Love a good, hearty stew but don't want to slog over a hot stove? Then this Instant Pot vegan beef stew is for you! It's got all the yum and coziness of my vegan beef stew but it comes together so quickly in the Instant Pot.
I frequently develop an insane hankering for my vegan beef stew recipe. It's so hearty and cozy with chunks of potatoes, carrots and aromatic herbs. But when I don't want to work in a hot kitchen to make it, I go to this, my Instant Pot Vegan "Beef" Stew recipe. It's just as delicious, needs very little hands-on time, and it's loaded with healthy protein from soy curls.
Table of Contents
A satisfying, delicious stew for dinner
- Cozy and filling. This vegan beef stew, with lots of protein and veggies, checks every box for a memorable dinner. It's nutritious, it's immensely satiating, and it will win rave reviews each time.
- Aromatic. One of my favorite things about this Instant Pot stew -- what keeps me coming back to it time and again -- is that delicious aroma from the medley of herbs in it. And from the garlic.
- Healthy, loaded with fiber and protein. There are 290 calories, 17 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber in a serving. Ladle the stew over quinoa or brown rice to bump up the protein even more.
- The Instant Pot makes it so SIMPLE. An Instant Pot recipe has got to be easy, and this recipe couldn't get any easier. You need to saute the soy curls to begin the recipe, which takes no more than 5 minutes. After that just add everything to the Instant Pot liner and let the stew cook away! Waiting for the stew to finish cooking may, in fact, be the hardest part. 😉 Following directions and measurements will yield a creamy stew with the perfect thickness and texture.
- Nut-free and vegan recipe, can be soy-free and gluten-free. A few simple tweaks can make this recipe suitable to nearly any diet. You can even make it friendly for a low-carb diet using my tips below.
Best vegan beef substitute for stew
I use soy curls in this recipe because they work so well as a meat substitute here, with just the right chew and texture. They are what I used when I first shared this recipe with you many years ago. But there are even more options out there for meat substitutes now and you can go with your favorite--plant protein chunks, plant-based steak tips and seitan are all great. You don't have to change the recipe in any way--just proceed with your chosen meat substitute as you would with the soy curls!
To make the stew without a meat substitute use portobello mushroom chunks.
Building flavor
- Roast the soy curls or meat substitute. This may seem like one more step, but roasting the meat substitute, just as you would roast beef if you were making a beef stew, improves the texture of the meat substitute and also builds lots of flavor.
- Add lots of chunky vegetables and herbs.This gives this vegan Instant Pot beef stew great texture, and adding lots of garlic and an assortment of herbs gives it great flavor. Flavor is everything here, so you don't want to skimp! If you have an armload of fresh garden herbs that you don't know what to do with, this is the recipe that will take that problem off your hands. But you can also just use dried herbs--in fact they are preferred for the first stage of the recipe where you roast the soy curls.
- Add umami ingredients like soy sauce, tomato paste and red wine to add more depth and layers.
This is the third time I have made this recipe. It is so delicious! I am actually making it tonight because my three year old grandson loves it so much! -Jill
Ingredients
The beauty of this stew is it can be made entirely with pantry ingredients, which makes it a great all-year meal. Here's what you will need:
- Meat substitute: Soy curls, vegan steak tips, vegan protein chunks, seitan and TVP are all good choices.
- Herbs: garlic, dried rosemary, dried sage, dried oregano and fresh parsley (for stirring in at the end of cooking). You can switch out the herbs to those you have on hand and the only caveat is to use herbs that are savory, not sweet. In other words, sage, marjoram, oregano, thyme, rosemary are all good. Stay away from basil and mint. If you have fresh herbs, use 1 ½ teaspoon of dried herbs to coat the meat substitute in step 1, then add 1-2 tablespoons of chopped, fresh herbs to the stew later. The more herbs you add, the more aromatic and delicious the stew will be.
- Flour. Flour acts as the thickener for the stew, and it also helps the meat substitute brown, developing flavor. You can use all-purpose flour, gluten-free all-purpose flour or rice flour.
- Vegetables: onions or leeks, carrots, potatoes, celery or green bell peppers and frozen green peas.
- Red wine (optional). This adds great flavor but you can leave it out.
- Soy sauce or liquid aminos (optional). I like adding this for umami but if you are keeping the recipe soy-free you can skip it or use a soy-free soy sauce instead.
- Tomato paste. This is another ingredient that adds umami and it also adds a rich color to the stew.
- Vegan butter. Vegan butter, added to the stew at the very end, adds a smooth, creamy flavor and also helps further thicken the stew.
