This recipe for vegan Irish stew results in a delicious plant-based bowl of stew that is so comforting, warming, and sustaining.
Irish stew is the perfect family meal especially when served with a wedge of wholesome Irish soda bread to dunk in the rich, savoury gravy, there is just nothing better.
Potatoes, carrots, and soya chunks, or an alternative, are stewed in a deeply savoury gravy flavoured with onions, garlic, bay, soya sauce and thyme.
This is an inexpensive meal, utilises everyday ingredients, and is quick to prepare. What's not to love?
The Origins Of Traditional Irish Stew
Irish Stew as the name suggests originates from Ireland and is one of their national meals. However, in today's globalized world Irish stew is enjoyed widely.
Traditionally, Irish Stew is simply prepared by stewing mutton or lamb with potatoes, with the odd carrot or two thrown in if available. Irish stew like many cultural dishes has evolved throughout time and place, with each family and generation adding different ingredients.
Many people claim that for Irish stew to be authentic then just meat, potatoes, onions and water are required. Whereas others have over the years added ingredients such as swede, carrot, barley, garlic and various herbs. Potatoes were added to the stew when they were introduced to Ireland during the 16th Century.
Since the 16th Century, the potato has been Ireland's most popular food staple. Sir Walter Raleigh (1552-1618) returned from exploring the Americas brining with him the first potatoes. It is believed Raleigh was the first to plant potatoes in his home garden in Cork, Ireland.
Combining mutton and potatoes made for an economical and filling dish which sustained many poorer families for centuries. However, a shortage of potatoes was disastrous for the Irish population during the 1845-1849 potato famine.
Nowadays, Irish stew can be purchased prepared in a can/tin, pre-packaged ready-meal and is a popular item on restaurants, café and pub menus up and down the UK, but especially in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Better still is to make this easy and quick stew at home, and prepare it with all-plant vegan ingredients.
Vegan Irish Stew
My family lived in Northern Ireland for some time, and two of my kids were born in Ireland, so we love Irish Stew especially with a hunk of rustic vegan Irish soda bread. Now we are back in Scotland, I make soda bread at home as I find the ones available in the supermarket just don't hit the authentic Irish taste.
This vegan Irish stew recipe subs out the meat and utilises dried soya chunks. Dried soya chunks are otherwise known as textured vegetable protein (TVP) that is usually made from one ingredient: defatted soya flour.
Soya chunks are not the most appealing looking ingredient. But seriously, they actually taste good if prepared properly as the chunks soak up any liquid or sauce flavour that you add to the dish.
Many UK supermarkets stock TVP, as well as most health/wholefood stores. If you are in the US and can't source soya chunks then the best equivalent is soya curls.
TVP chunks pack a protein punch as a 100 grams of dry TVP adds 51.1 grams of protein to your dish! So TVP is perfect for vegans looking for high protein plant-based food.
Alternatively substitute the TVP for sliced tempeh or seitan, or any meat-free chunks or pieces. Chopped mushrooms would make an excellent wholefood replacement.
How To Prepare Vegan Irish Stew
Tip in the dried or fresh or dried thyme, bay leaf, vegan Worcester sauce, soya sauce, and marmite (vegetable extract).
Pour in the hot vegetable stock.
Slice the potatoes, carrots and onions into large chunks and add to the pan.
Dice the garlic and chuck it in the pan.
Bring the stew to the boil, lower the heat and simmer for 40 minutes.
Add the sliced kale and cook for 8-10 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
A scoop of vegan creme fraiche (such as the Oatley variety) is also a tasty addition.
Slices of bread are essential to soak up the delicious stew juices!
Recipe Notes And FAQS
Leftover stew tastes so much better the next day as the flavours continue to develop as it sits in the fridge.
Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Or freeze for up to 4 months.
Reheat leftovers by placing in a saucepan and gently bring to a simmer for 2-3 minutes until piping hot. Defrost before reheating. Add extra veggie stock if necessary to avoid sticking to pan.
Vegan Irish stew is perfect for batch prepping so if you have a large soup-pan and the freezer space, it makes sense to prepare a double batch. Freeze portions for a quick future meal.
For an authentic experience enjoy Irish stew with a chunk of rustic Irish soda bread.
Other ideas:
*vegan wartime traditional champ (potato, swede, and cabbage mash but you can replace the white potatoes with sweet potatoes, celeriac, or cauliflower seeing as Irish stew already features white potatoes)
*mashed turnip/swede/rutabaga or neeps as its known in Scotland
*steamed greens
*green beans/runner beans/broad beans
*peas, especially tasty with a pat of vegan butter and chopped mint mixed through
*chopped parsley or dill
*traditional Scottish oatcakes
*corn bread
*plain scones
*American biscuits
*any vegan crusty bread
*vegan-friendly garlic bread
*quick vegan dinner rolls
*canned butterbeans
*pickled red cabbage
*boiled or pickled beetroot
*tomato ketchup/brown sauce
*a nice glass of chilled oat milk
Yes but the flavours of the stew will be different and the overall dish may not resemble Irish stew. But the stew will still be pretty delicious.
