Author: Vegan Irish Stew! Perfect for St. Patrick's Day. Hearty vegetables in a rich, earthy, thick stout beer broth. It's a stick to your ribs kinda stew! This Vegan Irish Stew is just so many good things in a bowl it will make your stomach smile. So dang hearty, I'm pretty much obsessed with the mixture of chunky vegetables in the rich stout based broth. Eeeerrrrrrrrk! ~Record scratch~ I'm sorry, did I say stout, as in beer? Yes, yes I did.
Irish stew is traditionally a lamb stew made with Guinness stout beer. Obviously, lamb isn't vegan, but now Guinness is vegan!! Believe it or not, the people at Guinness announced they changed their 250+ year recipe to make it vegan! Is that a sign of the times or what!?
Back to the broth: The stout beer in this recipe gives the broth rich, thick, and deep earthy tones. The alcohol gets cooked out, and the end result tastes wonderful. Seriously, good things are happening in my kitchen today.
If you don't like Guinness, you can use the handy-dandy Vegaholic app or check out Barnivore online to find a vegan-friendly stout you love.
This Vegan Irish Stew is the perfect way to celebrate St. Patrick's day, or really any day that you want a warm rich stew. Serve it with a crusty loaf of bread or a soda bread for cleaning up every last bit of broth and you have yourself one mighty fine meal! It's a good thing. 😉
To Make Vegan Irish Stew:
Gather up all your hearty veggie goodness. Omnomnom.
Chop up all the veggies into chunky pieces because this stew is all about rustic chunks of veggie deliciousness... and beer... but we'll get to that shortly.
Sauté the celery, onion, and garlic in the olive oil, until the onion becomes translucent and just begin to brown. Now sprinkle in the flour. Stir well to coat the veggies, and cook for another minute to heat up the flour. Add the vegetable broth, and scrape the bottom of the pan with your spoon to get any bits off the bottom.
Add in all of the remaining veggies, tomato paste, spices, and the beer! (See, I told you we would get to that part). It will probably foam and do beer-like things, but that's ok, the bubbles and alcohol will cook right out.
Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 - 15 minutes until the veggies are fork-tender, but not mushy. The stew will be very thick. If you prefer a thinner stew, feel free to thin it out to taste with 1 to 2 more cups of vegetable broth.
Common Questions:
Is Guinness vegan friendly?
Yes, Guinness is 100% vegan!! No animal products have been used in its brewing or filtering, or as ingredients since 2018.
What should I serve with stew?
Be sure to make sure the ingredients are vegan but a nice crusty loaf, soda bread, or dinner roll is the perfect companion to a hearty stew.
Bon Appetegan!
Sam Turnbull
(click stars to vote)
Vegan Irish Stew
Servings: (makes about 1.5L)
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 - 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 can (473ml) vegan stout beer
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks (optional)
- 8 oz mushrooms, quartered
- 2 ½ cups baby potatoes, halved (or about 2 regular potatoes and cut into chunks)
- ½ cup tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- Please note that some people find this recipe bitter. I love the bitter taste, but if you do not like bitter flavors here are my tips: try using less tomato paste to start, adding more later to taste if desired. Make sure you use a beer you like the flavor of, if you don't like it before it goes in the soup, you won't like it in the soup. You can start with less beer to taste or replace the beer completely with a vegan beefless broth. If you find the finished soup too bitter try adding fat such as 1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil, or vegan butter and some sweetness such as 1 - 2 tablespoons brown or white sugar, agave, or maple syrup.
- Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, and when hot add in the celery, onion, and garlic. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent and just begins to brown about 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle in the flour. Stir well to coat the veggies, and cook for another minute to heat up the flour. Add 2 cups of vegetable broth, and scrape the bottom of the pan with your spoon to get any bits off the bottom. Add in the beer, all of the remaining veggies, tomato paste, and spices. The beer will foam up, but that’s ok, the bubbles and alcohol will cook right out.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 – 15 minutes until the veggies are fork-tender, but not mushy. The stew will be very thick! If you prefer a thinner stew, feel free to thin it out to taste with 1 to 2 more cups of vegetable broth. Remove bay leaves before serving, and enjoy hot. Allow leftovers to cool and store covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
⭐ Did You Make This Recipe?
I’d love if you left a rating and comment, it helps others find the recipe and makes my day! 💕Bon appetegan!
Sam.
John Huenemann says
This looks great! My partner and I are a vegetarian/omnivorous couple, so finding filling, interesting dishes like this one is especially good for us. Looking forward to trying it this week!
