Sometimes you just need some Heavy Duty Comfort Food
The kind that sticks to your ribs and makes you pleasantly stuffed.
Not Beef Stew
Seasoned Soy Curls:
- 1/2 package Butler Soy Curls (I’m trying out some new vegan products for MOFO) prepared according to package directions and drained, these are GMO free, organic and use the whole soy bean. If you can’t source these or if you prefer, you can use 16 oz of cubed baby portobellos instead.
- 1/4 C. white whole wheat flour
- 1 t. garlic powder
- 1 t. dried oregano
- 1 t. dried thyme
- 1/2 t. ground pepper
- 1 t. sea salt
Using a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat, combine all ingredients above and brown the soy curls on all sides until nicely golden and crispy. You may need to use a bit of pan spray. Remove soy curls from dutch oven and set aside.
Add to dutch oven with a bit of water to saute the veggies in:
The Stew Veggies:
- 1 diced onion
- 4 minced garlic cloves
- 2 diced carrots
- 3 russet potatoes or big red potatoes diced with skins on
- 1/2 t. ground pepper
- 1 t. sea salt
- 1 t. dried oregano
- 1 t. dried thyme
- 1 t. ground black pepper
- couple dashes of hot sauce.
Cook over medium heat until onions are slightly soft, and water has evaporated. Add 2 T. white whole wheat flour and cook and stir til everything is really nice and browned, stirring and scraping up browned bits on bottom as you go.
Quickly add:
The Good Stuff:
- 6 C. quality vegetable stock
- 1/3 C. tomato paste
- 4 T. soy sauce
- 4 T. vegan worcestershire
- 2 T. pure maple syrup
- 1/4 c. dry sherry
- 2 T. cocoa powder (for color)
- cooked and seasoned soy curls (from above)
Simmer with the lid on over medium-low heat for 30 minutes or until veggies are fork tender
Add:
- 1 C. cashew cream (from 1/2 C. soaked cashews and 1 C. filtered water blended until thick)
- 1 C. frozen baby peas.
Vedged Out 
haha, ohhhh I want one of those mutant bread bowls filled with steaming hot stew! BRILLIANT idea – I want to try it with portobellos too, NOM! – and definitely one to remember next time I have Omni’s visiting.
Yes, this would make the omni’s super happy (it really made this retired Omni REALLY happy!) I only used the Butler soy curls because I bought a few new vegan products for MOFO to try. They are pretty good, but not something I would use all the time as I prefer to stick to whole foods.
I will try this one … Nice one for the cooler days.. Did the stew taste rich 🙂 looks like it would.. Nice post .. Thank U
It is really rich and hearty. Perfect winter food! Thanks Thom 🙂
Dang, girl!! That looks freakin’ delish even at 6:15 am! I’m so ready for comfort food.
I seriously am so sad that it’s all gone. I finally gave in and decided to try the soy curls (after seeing them a kajillion times on Turning Veganese) since I’m testing out a few new products for MOFO. They are pretty amazing, but not something I want to cook with all the time. Totally doing mushrooms next round. I think once I’ve been vegan longer I might not be as interested in imitations 😉
That looks so good Somer! It is chilly and cloudy here in Middle TN… perfect stew weather.
I adore stew weather, and Utah has a really long winter! It’s no wonder I put on 5 lbs every winter (only to take it off with spring races) 😉
Looks good sis!
Thanks dude! When I posted it, I was totally wishing I had another bowl!
I’d do that with the ‘shrooms!
Nice, I think the ‘shrooms won’t need to be cooked up separately first like the soy curls, just add them with the other veg to the pot, then once the onions are cooked add the additional seasonings and flour at that time 🙂 I bought the soy curls to test for MOFO, they are pretty good, but not something I’m planning on using often as I try to stick to unprocessed items 😉
Ok, that’s it. I can’t take it anymore. I’m sending my veggie daughter-in-law to your blog
Ha! I knew I’d win you over at some point! Seriously though, this is the reason I blog, VEGAN FOOD IS YUMMY! Thanks for all your sweet remarks Jim! Really makes my day!
mmm, a warm and cosy supper – yum! x
Cosy is exactly the right description 🙂 xx
I love comfort food. I just made mediocre chili, but it was just what I was craving. Changes in temperature bring on changes in appetite, know what I mean?
Totally! And I’m sure your chili was anything but mediocre dude. 🙂
No, it was missing something, and I used crushed tomatoes instead of diced or whole that I chop up myself. It was good, but a little off. No biggie.
Wait until the potluck. I’m making ravioli this Friday. . .
mmmm. Ravioli. I’ve made homemade noodles for soup before, but haven’t done ravioli. Imagine all the deliciousness you can stuff inside those babies!
YUMcellent! I could see it with either. We do like some vegan beef tips, but also prefer to limit processed foods.
Vegan beef tips? Wow. Sometimes I think I live under a rock 😉 That’s what I get for not living close enough to a whole foods.
Wet keyboard. You should put a drool alert up with that pic.
Haha, it’s funny that I thought I was over certain cravings, then I try and get creative for vegan MOFO. I’m really enjoying all this “naughty vegan” food 🙂
Can anyone really resist the power of a bread bowl with something savory and warm inside? Can’t wait to give it a go.
This looks fantastic – and perfect for a chilly fall night! Gonna try this one for sure!
