Come, fall in love with this vegan Irish Stew recipe. It is hearty, delicious, and no one will miss the meat! The gravy is creamy, aromatic with spices, and packed with healthful vegetables like carrots, celery and potatoes. Guinness adds more traditional and authentic flavor.
Traveling vegan is not only easy in Ireland, it is practically a pleasure. This is a very vegan-friendly country, as I found out during out trip there, and the food I ate was nothing short of spectacular.
But one thing I didn't find on a restaurant menu was a hearty vegan stew made with Ireland's favorite drink, Guinness. While beef and lamb Guinness stews are everywhere, the restaurants I went to had nothing resembling this Irish favorite in a vegan form.
So as soon as I got back home, I stirred up the pot with my delicious and meatless vegan Irish Stew, a recipe I shared with you many years ago for St. Patrick's Day. But this time I had a new appreciation of the ingredients -- and particularly the dark Guinness stout -- that goes into it.
When I first posted this recipe, Guinness was not vegan, because the process of making this delicious brew involved filtering it through isinglass, or fish bladders. Fortunately, in 2017 Guinness began taking steps to make its brew vegan, and beginning 2018 all Guinness now on the market is divinely vegan. Which also made it easy to glug all the Guinness I wanted to when we visited the storehouse at St James Gate in Dublin where it all began. Even better, restaurants at the brewery (with spectacular views of the city) had great vegan and vegetarian options as well.
Mine is a rather traditional stew, without the lamb, of course (wouldn't you rather just cuddle one?) It's also a one-pot dish with no more than 15 minutes of hands-on time needed.
I used soy chunks, dredged in flour and seasoned with herbs and then stir-fried until golden-brown, to replace the meat, which is usually lamb. The soy, when cooked this way, gets a wonderful texture, and who needs the meat? You can -- and perhaps should -- make this stew a day earlier, because this is one of those dishes that tastes even better the next day, when the flavors have had a chance to meld together.
Ingredients
- Soy or TVP chunks (you can also use a vegan meat or seitan)
- Unbleached all purpose flour
- Onions
- Garlic
- Carrots
- Celery
- Crimini Mushrooms
- Herbs (I used a mix of rosemary, sage and thyme -- use rosemary if you can only use one)
- Guinness stout
- Vegetable stock
- Vegetable oil
- Vegan butter
Recipe FAQs
Yes! But keep in mind that more Guinness will add a bitter undernote to your recipe. While some bitterness from the brew makes this dish fabulous, a lot might not be up to everyone's taste. I'd advise trying out the recipe with 8 oz of Guinness the first time, and adding more if you think you want it.
The alcohol cooks out and only leaves the complexity of the stout behind, adding tremendous flavor. So eat away without any worries.
My favorite is creamy mashed potatoes, or vegan colcannon. It may seem like potato overkill, with the potatoes in the stew as well, but it really works.
You can also serve the stew with Irish soda bread, of course (here's my gluten-free soda bread), or with a crusty French bread.
Desi likes his stew with boiled rice, and a good bit of stew drizzled over rice is truly divine.
If you've got a fussy kid around (like I do!) serve him or her this stew with a side of sweet potato fries or baked or air-fried French fries and watch it go!
More vegan Irish recipes
More vegan stews
Vegan Irish Stew
Equipment
- Dutch oven or large pot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup soy chunks or TVP chunks (soy curls work too. Or use seitan chunks)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour (You can use whole wheat or, to make this gluten-free, use a gf all purpose flour)
- 1 large onion (finely chopped)
- 6 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 sticks celery, (finely chopped)
- 15 baby carrots (cut into halves. Or use two large carrots and cut them into rounds about ¼th of an inch thick)
- 6 medium potatoes (cut in a chunky dice)
- 8 oz crimini mushrooms (chopped in large chunks)
- 8 oz Guinness draught stout
- 3-5 cups vegetable stock
- 3 teaspoon herbs (use a mix of rosemary, sage, thyme or one or two of these)
- 2 tablespoon parsley (minced)
- 2 tablespoon vegan butter (optional, but very, very nice)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoon tamari (or liquid aminos or soy sauce. Optional, but adds another dimension of flavor)
Instructions
- Soak the TVP or soy chunks or curls in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain.
- Mix the flour with salt and pepper and half the herbs. Dredge the TVP chunks in the flour. Shake off any excess flour.
- Heat all but 1 teaspoon of the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or a large, heavy-bottomed pot.
- Working in batches, if necessary, brown the TVP chunks in the dutch oven in a single layer, being careful not to crowd them.
- Remove the soy chunks to a dish lined with a paper towel and set aside. Also reserve any flour remaining from dredging the TVP because we'll use that to thicken the sauce.
