This Vegan Guy Fawkes Stew is adapted from a vintage 1970s British recipe card and it is a tasty, easy, budget-friendly cosy family dinner perfect for the chillier months.
The recipe uses textured vegetable protein (TVP) chunks but you can use any dried meat-free chunk, such as soy curls, or replace with your preferred fresh/frozen meat-free pieces. See the recipe notes directly under the recipe for more details.
Jump to:
This vegan stew is ideal for enjoying over the Harvest, Autumn, Halloween season as well as for Guy Fawkes evening. It is warming with the spices of chilli and curry, packed with savoury flavours from the soy sauce and vegetable extract (Marmite), and comforting with the rich thick glossy home-made gravy.
The TVP chunks are very tasty as they soak up all the flavours and provide a soft chewy texture. My family likes to have baked or jacket potatoes with their Guy Fawkes Stew but mashed potatoes go nicely too, as does a green vegetable such as green beans or peas. We also love a scoop of our Witches' Cauldron Beans as they are a fun spooky side dish!
🔥 Why you'll love this vegan Guy Fawkes Stew 🔥
- Warming & Homely: Perfect for chilly autumn evenings, Bonfire Night, Halloween dinner or anytime you fancy a cosy bowl of vegan stew.
- Budget-friendly: Makes good use of inexpensive store-cupboard ingredients & cheap vegetables like TVP, Marmite, canned butter beans, soy sauce, and carrots & onions for a frugal tummy-filling meal.
- Packed with plant-based flavours: A rich glossy meat-free gravy enriched with curry and chilli powder which adds just the right amount of warmth and comfort.
- Easy sides: Serve with baked or mashed potatoes, crusty bread, green vegetables, or even spooned over rice for an easy family dinner.
- Adaptable: Add in your favourite root vegetables or replace the carrots with sweet potatoes, or replace the butter beans with kidney beans or chickpeas. Use the recipe as a basis and make the stew your own.
- Nostalgic vintage recipe: Inspired by an old-fashioned 1970s British recipe card which connects us with our ancestors & loved ones. Traditional recipes can still be celebrated and enjoyed with plant-based ingredients and every-day vegan-friendly ingredients.
Origin of Guy Fawkes Stew
The original recipe was published by Hamlyn in 1977 as part of their British vintage recipe box set under the 'traditional dishes' section. The stews unique descriptive name refers to the British tradition of having a homely stew for a Guy Fawkes dinner.
This recipe deviates from the usual British meat stew as it includes chilli powder and curry powder which have likely been added to give it a bit more warmth and kick suitable for Bonfire night.
I have included photos, see below, of the original recipe card as some readers may be interested to see the original photo and recipe text. My vegan version looks quite similar to the original image.
Serving suggestion - easy 4 ingredient homemade bread that takes less than an hour to prepare
For an easy budget-friendly homemade bread that is perfect for soaking up gravy juices, do have a go at baking my Damper bread recipe. It takes less than an hour from start to finish and only needs 4 ingredients and water: self-raising flour, salt, milk and margarine. It's similar to a white Irish soda bread. I make dairy-free damper bread but of course you can use your usual milk and margarine/butter.
***please note: for US measurements click the 'US customary button' within the recipe and the measurements will switch to tablespoons, cups, and ounces.***
📖 Recipe
Vegan Guy Fawkes Stew (Easy Bonfire Night Dinner)
Equipment
- 2 heatproof measuring jugs or bowls
- mixing spoon
- Colander,
- Large non-stick pot, with lid
- ladle
Ingredients
To soak TVP chunks:
- 85 grams textured vegetable protein (TVP) chunks (once rehydrated the weight of the TVP is roughly 295 grams or 11 oz)
- 1 teaspoon vegetable extract (or Marmite)
- 500 millilitres vegetable stock, hot (use a meat-free 'beef' flavour stock if available such as plant-based 'beef' OXO cubes)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 bay leaf, optional
Stew:
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 large onion (about 260 grams, rough chopped)
- 2 large carrots (about 300 grams, thick sliced)
- 1 can butter beans (lima beans) (1 x 400 grams or 14 oz can, drained or 240 grams or 8 oz cooked butter beans)
- 15 grams plain flour
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 600 mililitres vegetable stock
Instructions
Soak the TVP chunks
- Add the TVP to a heat-proof bowl and pour in hot vegetable stock. Add the bay leaf if using.85 grams textured vegetable protein (TVP) chunks, 1 teaspoon vegetable extract, 500 millilitres vegetable stock, hot, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 bay leaf, optional
- Soak for at least 30 minutes, stirring the chunks every now and again.