It won’t disappoint! I totally wish I had made a triple batch and frozen the leftovers for quick dinners! Let me know if you make it! 🙂
Loving those mutant bread rolls! Lovely comfort food here Somer 🙂
Thanks Shira! They didn’t turn out exactly the way I planned, but they were delicious anyway! 🙂
Looks just like beef stew! And it sounds just as tasty – I used to think that would be breaking some kind of vegan rules, but you are showing me different. Yum. I bet you could make the beef farmer husband like vegan.. I once took him to a vegetarian restaurant and his comment, upon entering, was “I’m not going to like this from the get-go..”. 🙂
Oh Heidi! I’m constantly surprising myself that old favorites aren’t necessarily entirely off the menu. Although I’m sure some would frown on my methods. The truth is that I really truly used to enjoy meat and dairy and sometimes I feel like eating something like I used to. I was recently given a gift of a book called the complete guide to vegan substitutions! I couldn’t put it down! Such an eye opener. I wish I had it when I first changed my diet, it would have saved 2 months of tears and kitchen failures and made the transition so much easier. Of course I’ve since found my groove, but it was hard to find it. p.s. I bet I could make your husband like it too, I had our neighbors over for dinner a few weeks ago, the husband of the family is a big burly narcotics officer (definitely a big meat eater). I made black bean enchiladas with cashew cheez, spanish rice, green salad with vegenaise ranch dressing, and the mini chocolate cashew cheezcakes. He ate seconds and thirds and said it was one of the best meals he ever had.
I think it would be much more difficult if I was always sacrificing taste for health, but I’m really not! 🙂
Girl, you are on a cold weather comfort food roll! And the bread bowls- YUM! I really need to try soy curls- I just keep putting it off but everyone raves about them! 🙂
I held off too, they just seemed so “un-natural”. I pushed myself to buy a few new products for MOFO though, and indeed they are uncannily meaty. But the truth is in the ingredient label:
Ingredients:
Soy Curls are made from delicately textured select, non GMO, whole soybeans.
That’s a lot less processed than you might think. Plus my family really enjoyed them.
i want some of those mutant bread bowls filled with steaming hot stew too. its cold out here today.
Wish I could send some your way, I’ll bet your ready for a break from pizza! 😉 I’m so not ready for winter to be here. Ugh.
This looks divine! It’s so cold at the moment. I will definitely be trying this at the weekend. I’m sure it will warm me to the bone! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Thank you! It will totally warm you to the bone! I adored it. Hope you do too! 🙂
This looks so good!
Thanks Melissa!!! 🙂
This stew was SUPER tasty! Practically drank the last drops out of the jar. A new convert to the soy curls- I love them!
So glad you loved it. How nice was that little lunch we shared? Still drooling over your smoked maple tempeh! YUM!
Vegan Beef Stew is one of my favorite comfort foods and Justin’s too! Barb mentioned soy curls and now you – I need to get up on this bandwagon!
I was really afraid of them, but there’s not much to be afraid of. I can’t say that they’re any more processed than tofu. Hey, thanks for signing up for the VVP! Really glad to have you on board!
Hello, I was wondering what the purpose of the cashew cream was for? Do you know of a substitute that could be used? Is it to thicken it up a bit? Thanks so much from a newbie!
Beth, in my memory real beef stew gets a tender creaminess that is rendered from the fat in the beef used in the stew. The cashew cream mimics that creaminess without harming any cows 😉 You could use a bit of non dairy sour cream if you prefer or leave it without. It’s delicious either way, the cashew cream just takes it to the next level.
Okay, thanks!!!!
Anytime!
I’m so excited and can’t WAIT to try this. I live in Athens where something like soy curls will probably be hard to find, so I may experiment a bit with TVP. Or the portobellos you suggest! Either way, I can’t wait! Now that fall has finally arrived in the Mediterranean I can’t get enough of hearty soups and stews!
TVP or portabellos will work perfectly! I hope you enjoy it 🙂
I did I did! It’s amazing! So amazing I had to share it. http://amerikaniki.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/wedding-photos-and-beef-stew-like-bread-and-butter-right/ Thank you for the amazing recipe! It reminded me of my mom’s beef stew that I used to eat ages ago! I wasn’t so lucky with the TVP (ended up a bit spongy…), but I’m new at working with it and frankly I’m just amazed that I can get it at my grocery store here!
I saw! You incredible creature!
Indulge a Brit here – what are “mutant bread bowls”? I’m not unfamiliar with the concept (in mediaeval England people would typically eat stews etc in a “trencher” of bread rather than use dishes) but it’s not something I’ve come across recently. Our closest version would probably be a Yorkshire pudding. Can anyone throw a recipe my way 🙂 ….? (the stew looks fabulous by the way!).
Haha, it was a joke! A bread bowl is just a LARGE bread roll, you cut off the top, scoop out its innards and pour your soup or stew inside and dip the bready bits you removed into your soup. My bread bowls mutated, hence “mutant bread bowls” any bread recipe should do really, but I shall find you one… Ah, here you go, I would leave out the egg white because I’m vegan…
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/italian-bread-bowls/
Best of luck!
Thanks!
Hi! This Looks amazing, I can’t wait to try it. 🙂 Can you tell me how many servings this recipe makes?
I would say 6-8 servings 🙂
Great, Thank you so much!
Also, Do you have a recipe for the bread bowls?
My recipe didn’t turn out, which is why I didn’t share it, but any bread recipe can typically be made into bowls. Here’s one 🙂 I would just omit the egg white.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/italian-bread-bowls/
Looks amazing! Just one question, if I use baby portobellos, do I still follow the directions for seasoned Soy Curls or do I skip this step?
I would follow the steps since it will add the right flavor profile for the stew. Enjoy!
I used baby portobellos and followed the recipe like you suggested. It is absolutely delicious!!! This is the 4th recipe I have tried from your site and they have all been amazing. I don’t know how to thank you enough. You and your recipes have changed my life. I have shared all the recipes with my friends and told them about your site. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Gosh! Don’t make me cry! xoxo!