- Add the remaining teaspoon of oil to the dutch oven and add the onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Saute, stirring frequently, over medium heat until the onions are softened and translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the carrots, celery, potatoes and mushrooms and any remaining flour and stir to mix. Add the Guinness and let the stew come to a boil. Cook until most of the beer has disappeared.
- Add the remaining herbs with the TVP chunks and 4 cups of the vegetable stock.
- Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pot with a lid, and cook for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are very tender and the flavors have melded together. Add more stock or water if the stew looks too dry. I made my stew rather thick because that's how we like it, but you can definitely make it soupier.
- Add salt (and/or the tamari or liquid aminos if using) and ground black pepper to taste. Stir in the butter, if using.
- Serve hot. Stew always tastes best when it has had some time to stand and the flavors have mixed together, so this is a great dish to make the day before you want to serve it.
Helen
I made an Irish stew once but found the beer made it too bitter for me. Is this stew bitter with the beer? I'm debating whether to leave it out or use less. I used to love store bought canned beef and Irish stew when I was a kid (we aren't Irish so that is what I've tried :))
Vaishali
Hi Helen, the beer adds a very slight undertone. You can leave it out or use a dry red wine instead.
Tamara
Hi! Would tofu chunks work well in this recipe?
Thanks!
Vaishali
Yes they would be great. Make sure you sauté them first just like the soy chunks.
Emma
Hi, are the herbs listed dried or fresh?
Vaishali
Dried! You can use fresh, but in that case use 2-3 tablespoons.
Briana Salcido
Can you use cornstarch instead of flour?
Vaishali
Use half as much!
Diane
I have made this numerous times now and it's always a hit, even with meat eaters. We usually have it with some crusty bread. Delicious
Tara
What can I replace the beer with to make it gluten free? I noticed you said to replace the flour- but no replacement for the beer
Vaishali
Hi, there are many gf beers on the market now and you can just use one of those. Or sub with 1/2 cup wine.
Toni
I must be blind...when do you add the butter? 🙂
Dan T.
Same question here... I don't see it. 🙂
Vaishali
Step 10! ?
patty barrett
Vaishali, I am going to make this tomorrow 3.15.20, for St Patty's Day. Thank for this recipe. It will my first using Soy Curls. I have loved All of your recipes thus far. My husband and I are going to Ireland at the end of May, hopefully this virus will have passed and bands on traveling will be lifted. I will visit some of those places you mentioned. Thanks for the tips.
Vaishali
Hi Patty, I'm sure you'll love it!
Anonymous
Just going through the comments in April 2022 and the dark humor in me had to chuckle when I read "hopefully this virus will have passed" (by May 2020!). Did you ever make it to Ireland?
Samadhi
Outstanding! I used a high alcohol lager, and served it over crusty bread in a bowl. I'd love to try it Tibetan crust in pot style, I think it would be amazing. Thanks!
Vaishali
What a great idea!
Deb
Absolutely delicious. I used Fable plant based braised beef
Vaishali
So happy to hear 🙂
ISABEL GREEN
In the picture of the stew, what is the white stuff on top?
Vaishali
Mashed potatoes
Jennifer Kieljan
Hi! I just noticed the recipie has been updated from what it was previously. Wasn't there mushrooms in the previous recipie??? And really 6 medium potatoes? I feel like it was less and had mushrooms. Please tell me any changes, I loved the old one and would like to continue using that one! Thanks!
Vaishali
You can add 8 oz of mushrooms when you add the soy chunks back in. I love lots of potatoes in my stew, but feel free to use less and replace with other veggies -- like mushrooms. You can also just make the stew in this recipe, although this is great as a pot pie filling: https://holycowvegan.net/vegan-mushroom-pot-pie/
Julie Burge
Vaishali, this dish looks gorgeous and one I think I might have to try in my instant pot. Love Guinness and have soy curls so looks like a great make ahead dish for the week. Those creamy mashed potatoes are like a big bow on this gift. Yum!
I love your travel commentary of Ireland. A place my husband and I would love to visit, made even more so by how vegan friendly the country has become. Thank you! I look forward to trying this dish.
Vaishali
Thanks, Julie, Ireland is certainly worth a visit. We are total fans now. 🙂
Laura Gilliam
I do not drink alcohol and I see that the beer is essential. Is it that I will not be able to enjoy this and other recipes of yours? I eat only fish as my meat intake and I love lamb?
Vaishali
You can leave out the beer although the alcohol evaporates during cooking.
Stuart
OMG...this is delish after only 1/2 hour simmer. I can't imagine the treat I am in for after it sits in the fridge over night. Great recipe. Thank you. Now what shall I try next...