A few ideas:
*replace the soya chunks with soya curls, tempeh, seitan, any meat-free pieces/chunks, or even thick chopped mushrooms
*use sweet potatoes or butternut squash instead of white potatoes
*replace the carrot with turnip/swede/parsnips/celeriac
*use leeks or shallots instead of onions
*add dried garlic and/or dried onion instead of fresh, a few teaspoons of each
*instead of adding marmite, tamari, vegan Worcester sauce to flavour the gravy add a few tablespoons of vegan gravy powder near the end of stewing to flavour and thicken up the stock
*add cabbage, collards, spring greens, chard, savoy cabbage, sweetheart cabbage, etc in-place of the kale. Or omit the greens.
*instead of dried thyme use mixed dried herbs
*replace the fresh thyme with fresh chopped parsley
*use regular soya sauce instead of tamari soya sauce
*use 2 tablespoons of soya sauce if you can't source vegan Worcester sauce
Yes. Irish stew can be easily made gluten-free. Simply check that your vegan stock and flavourings are certified gluten-free. And choose gluten-free meat-free pieces/chunks.
More Vegan Traditional Stew Recipes:
Vegan Traditional Scottish stovies
Traditional British vegan 'beef' stew
Vegan slow cooker 'beef' stew with fluffy dumplings
Creamy cashew, lentil, and roast cauliflower Moroccan stew
Slow cooker sweet and smoky campfire stew (with jackfruit)
Vegan Irish Stew
Equipment
- Large Saucepan/Soup pan/Dutch oven pan
Ingredients
- 100 gram dried soya chunks (TVP textured vegetable protein) Alternatively use 300 grams of fresh/frozen vegan pieces/tempeh/seitan/soya curls.
- 500 gram potatoes Chopped into big chunk size pieces. I tend to leave the skins on if they are unblemished.
- 115 gram onion 1 medium, rough chopped.
- 4 cloves garlic Minced/diced.
- 290 gram carrots 2 medium-large, chopped into large chunks.
- 120 gram kale chopped, tough stalks removed. This ingredient is optional.
- 1.5 litres vegan stock use vegan 'beef' stock if available, or just regular vegetable stock.
- 1 tablespoon tamari soya sauce or regular soya sauce.
- 1 tablespoon vegan Worcester sauce or replace with extra soya sauce.
- 1 teaspoon yeast extract or Marmite.
- 2 Bay leaf
- 2 teaspoon dried thyme or use a few sprigs of fresh thyme
Instructions
- Add the dried TVP chunks to your pan and cover with 1.5 litres or 7 cups of hot vegan stock. Mix through the yeast extract, bay leaf, thyme, tamari, Worcester sauce and stock cubes. Leave to marinade and hydrate while you chop the veggies.
- Add the carrot, onion, garlic, and potatoes. Mix.
- Bring to the boil and lower the heat to low-medium.
- Simmer for 40 minutes.
- Add the kale and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove the bay leaf.
- Serve with a few dollops of brown sauce or tomato ketchup if liked.
Notes
- Nutritional information is provided for guidance only and is not a strict analysis as ingredients vary. Data is calculated using computerized nutrition apps.
- For less sodium use a low sodium vegan stock, and use tamari soya sauce in-place of regular.
- For a gluten-free Irish stew ensure your vegan meat-free pieces, vegan stock and any flavourings added are certified gluten-free. Tamari soya sauce is generally gluten-free.
- Leftover Irish stew will keep fresh in the fridge, in a covered container, for 3 days. Reheat in a pan, gently simmering for 2-3 minutes until piping hot. Extra veggie stock may need to be added if the stew has become very thick.
- Freeze leftovers for up to 4 months. Defrost before reheating.
- Enjoy leftovers for lunch the next day either served on toast or with a wedge of wholemeal crusty bread.
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady
I've always been a fan of the taste of Irish stew, but not of the lamb or mutton in the dish. I love that this is meat free, but still so full of flavour!
Thanks so much! Glad you like the recipe!
Jeannie
very comforting, Id love a vegan meal so this is perfect and very easy to try. thanks for sharing
I agree! This meal is so comforting. Happy cooking!
Gregory Halpen
Omg. This looks amazing! I want to try this out for an Easter meal!
Thanks so much! Hope you have a great Easter meal!
Lee
Was looking for something simple to make for dinner and think I have found it as I happen to have all these ingredients in! Apart from the Worcester sauce. What could I use instead? thanks!!!
Try replacing the Worcester sauce with light soy sauce that usually works for me whenever I run out. Let me know how you get on! Happy cooking!
Christina's Bread Bakes
Your recipes are always so easy to follow. This is very tasty and I agree that the reheated leftovers develop even more flavor. Thanks for the great alternative to a traditional meat recipe.
Thanks so much your very welcome! So glad to know that my recipes are easy to follow. That's what I aim for!