Sam Turnbull says
Awesome! I hope you love it, John 🙂
Barbara says
Fabulous recipe Sam, I left out celery because we don’t like it but put in the last of my parsnips from the garden and it was brill, I’ve never used beer in cooking before, but I’m a convert. xxx
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Awesome, thrilled you enjoyed it so much, Barbara.
Brigitte says
So I just made this awsome stew! The only single beer in the store was Guinness extra stout....22oz I bought it because I don’t drink beer and I didn’t want to have extra .my recipe turned out really good but because my beer had extra stout it was super strong but still very good I added dry savory seasoning and served it over cooked farro . I love farro the chewiness of it with it it’s very good . Great recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed it so much, Brigitte 🙂
Ashley says
This is amazing!! I made it in a pretty large batch since I'm a college student and this is a delicious meal I can put in jars and take with me!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! Thrilled you enjoyed it, Ashley 🙂
Isabella Zimmer says
Loved it!! So hearty, so warm, so yummy! My 2 year old loved it. Didn't have parsnips so added cauliflower instead. Will definitely make again and try adding different veggies for a switch up.
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! So happy you both enjoyed it 🙂
Becky says
Hi Sam! I made this stew for the evening meal on St. Patrick's Day. I was so surprised (although I can't think why-all your recipes are the BOMB!). The gravy turned out to be "beef-ier" than any gravy I ever made with beef. There was something in the way the stout mixed with the veggies and broth and flour that made for a satisfying, creamy gravy. Genius! Thank you for your wonderful videos and recipes.
Sam Turnbull says
Woohoo!!! Can't get a much better review than that, thank you, Becky! 😀
Robin says
This stew was sooo good! I added some green cabbage because that's been traditional with corned beef and I had just run out and bout a small head before deciding on this recip, so wanted to use some. It was my first St. Patrick's Day stew as a vegan, and it delivered! The parsnips have it a nice crunch and some sweetness. Turnips might also be a good addition I'm thinking. I think the shiitake it-I used a 12 oz bottle of Guinness. Thanks for emailing this recipe. It's a keeper!!
Robin says
Arghhh, I bought a small head of cabbage before deciding on this recipe.The parsnips gave it...I thought the stout made it (not shiitake). I really have to check the autocorrect on my Kindle before sending .
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! Thrilled you enjoyed it so much, Robin 🙂
Jessica says
Made this for dinner tonight and I loved it! I used Guinness drought for the stout and it was perfect! Exactly what I wanted to for St. Patties day. Thanks Sam! ^_^
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! So happy you enjoyed it, Jessica 😀
Jessica S. says
I liked it. My kids didn't, but they don't like anything so we never rate food by their likes. 😉
I used my Instant Pot (IP) to make this and replaced the nips with more potatoes and we used Guiness Stout.. I used the IP saute feature for the onion, celery and garlic (using water rather than oil) and then added all the other ingredients. I didn't have fresh mushrooms, but I had shiitake mushrooms leftover from your Crispy & Chewy Sesame Shiitake and soaked those to use. I used the resultant broth for the called for vegetable broth. I used the IP manual feature set for 12 minutes and allowed 10-15 minutes of natural release. It was very good with Irish Brown Soda Bread.
Robin says
Jessica, what Irish Brown Soda Bread recipe did you use? Sounds like an ideal pairing!
Jessica S. says
Is it OK to post recipes from other sites? This is the one I used...
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful, so happy you enjoyed, Jessica!
Nancy C says
Thank you for details cooking this receip in your IP. I will also make this now in my Instant Pot because of your instructions. I can’t wait to try this wonderful recipe.
Mary says
I think I made a mistake. Sam please help...the broth was delish savory and yummy but my mushrooms, potatoes and the parsnips had a pretty nasty after taste of stout when we ate them. The stout taste was very strong in the vegetables. I was so sad because the gravy broth was so good. How did I screw this up? Thank you
Ryan says
I made this for dinner tonight and had a similar result. My partner, on the other hand, loved every bite. I have a feeling that I should stick to using lighter lagers in my cooking, even an Irish stew. I increased the cooking time to about 30 minutes hoping to further mellow the stout flavour. Despite my newfound disinclination for the flavour of stout, this is a great, simple recipe and I look forward to trying it again with a lager. I actually took a swig from the can before cooking, just to try it, and almost spit it out. My first and last stout drinking experience 🙂
Ribin says
I think stout may be an acquired taste...I remember trying a Guiness back in my early 20s and thinking how awful it was-fast forward over 40 years and now I find it to be a rather mild, and enjoyable stout. I look forward to it each St. Patrick's Day. The rest of the year I'm an IPA drinker. My stew's still simmering, but it smells delish. I added some fresh cabbage because, well, what's St. Patrick's Day without cabbage?