- Once soaked drain the TVP chunks from the stock, pressing the excess stock from the chunks into a jug, as you will be using this stock to make up the liquid required to cook the stew.
Prepare the stew:
- Using the drained stock from the TVP chunks top it up with more vegetable stock to make 600 millilitres (about 2 ¾ cups) of vegetable stock.(I ended up with 305 mililitres of stock drained from the chunks so I added 300 mililitres of vegetable stock to make up the 600 mililitres required for the stew.)
- Heat the oil in a non-stick pot over a medium heat.2 tablespoons oil
- Cook the onion, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.1 large onion
- Add the TVP chunks, carrot, and butter beans and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.2 large carrots, 1 can butter beans (lima beans)
- Stir through the flour.15 grams plain flour
- Stir in the curry powder, chilli powder, garlic powder, and onion powder.1 teaspoon curry powder, 1 teaspoon chilli powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Pour in the vegetable stock, that was prepared earlier, and add the soy sauce.600 mililitres vegetable stock, 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- Stir well and bring to the boil.
- Turn the heat to low, place a lid over the pot and simmer for 35-40 minutes, stirring every now and again. If you think it needs it you can add a little extra vegetable stock but this stew is meant to have a nice thick gravy once cooked.
- Season to taste with salt & pepper, if necessary.
Serving suggestion
- Serve with baked or jacket potatoes or mashed potatoes, or rice, and a green vegetable such as green beans, peas or kale. Crusty bread is a nice addition.
Notes
💡 Recipe Notes
- This meat-free stew is for everyone:
This is a great meat-free, vegetarian, plant-based and vegan alternative for Bonfire Night, Halloween or cosy autumn or winter meals. Even those meat-eating family members may enjoy it as the textured vegetable protein (TVP) chunks have a satisfying, chewy texture and soak up all that home-made rich gravy. It's a great recipe to make if you're cooking for mixed-diet guests. For more portions just double the recipe.
-
Gluten-free:
This stew can easily be made gluten-free by using a gluten-free soy sauce or tamari, and a gluten-free plain flour blend for thickening. Also check that your stock cubes and vegetable extract (such as Marmite) are also gluten-free. The vegetable extract can be omitted if required. -
Oil-free:
To make this recipe oil-free, omit the frying stage and instead add the soaked and drained TVP chunks, carrots, onions, and butter beans directly to the pot. Stir through the flour and spices. Pour in the stock and soy sauce. Optional: Once cooked, stir through a few teaspoons of white miso paste for a nice rich flavour that replaces the depth usually gained from frying the vegetables at the start of cooking. -
Easy serving ideas:
Serve the stew with baked or mashed potatoes, rice, green vegetables, crusty bread or garlic bread. It also makes a hearty pie filling topped with mashed potatoes or puff pastry and baked until golden. -
Storage:
Leftovers will keep in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavours develop even more overnight. -
Freezing:
This stew can be frozen for up to 2-3 months. Allow it to cool completely and then transfer to freezer-safe tubs.Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. -
Reheating:
Reheat gently on the stove-top over a medium-low heat until piping hot, adding a splash of water or stock to loosen the gravy as it will likely have thickened a lot. Alternatively, microwave for a few minutes, stirring a few times until piping hot. -
Make-ahead tip:
The stew tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for preparing ahead for Bonfire Night, Guy Fawkes, or Halloween parties or quick family dinners. - Adaptions: The dried TVP chunks can be replaced with about 300 grams (11 oz) fresh or frozen (de-frosted) meat-free chunks or pieces. To use: omit the soaking stage but add the bay leaf, soy sauce, and vegetable extract to the stew at the stage when the 600 mililitres (2 ¾ cups) vegetable stock is added.
Nutrition
More vegan stew recipes
There's nothing better than a hot bowl of home-made wholesome vegetable-based stew especially during those chillier months. As well as being easily adapted to whatever ingredients or flavours you have to hand or prefer, my meat-free stew recipes are budget-friendly and are all sourced from traditional vintage recipes that have stood the test of time. A few of my family favourites are this Vegan Traditional British Beef Stew, this Vegan Beef and Tomato Stew, and this Slow Cooker Vegan Beef Stew and Dumplings, and lastly this delicious wholesome Vegetable Stew and Dumplings recipe is a staple meal in my house.
Comments
It would be wonderful if you could drop me a comment below if you prepared this vegan Guy Fawkes Stew, as I would love to know how you got on with the recipe. Thanks so much. All the best Jacq x
Jacq says
Hello! My family enjoys this vegan Guy Fawkes Stew but we would love to know what you think. Do leave us a comment below. Thanks! Jacq x