This one-pot, hearty Vegan Irish Stew is so flavourful and can be made on the stove, in an Instant Pot, or in a slow cooker. Vegan-friendly Guinness Beer gives an incredibly rich, deep flavour to the gravy that is loaded with chunky, sweet, tender vegetables. Make it with just the veg, or add some optional vegan "meat" or mushrooms to make it even more satisfying and flavourful!
This recipe for Vegan Irish Stew is comfort food at its finest. Loaded with root veggies, optional seared vegan "meat" or mushrooms, and a thick, super-rich and flavourful gravy made from Guinness beer, this vegan stew recipe is amazing.
All of the flavours and ingredients in this recipe work so well together and just like my Vegan Cabbage Soup, it is just perfect for serving up as part of your St Patrick's Day celebrations or for a tasty weeknight dinner.
Jump to:
- What is Irish stew?
- Is Irish stew vegan?
- Is Guinness vegan?
- What ingredients do I need?
- How to make vegan Irish stew
- Success Tips
- Ways to adapt this recipe
- What to serve with vegan Irish stew
- Storing, freezing, & reheating
- Hungry for more?
- 📖 Recipe
- How to make in an Instant Pot
- How to make in a Slow Cooker
- Recipe FAQs
- Comments
You can make this vegan Irish stew on the stovetop, in an Instant Pot, or even in a slow cooker and as a bonus, you can stash the leftovers away to enjoy throughout the week or even freeze them for later.
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 really tasteless because vegan "meat" doesn't have the same flavour. So 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.
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.
Is Guinness vegan?
Guinness in draught, bottle and canned form is vegan-friendly. Guinness decided to change their filtration process to remove isinglass (derived from fish) back in 2016 and from 2018 all Guinness available to purchase in bars and liquor stores has been fully vegan. Read more about it on their website here.
This is handy for us when making this stew as Guinness is a brand of beer that is really easy to get hold of in almost all liquor stores. It's brewed in over 50 countries and available in over 120 so you should be able to pick some up really easily. See my notes on alternatives if you can't though.
What ingredients do I need?
(For detailed measurements and instructions, see the printable recipe card).
The ingredients in this vegan Irish recipe are simple and other than the beer and optional vegan "meat" (or mushrooms) are all pretty pantry friendly.
Here's what you will be needing and why:
- Stout beer - This is what gives this stew its incredible, rich, deep flavour and dark gravy. I've used Guinness because it's so widely available 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.
- Beefless tips or sliced portobello mushrooms - These are optional. The stew is amazing without them, but if you like to include hearty meat substitutes in your meals then I recommend Gardein Beefless Tips or big slices of meaty portobello mushroom. You could also use homemade vegan beef seitan and cut it into pieces. Just like in a traditional stew or pot roast, the process begins by searing the beefless tips or mushrooms. They’re added back in at the end so they can keep their "meaty" texture.
- Stew veggies - All of the essentials for flavour like onion, carrots, celery, and garlic as well as hearty, chunky veggies like rutabaga/swede or turnips, potatoes, and green cabbage for even more flavour and textures.
- All-purpose flour - To help thicken the gravy. Feel free to use cornstarch instead if you are gluten-free.
- Herbs & spices - Fresh thyme, bay leaves, rosemary, salt, and pepper for a full-on flavour boost. Feel free to use dried herbs if you don't have fresh herbs.
- Vegetable stock - To thin everything out and add flavour.
- 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 really adds a massive flavour punch which is really 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
This vegan Irish stew is deceptively easy to make. Here's how to make it on the stovetop. For how to make in an Instant Pot or slow cooker see my detailed instructions in the recipe notes.
Step 1 - If using them, sear the vegan meat or mushrooms in a really hot pan, then remove them and set aside for later.
Step 2 - Saute the onions, carrots, celery and garlic in the same pot then add the flour and let it cook out.
Step 3 - Add the beer! Pour in the Guinness or stout slowly, stirring as you go.
Step 4 - Add everything else, give it a good stir and bring to a simmer.
Cook until the potatoes are soft and the gravy thick. It will look like this:
Step 5 - Pick out the stalks from the fresh herbs and stir the beefless tips or mushrooms back into the stew and let warm for about 10 minutes before serving.