Vincent Mitchell
Guinness is vegan now.
Leigh
Great recipe and I will try to replicate for St. Patty's day - thank you!!
The link you posted about Guinness actually only states that kegs are vegan. But I checked on barnivore.com and actually kegs, bottles and cans of Guinness Original, Guinness Stout & Guinness Foreign Extra Stout ARE VEGAN!! Woot woot!
Mary
Made this last weekend for an early Start. Patrick's day dinner w family. I'm soy and gluten sensitive. Used gluten free all purpose flour. Left the soy out. Fabulous!!!
Tyler
I made this yesterday with one full can of Guinness, 4 potatoes and added additional King oyster mushrooms, I let it sit in the fridge overnight and served it to my fam-squad today! It was a huge success!! I've been told I can keep making vegan recipes! (I'm still weaning them off the meat products and this recipe helped me a lot with that!!) Thank you!!!
Rachel Dillon
Hi Vaishali, when you say 1/2 bottle of bear, how much is that in ml? I know some bottles are bigger than others so I want to get specifics so I don't mess up the recipe. 🙂
Vaishali
Hi Rachel, use around 150 mils of beer. Cheers!
Rachel Dillon
Great, I'll do that! Thanks Vaishali. 🙂
Dani
I was looking for some nice vegan stew recipes to try, now that the weather is getting colder and my search led me to your website and your "20 belly warming vegan stews" post - and wow am I glad it did!
So many yummy recipes! choosing one was quite hard, they all sound (and look!) super delicious, so I finally decided to just start at the top.
It turned out great and everybody loved it!
I might be a bit late, but thank you so much for sharing your recipes, I'm looking forward to trying out many more. 🙂
plasterer bristol
This sounded so good, So we made it the other night. And was absolutely delicious. Thanks do much for sharing. Simon
Vaishali
Thanks for the feedback, Simon, so glad you liked it!
Leslie
If we can't find vegan beer and want to keep it gluten free, is there something you can sub in? Thanks again!
Vaishali
You do need the beer. Wine could substitute at a pinch-- will change the flavor slightly, though. Use 1/2 cup of wine.
Leslie
Hi there- I know this is an old thread so I am not sure I will get a reply but- has anyone made this two days in advance? I have a lot to cook and don't want to leave everything for tomorrow and Thursday !
Vaishali
Hi Leslie, yes, you can certainly make this ahead and refrigerate for a couple of days. In fact, it should taste even better when the flavors have had some time to sit together and merge. 🙂
katajam
This is my go to vegan Irish stew recipe now. Everyone loves it! even my 2 year old! And i was brought up in Irish farming community so this is high praise indeed! 😀 Thank you
Vaishali
Katajam, that's high praise indeed, so thank you! So kind of you, and happy your family enjoyed it. 🙂
Theresa
As others have mentioned, Guiness is not vegan but there is a handy website you can use to find a vegan stout. Here is the link with the keyword "stout" already entered:
This is what I have used to find some awesome substitutes. And I can NOT wait to try this recipe!!
Vicki
This recipe was excellent! Just substituted Gardein Homestyle beefless tips for the TVP and it turned out great like a real stew. Very good.
Jennifer Pischel
Hi Vicki,
Did you leave the chunks in the whole time or add at the end frozen?
Amanda Guarino
Perfect. I used fresh Thyme and Sage instead of rosemary, and white beans instead of TVP. It was quick, easy, hearty, and my non-veggie boyfriend and cousin gobbled it all up with some cast iron skillet baked cornbread. Delish!
kirsty mccue
hi can I leave out the TVP chunks or soy chunks ? x
Vaishali
Kirsty you can, but it will be more of a vegetable stew then.
Krithika
Hi Vaishali,
I've been hunting for TVP or soy chunks at different grocery stores but I've come up blank. Could I substitute tofu or something else in this?
Thanks,
Krithika
Vaishali
Hi Krithika, you can try this with tempeh, which would be firmer than tofu. You can use tofu but it won't be chewy and you will be better off adding it toward the end of the recipe. Another option is to go with beans -- any white bean like cannellini beans or navy beans would work well here and you'd get the protein as well.
Vaishali
Thanks for that information -- you are right, most Guinness is not, although here in the US we do get one or two vegan Guinness brands. Any regular vegan beer would also be fine here.
Heidi
Making this for dinner tonight, St Patrick's Day! It smells so good, can't wait to eat it.
Vaishali
Heidi, how lovely! So happy you are trying it, and I hope you will love it as much as we did. A very happy St. Patrick's Day to you!
Mary @ Mary's Test Kitchen
I want to try this! Then again, I want to try all your recipes! So little time....and budget... ;-P