- Vegetable stock or mushroom broth. You can use water instead, but stock or broth will add more flavor to the stew.
How to make vegan Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Place soy curls in a glass bowl with ½ teaspoon salt. Pour enough hot water to cover the soy curls completely. Let stand 30 minutes, then strain out all the water and squeeze the soy curls to get as much of the liquid out as possible.
- To the bowl, add the ground black pepper and salt to taste, half the dried herbs and flour.
- Mix to coat the soy curls evenly with the flour and herbs.
- Heat the oil in the Instant Pot liner and set the IP to the saute function. Add the soy curls and cook, stirring constantly, for 4-5 minutes, until they start to brown a little. If the soy curls start to stick to the bottom of the liner, add some vegetable stock.
- Stir in the garlic.
- Add the carrots, potatoes and celery or bell peppers.
- Add onions or leeks.
- Add tomato paste, soy sauce, red wine, if using, remaining herbs and vegetable stock. Mix well and then click the lid of the Instant Pot in Place. Set to cook at manual pressure for 15 minutes. Once the steam has released, open the lid and stir in the green peas and vegan butter followed by the parsley. Add salt and ground black pepper as needed. Serve hot.
Serving suggestions
A cozy stew in a bowl with a chunk of crusty bread is my comfort meal. You can serve a nice, crusty sourdough bread or French bread with this stew.
For an even more nourishing meal serve the vegan Instant Pot beef stew over brown rice or quinoa.
For dessert, you can't go wrong with this delicious vegan rhubarb pie!
Storage
- Refrigerate: Store in the fridge for up to five days in an airtight container.
- Freeze: Freeze for up to four months in a freezer-safe container.
Tweak it for special diets
- Soy-free: Use a vegan meat substitute or protein chunks that are soy-free. Or use portobello mushrooms cut in chunks.
- Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free all purpose flour or rice four. Make sure the meat substitute you use is gluten-free. Use tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Low-carb: Skip the potatoes and carrots and use lower-carb veggies like green beans, eggplant and zucchini. You can skip the green peas or cut them in half.
More hearty vegan stews
Recipe card
Instant Pot Vegan "Beef" Stew
Love a good, hearty stew but don't want to stand over a hot stove? Then this Instant Pot vegan beef stew is for you! It's got all the yum and coziness of a vegan beef stew but it comes together so quickly in the Instant Pot.
8 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups soy curls (see ingredients list above for other meat substitutes)
- 1 teaspoon dried sage (divided)
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary (divided)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (divided)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme (divided)
- ¼ cup flour (use all-purpose flour or gluten-free all purpose flour)
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 carrots (cut into 1-inch chunks)
- 1 large green bell pepper (or 2 sticks celery, cut into chunks)
- 4 potatoes (cut into 1-inch chunks)
- 1 leek (or large onion, chopped)
- 2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ cup red wine (optional)
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce (or liquid aminos, optional)
- 3 cups vegetable stock (or mushroom stock)
- 2 cups frozen green peas
- 2 tablespoons parsley (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
Instructions
- Reconstitute the soy curls by soaking them in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain and squeeze to remove excess moisture, then toss them in a bowl with half the herbs, salt, ground black pepper and flour.
- Heat the oil in the Instant Pot, press the saute button, and set it to low. Add the soy curls and cook, stirring constantly, for a couple of minutes, until they start to brown a little. I find the Instant Pot saute function at normal tends to heat up too fast, so setting it to low is preferable to give the soy curls some time to brown. If they start to stick, add some vegetable stock.
- Add the garlic followed by celery or bell peppers, carrots and potatoes and stir to mix. Add leeks, followed by wine, if using, tomato paste, soy sauce and remaining herbs. Mix well.
- Add three cups of vegetable stock. Click the lid of the Instant Pot into place. Press the manual button and set to 15 minutes to pressure cook.
- Once the steam has released, open the Instant Pot and add the frozen peas and vegan butter. Mix well, check if more salt and black pepper are needed, and stir in parsley.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 290kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 17gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gPotassium: 696mgFiber: 10gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 3375IUVitamin C: 56mgCalcium: 125mgIron: 5mg
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Tried this recipe?Let us know in the comments below!
Liz says
This looks fantastic! I don't have an Instant Pot. Would you kindly give directions for stove top cooking? Thank you!
Vaishali says
Hi Liz, I have a stovetop vegan beef stew recipe which is very similar--there is a link in the first paragraph. Let me know if you try!
Rebecca T says
This is so excellent and flavourful! Very versatile, too: I have made it with whatever veg I have on hand at the time. For example, tonight I had no celery, but a big courgette that needed to be used up somehow. This stew also freezes well, so if you can make the full recipe or 2x, please do yourself a favour and freeze half of it for mid-week leftovers. Thank you!