Success Tips
- Be sure to use a large soup pot that holds about 6 quarts / 5.7 litres. This recipe makes a big batch!
- No need to wash the pot throughout the cooking process. Any leftover stuck-on residue from searing the vegan meat/mushrooms adds more flavour!
- Cut the carrots into big chunks instead of thin slices. I don't know what it is but they become so sweet and delicious when they are really chunky.
- Use regular potatoes like Yukon Gold or Russet rather than baby potatoes. They need to be nice and starchy so they can become meltingly soft in the gravy.
- The Guinness/Stout beer adds an incredible authentic Irish flavour to this stew. If you want the best results, don’t swap it out for anything else.
- Use fresh herbs if you can. Their flavour is so much better than dried.
- 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 adding them back in at the end, you get all the flavour without losing texture.
- I like to wait until the potatoes are really soft and just starting to break down before I serve this meal. This means the stew will take about 45 to 50 minutes to cook but you can leave it simmering for much longer if you want. Just turn it down to low and cover with a lid if it's going to be significantly longer.
Ways to adapt this recipe
For the very best results make this vegan Irish stew as written but here are some small adaptations you can make:
- If you don't have Guinness or other dark stout, brown ale or red wine will work well flavour-wise instead. If you don't cook with alcohol at all, replace the beer with more stock, but make sure that it's a really good, flavourful one.
- Use any meat substitute you enjoy in this recipe. Gardein Beefless tips are a great easy to find choice, as are portobello mushrooms, but ready prepared and pre-cooked seitan would be great, and I haven't tried it but soy curls would be an option too.
- Rutabaga (swede as we Brits know it), or turnips are both great in this recipe so use whichever you like best or have on hand.
- If you are gluten-free, use your favourite gluten-free and vegan beer of choice, cornstarch instead of the flour, gluten-free soy sauce or Tamari and mushrooms instead of beefless tips/seitan.
What to serve with vegan Irish stew
This hearty one-pot dish is a meal in itself and doesn't need much to accompany it except some vegan soda bread slathered with vegan butter to mop up that tasty gravy.
If you don't have soda bread any crusty bread will be great, and although not in keeping with the Irish theme, my no-knead focaccia would be amazing with it, as would my sweet potato biscuits.
A big glass of Guinness or red wine is highly recommended too!
Potatoes are already included in this one-pot meal, but some extra vegan mashed potatoes or Bubble and Squeak on the side wouldn't be a bad idea.
Storing, freezing, & reheating
Leftover vegetarian Irish stew can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It also freezes well for up to 3 months, just be aware that potatoes can become a little floury once they have been frozen, defrosted and reheated.
Defrost overnight in the fridge then reheat in a pot on the stove until piping hot, or for a few minutes in the microwave. Feel free to add a splash or two of broth or beer to help thin it out if necessary.
Hungry for more?
Love hearty comfort food like this stew? These recipes are just as filling and flavourful:
- Portobello Pot Roast
- Instant Pot Pot Portobello Pot Roast
- Lentil Shepherd’s Pie
- Vegan Meatloaf With Gravy
- Italian Sausage Pasta Soup
- Vegan Potato Soup
📖 Recipe
Vegan Irish Stew
Author:
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil , or use water for oil-free
- 9 oz / 255 grams OPTIONAL beefless tips or portobello mushrooms , or approx the same amount of seitan pieces (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 any dark stout
- 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 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
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
How to make in an Instant Pot
Follow the steps as per the stovetop instructions, using the saute function to sear the vegan beef/mushrooms (them remove it as per the instructions), and saute the onions, celery, carrots and garlic. DO NOT add the flour. Turn the Instant Pot off and add everything else as instructed (still not adding the flour or the stew will get too thick and trigger the burn error). Give the bottom of the Instant Pot a good scrape with a metal spoon to get any burnt-on residue off, then close the lid, seal the vent, and cook on manual (pressure cook in newer models) on high power for 15 minutes. Once it's done, leave the pressure to release for 10 minutes then release what's left through the vent. While waiting make a slurry with the flour. Add water to it gradually to make a lump-free paste then add a little more, stirring constantly until it's pourable like cream. Once the pressure has released turn off the Instant Pot, remove the lid, scoop out the fresh herb stalks and discard. Turn the Instant Pot to "sauté" and pour in the slurry, stirring immediately to incorporate. Then add the vegan beef/seitan/mushrooms back in and stir gently again. The potatoes will be really soft and might break a little but that's ok. They taste at their best when soft like that in this recipe. Give it a couple of minutes for the gravy to thicken a bit and for everything to warm through then serve.How to make in a Slow Cooker
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 really 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 beeefless tips/mushrooms back in. Let them heat through for 10 minutes then serve.Success Tips
- Be sure to use a large soup pot that holds at least 6 quarts or 5.7 litres. This recipe makes a big batch!
