going to be left with a hearty, deliciously tasty, vegetarian stew that will rival the best beef-based stew you’ve ever had! Now, I’ve said all I need to say, I’ve written up the recipe, and I’ve taken a few photographs for you. It’s time for me to dig in! If you’re open to suggestions, I’d highly recommend serving this with my No Knead Dinner Rolls!
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Vegetarian Beefless Stew
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 2 cups carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
- 4 large portabella mushrooms, stem and gills* removed, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups low sodium vegetable stock
- 3-4 large white flesh potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1 inch pieces
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 2 cups frozen green peas
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Add the onions and olive oil to a large soup/stock pot over medium heat. Saute the onions for 2-3 minutes until they become soft.
- Add the mushrooms and stir into the onions. Saute until the mushroom release their moisture and become browned. About 10 minutes will do.
- Next, add the chopped carrots, celery, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and continue cooking for 2 minutes.
- Next, add the vegetable stock, potatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, paprika, and rosemary. Stir to combine.
- Cover the pot with lid and allow to cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Check to see that the potatoes and carrots are fork tender. If not, allow five more minutes of cooking time. If they are tender, move on to the next step.
- Add the frozen peas. Stir into the soup and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Scoop out two cups of the stew – try to get an even amount of vegetables and broth. Puree in a blender until completely smooth. Return the puree to the pot and stir into the stew.
- Add the chopped parsley. Stir and turn off the heat. Place the lid back on the pot and allow the stew to sit for five minutes.
- Stir again and serve immediately.
Notes
Using a teaspoon, gently scrape the underside of the mushroom to remove the dark brown gills. You can leave them on the mushroom if you prefer, but doing so will change the colour of the soup. Gills tend to leave a murky, brown colour.
Nutrition
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Meagan says
Your recipes look delicious! Will definitly be attempting a few in the near future!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thanks, Meagan!
Oscar Pinlac says
If you expose the mushrooms outside with their gills facing the sun, they will produce incredible amount of Vitamin D, especially if you let them get sundried. Check out Dr Eric Berg’s video on You Tube. However, like what the recipe says, the stew will turn brownish and murky if you don’t scrape off the gills.
Noreen says
Oh my goodness! I just made this and it’s DELICIOUS! I was tempted to added a bit of vegetable broth for flavor. But I’m glad I didn’t, it wasn’t needed. I will definitely make this again. Thank your for sharing!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Isn’t it a great substitute for the real thing!? My two vegetarians both love this stew so much. I try to make it for them as much as possible. I’m not a vegetarian, but this is one of my favourite beefless stews of all time.
Noreen says
Absolutely! I missed the beef version when I went vegetarian 6 years ago. But I honestly prefer this version.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Me too, Noreen! 🙂
Eliza says
This looks tasty! Can you clarify, in the blog it sounds like you recommend stock, but the recipe itself shows water – which do you recommend?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Good catch, Eliza! I tend to use stock when cooking, but for this particular recipe, just use plain water. The ingredients and seasonings being used in the recipe create a stock all on its own. There’s no need to use stock; if you use vegetable stock, I would cut back on the salt, because unless you’re using low-sodium stock, this stew might end up being too salty.
Barbara says
Thank you for the explanation. I have HPB, so I will do what I can to keep the sodium low.
I’m making this for my vegetarian niece for lunch today. I’m not vegetarian, but I’ll eat it too.
I just finished cutting up all the ingredients and even not yet cooked, this smells incredible.
I’ll follow up once we’ve eaten.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I’m looking forward to hearing from you again, Barbara. 🙂
Helen says
This is my GO TO vegetable stew! My son is vegan, but the rest of us enjoy it more than him. Love the thick, rich consistency of this stew. Thank you!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Helen – it’s a great stew, isn’t it? 🙂
Debbie Wilkinson says
This recipe is so delicious.