30-Minute Vegan Beef Stew Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What gives beef stew the best flavor? ›

Coating the meat in flour and searing adds incredible color and flavor to the beef, which is then infused throughout the stew. It also creates browned bits on the bottom of the pan, and when we deglaze those with red wine, it takes the flavor to new heights.

If you're like me and you love a good meat replacement, you can use a packaged vegan beef, soy curls, or chunks of seitan. As long as you use an appropriate amount of whatever you choose, the recipe should still work just fine.

If you want super tender beef, you'll need to cook it on a low heat in a Dutch oven on the stove or a slow cooker for at least a few hours. Chuck meat is your best bet for beef stew, but it's also a pretty tough cut so it needs time to break down and become tender.

A bit of tomato paste amps up the flavor of beef stew, giving it a richness and a punch of umami that makes the stew truly memorable.

How do you deepen beef stew flavor? Brown your meat, use red wine, and add tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, or mushroom powder for a richer flavor. Instead of wine, you can use beer, like we do in this Guinness Beef Stew.

The idea is to cook the carrots and potatoes at the end of the simmering process, so they don't become mushy. Just make sure to keep an eye on the stew to see if you need to add additional broth or water to keep it from drying out.

The choice becomes easier when you realize that simple baking soda can be an ideal meat tenderizer that helps to bring out all the aromas and flavors in every sizzling beef stew or charburger.

"Soups and stews really need to simmer for long periods to allow the ingredients to meld together. Taking that a step further, most soups and stews are better if you prepare them the day before serving. Allowing them to cool and then reheating them really helps bring out the flavors and textures."

So skip the roux, and don't bother dusting the meat with flour or cornstarch before browning, either, as some recipes will suggest. That will just interfere with getting a good sear on the meat, and gum up the stew with unneeded starch.

Why put celery in stew? ›

Onions: The stew's foundation flavor is savory thanks to the onions. They give the food more flavor and depth. Celery: Celery gives the stew a little herbaceous flavor and a little crunch. It goes really nicely with the steak and the other veggies.

Once the meat is tender - but not falling apart, add the potatoes, celery, carrots and butternut squash. Pour over another 2 cups of beef broth and enough water to cover the vegetables. Raise heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer partially covered for about 30 minutes - until the vegetables are tender.

Sear the meat well.

Searing meat takes a long time, and it's tempting to skip it. Don't. Searing the meat until it develops a dark brown crust and a sticky “fond” starts to glaze over the bottom of the pan are both key to creating the kind of rich, caramelized flavors that make stews irresistibly good.

Because of beef's hearty, robust nature, flavor-forward spices like garlic and onion or herbs like rosemary and oregano are the best choices for an unforgettable beef dinner. An important thing to consider when selecting seasonings for your meal is that you should be seasoning beef based on the cut.

Under-seasoned and bland. This is also fixable: add salt, pepper, and other seasonings of your choice. It will need some time to integrate with the rest of the stew which calls for cooking, though, and as the stew is already overcooked, may not for the best.