Vaishali says
So happy you loved it, Rebecca!
Shirley says
Is it a quick release or natural steam release?
Vaishali Honawar says
Either is fine. If doing quick release wait until 10 minutes after cooking ends. Or just wait for pressure to release naturally.
Jill says
This is the third time I have made this recipe. It is so delicious! I am actually making it tonight because my three year old grandson loves it so much!
diane says
Hi - love this recipe but I have an instant pot with low and high settings and wondering do I cook on high or low for 15 mins?
Vaishali says
Hi Diane, cook on high pressure.
MM says
This stew is off the charts fantastic! OMG yum! I used the four cups of broth you have listed in the ingredients even though the instructions say three. It just made more yumminess. I've just started cooking with soy curls and this was my second recipe. I'll definitely be trying more of your recipes. Thank you so much!!
Vaishali says
So happy to hear! 🙂 Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed the stew.
Evelyn says
I love this recipe! I made it a lot during the lockdown of 2020. It is so good, tastes a bit like the inside of a pot pie.
Thank you so much!
Vaishali says
Hi Evelyn, so happy you tried it! Thanks for letting me know.
Andrea says
I made this today and it was delicious! I added a touch of of vegan worcestershire sauce after it was done cooking as well. Turned out amazing! I wasn't much of a stew fan until today.
Vaishali says
Andrea, so happy to hear!
ERic Wrate says
Can I buy MEATLESS English Stew in a can. If so please give me the name to look for. I am not a cook.
Thanks
Eric Wrate
Eve says
I have made your recipe so many times, my whole family loves it, even my picky 10 year old son. I often serve it with polenta, it's delicious. Thank you!
Liz Gmehling says
Wholly cow this was delish...ok my 20 year son made this for dinner for his Dad's St Patty's Day birthday.
A few little tweeks...we added about 3 additional tbsp of soy sauce ( that was our Unami on hand) he forgot the peas, but that's ok, and instead of wine added Guiness. Now the Guiness made it a bit bitter, so I adjusted with some 1/2 tblsp rice wine vinegar and 2 tablespoons of nooch. Oh and loads of fresh cracked pepper...Holy gawd I regret not telling him to dble the batch. No leftovers!! Gonna make it again!!
Susan Roman says
My husband and I have talked about how we can not replace all our meat recipes with plant based ones. We have to get used to new flavours. But, OMG...this replaced our beef stew recipe. To the poster who left out the wine and coconut aminos...well, duh...of course it was bland, you don't have all the umami and acid components. As written with some added kale because I had to use it up, this recipe is 5+stars!
Vaishali says
Thanks for the feedback, Susan, and so happy you tried and loved it!
JC says
I didn't find this to be as good as I had hoped. It could have been operator error but I don't think so. I didn't add the wine or the liquid aminos. The flavor was rather bland.
Sarah Gadd says
With instant pot recipes I just throw the dry top chucks in a the pressure cooker cooks them? How much extra liquid would you suggest I put in for doing that?
Thanks!
Vaishali says
A cup would be perfect!
Einav says
This looks delicious!
Did you do quick release or natural?
Vaishali says
You can do either. Wait 10 minutes after cooking if you do a quick release.
Thera says
This was very good! And thanks for the tip to turn down the sauté function. I added some finely chopped kale along with the peas at the end, and served with rice.
Meg Richard says
We really enjoyed this stew. I'm eating leftovers now and loving them. I ordered the soy curls online for this stew specifically. So far it's my favorite thing to make with them. I don't have an Instant Pot, but I have a Power Pressure Cooker XL (which I think is similar). But, I changed the recipe to saute up to step 3 on the stove in a saucepan. I transferred to Power Pressure Cooker at Step 4 and followed directions from there and it was done perfectly. Thanks for the recipe!
Ellen Lederman says
This sounds good. I did buy soy curls once and liked them but never got them again. Probably it's because the most cost-effective way was to buy it online and in a pack of 3, which lasted for a really long time.
The weather in Atlanta has been very conducive to stews---much colder than normal---so this may be in my future, over quinoa.
You and I are similar with our perspective and use of olive oil---using it very moderately. But have you heard about algae oil? It's new. Supposedly no taste, high flash point, less saturated fat. Should get my first bottle in a couple of days.
Vaishali says
Hmm, can't say I've heard of algae oil, but definitely interested now. Sounds like a good cooking oil. I will keep an eye out.
I too bought the soy curls online, and I really like the texture.