- No need to wash the pot throughout the cooking process. Any leftover stuck-on residue from searing the vegan meat/mushrooms adds more flavour!
- Cut the carrots into big chunks instead of thin slices. I don't know what it is but they become so sweet and delicious when they are really chunky.
- Use regular potatoes like Yukon Gold or Russet rather than baby potatoes. They need to be nice and starchy so they can become meltingly soft in the gravy.
- The Guinness/Stout beer adds an incredible authentic Irish flavour to this stew. If you want the best results, don’t swap it out for anything else.
- Use fresh herbs if you can. Their flavour is so much better than dried.
- 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 adding them back in at the end, you get all the flavour without losing texture.
- I like to wait until the potatoes are really soft and just starting to break down before I serve this meal. This means the stew will take about 45 to 50 minutes to cook but you can leave it simmering for much longer if you want. Just turn it down to low and cover with a lid if it's going to be significantly longer.
Variations
- The Guinness/Stout adds an incredible flavour to this stew and of course an Irish touch, so if you want it to turn out at its very best I don't recommend using anything else. If you are concerned about alcohol, that cooks out and evaporates. If you really can't use it for whatever reason, then red wine works well, as does regular brown ale. You could also just replace it with a good flavourful stock but know that it won't be as flavourful.
- Use any meat substitute you enjoy in this recipe. Gardein Beefless tips are a great easy choice, as are portobello mushrooms, but ready prepared and pre-cooked seitan would be great, and I haven't tried it but soy curls would be an option too. The stew is still absolutely delicious made without the "meat" or mushrooms.
- Rutabaga (swede as we Brits know it), or turnips are both great in this recipe so use whichever you like best or have on hand.
- If you are gluten-free, use your favourite gluten-free and vegan beer of choice, cornstarch instead of the flour, gluten-free soy sauce or tamari, and mushrooms instead of beefless tips/seitan.
NUTRITION
Nutritional information is provided for convenience & as a courtesy. The data is a computer generated estimate so should be used as a guide only.
Recipe FAQs
Use your favourite gluten-free and vegan beer of choice, preferably a nice dark one, cornstarch instead of the flour, omit the gluten-free vegan "meat" or use your favourite gluten-free alternative/mushrooms instead and be sure to use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari.
Even though a full bottle of Guinness is used in this recipe, the finished result doesn't taste beery-y. It just adds a wonderful unspecific depth of flavour. Because of this, I recommend you use it if at all possible as you won't get that great flavour with anything else. If you really don't want to use it, any ale, dark stout or red wine can be used instead. Use more stock (but a really tasty one) if you don't want to use any alcohol but you need to be aware that it won't be anywhere near as tasty.
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. You will find most common brands included there.
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.
Samantha says
The 3 adults loved it - unique and savory. The two well-versed vegan kids? Didn't care for it at all. It's a strong flavor for sure. I added a splash of maple syrup to theirs and they begrudgingly finished their bowls haha Not a hit for them. I was glad I made it and appreciate your work. Great soup for adults!
Helene says
WOW !
I made the recipe with soy curl and mushrooms !
VERY GOOD!
For the winter season, it's perfect !
Rabbithugger says
My husband isn't keen on garlic or spices, and I avoid soy products, but this recipe was delicious even with the omissions. Definitely a keeper that will be used throughout the year.