Sam Turnbull says
Yes, the stew has a rich, slightly bitter taste from the stout, perhaps that isn't to some peoples taste... So happy you enjoyed it, Ribin! 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Mary, that's too bad! Maybe it needed a little bit more cooking to finish cooking out the alcohol? Or perhaps the stout you used wasn't to your taste. It's difficult to know without being in the kitchen with you. Sorry, I can't be more help!
Bajan-mum says
Yummy Sam, it was absolutely amazing. I made it last night and found your dumplings recipe from way back when (2013), and steamed those babies in the stew. They were so soft and fluffy. And the stew was savoury and oh so tasty. Thanks for a great recipe xxx
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! So happy you enjoyed it so much! And wow, yeah that's an old recipe, I should probably update that! 😀
BN says
I'm going to include veggie protein chunks to mimic 'beef' so that there is a protein element. Also, doing in the slow cooker.
Sam Turnbull says
I hope you enjoy it, BN. 🙂
Robin says
You might try soy curls or jackfruit.
Jessy says
I will definitely try your Stew this weekend and add some big chunks of white cabbage. I had leftover cabbage last year when I was making an Irish Stew and it was probably the best way I ever ate cabbage. Fits quite nicely for an Irish dish anyway 😀
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! I hope you enjoy it, Jessy!
Georgie Rodgers says
Hi Sam!
This looks delicious, I've a mind to try it this weekend!
How long does it keep for would you suggest?
Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Georgie, I would say about 3-4 days in the fridge... that said it's never lasted that long in my house, omnomnom! Haha
Allison says
Hi Sam!
I love your website. Such yummy food! I have a question about the tomato product in this recipe. I've noticed on various websites that paste and sauce are not always used consistently. Is the tomato product in this recipe the thinner sauce or the very thick paste? I'm in the USA - do you think the difference I've noticed is a Canadian/USA terminology difference? Thanks for your help! You're amazing =)
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Allison, welcome! In this recipe I mean paste the thick stuff that comes in the tiny can like this. I have lived in the US as well, and I am pretty sure we both call it the same thing. Hope that helps!
Gabbi says
I also found the 1/2 cup of tomato paste to be confusing and assumed that it was a typo. Most recipes call for a tablespoon or two only as the Italian version comes in a small tube and is double concentrated. Just to confirm... should we use a half cup of that.
Sam Turnbull says
Yep, the recipe is correct as written. I buy my tomato paste in a can.
Sanne says
This was really delicious! I never used stout beer before, but it came out very nice.
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! So happy you enjoyed it, Sanne 🙂
Abbie says
Taste good, but the veggies need to cook far longer than the recipes instructs - about 45 minutes!
Sam Turnbull says
Glad you enjoyed! As with any stovetop recipe, the time can vary depending on how hot your stove is. 🙂
LeeAnn says
Do you think this would freeze well? Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Usually, potatoes don't freeze well, they tend to get mealy once thawed. So I wouldn't recommend it.
J.J. says
Anything I can use to substitute the beer? Alcohol free here. Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi J.J. You could use a non-alcoholic beer.
J.J. says
thanks...non alcholoic wasn't an option..but thank you! I used 1 3/4 c veggie stock(a homade dark stock/broth-instead of adding more light/regular vegetable broth) and 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar 🙂 yum yum 🙂
J.J. says
*home-made
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! Glad you found a good option 🙂
Laura says
I made my first visit to your site today, and the Vegan Irish Stew was on our dinner table tonight. It was such a big hit with my family! I doubled the recipe so we would have leftovers, and I used one bottle of Guinness Stout and an equivalent amount of mushroom broth. It was the perfect blend of flavors. Thank you for providing recipes that can be made relatively quickly with affordable, healthy ingredients. I am a fan! 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Laura, welcome! So happy you are already a fan, and that you enjoyed this stew so much 😀
Monica says
Hi,
I was just wondering if I can use cherry stout? Or will that effect the taste of the stew too much?
Sam Turnbull says
I wouldn't recommend it, the cherry flavour would be odd in stew.