ANN MONERASINGHE says
Does anyone know if jackfruit can be usesd instead of soy curls?
Thanks, Ann
A Virtual Vegan says
I wouldn't use jackfruit in this recipe. In my opinion, it does not work well in stews.
Christie says
Very good result, I couldn’t have imagined a better vegan Irish stew. I cut the soy sauce in half based on other reviews (and because
I omitted all but one potato, as I was planning to serve the stew over mashed potatoes). I also added a few tablespoons of tomato paste to the mirepoix along with the garlic to help balance the bitterness of the beer. Thank you for your recipes, I just bought the cookbook!
A Virtual Vegan says
Glad you enjoyed it Christie and thanks for purchasing my book. I hope you enjoy cooking from it!
Patricia Giannelia says
Made the stew - awesome recipe!
Tried it - some with Gardein Beefless Tips, some with dry-sautéed mushrooms (large ones, quartered) and seasoned with salt-free Montreal steak seasoning - amazing and preferable (imho), but the stew overall was amazing!
A great St. Patrick's Day dinner, thanks!
Incidentally, I usually use potato starch as a gravy thickener - works great and is gluten free for those who need/prefer it.
Lynne Wright says
You come up with the BEST recipes! Thank you. I made it with Soy Curls and it was great. I did vary the recipe slightly by waiting to add the flour (corn starch in my case) until the end as I was concerned that it would stick or burn to the bottom of the pot if added when it needed a long time to cook. It was the first time I used Guinness stout beer and I thought there was a marble in the can!! (Explained to me by my beer friends.). This is an excellent recipe that I will make all winter long --not waiting for St Patty's day! Thanks for making Vegan cooking so DELICIOUS!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm so pleased you enjoyed it Lynne! The "marble" in the can made me laugh. It really does feel like that when it's rattling around in there!
Colleen Neymeyer says
Don't wait for St. Patrick's Day to have this - it's too good for just once a year. Because I have to cook gluten-free meals, I wasn't able to use Guinness, but my substituted red wine provided a nice depth of flavor. This stew is absolutely delicious - lovely comfort food and it makes a large enough quantity for left-overs for the two of us. Mel's recipes are always terrific, but this one was over the top delicious!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Colleen! I'm really pleased you enjoyed it so much! I love it with red wine too.
Patricia Giannelia says
Hi;
I am looking forward to making it for this Wednesday, but a subsidiary question - you mention soy curls, and I have heard of them before, but have not seen them in stores here (Kelowna). What are they exactly, and where can they be purchased.
thanks!
A Virtual Vegan says
I buy them at a local place here in Victoria, not one that would be in Kelowna unfortunately. You can order them from Vegansupply.ca though. It's an awesome store in Vancouver and they ship Canada-wide (even chilled products like cheese). Soy curls are shrivelled up, dried things that don't look very appetizing, but when you rehydrate them in stock, squeeze it out then cook them as you would meat they are great. They have a really good meaty texture and appearance.
Patricia says
Found them the next day at Choices, so will give them a try - thanks!
Lynne says
I found them at "Quality Foods" in Kelowna but they are a dollar cheaper in West Kelowna at the new "Forks Vegan Foods Store" where I live (the town, not the store!).
DiegoGal says
Very Yum. I added a can of white beans after the fact for some added nutrition (sorry, hope that's not sacrilege). Since I had a 22 oz bottle of Guinness, which was more than the recipe called for, I found a recipe for beer bread and whipped up a loaf while the soup was cooking. Delish!
A Virtual Vegan says
Beer bread is the perfect accompaniment! Glad you enjoyed the stew!
Donxi says
Made it 3 times now and can now say this is the mother of all stews, I lovee it. My friends and family do to. Be carefull to follow the recipe correct or you might have end up like my first stew and have the potatoes to overcooked. Still nice but the crunch add the texture to complete the combination of flavours. I bought me 2 bottles of guinnes yesterday. You already know what time it is hahaha. <3
A Virtual Vegan says
Only 2 bottles??? Haha! So pleased you're enjoying it. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review. It's much appreciated!
Cay says
I've just made this. Its definitely not bland like vegans stew usually is!