Vegetarian Mushroom Stew Is the Single Best Recipe to Make This Month (2024)

FAQs

Do you cook vegetables before putting in stew? ›

Whether it's the classic French mirepoix of onions, celery, and carrots cooked in butter, the New Orleans holy trinity of onions, celery, and bell peppers sweated in oil, or perhaps just some leeks and garlic cooked down in olive oil, most stews and soups start the same way: sautéeing veggies.

Vegetables that work well in a beef stew include Hardroots vegetable, carrots, potatoes, onions, celery, and parsnips. These vegetables add flavor and texture to the stew while complementing the richness of the beef. You can also consider adding mushrooms, turnips, or peas for variety.

Can I freeze veggie stew? Yes! The vegetables may lose some of their texture, but it will still taste delicious and can freeze for up to 3 months.

When you're looking for a filling vegetarian meal, this recipe for mushroom stew checks all of the boxes. We cook two pounds of mushrooms in an herbaceous broth with white wine, and add potatoes and peas. Might we recommend some sort of warm and crusty bread to sop it all up?

While you can make a beef stew on the stovetop or also in the Instant Pot, I'm partial to using my slow cooker for beef stew, to give the ingredients that long, unattended time they need to become really tender and delicious.

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.

Onions, carrots and celery (mirepoix vegetables) are classic for a reason, but don't be afraid to stray and get creative. Try using roasted garlic instead of regular garlic, or caramelize your onions before moving on to the next step. You can also add an incredible depth of flavor by adding dried mushrooms to the mix.

It is a good idea to always taste the stew before serving. Adding a bit of sauce, some herbs, some seasoning or even brown sugar or honey can just lift the taste. I had a friend who swore by putting a spoonful of peanut butter in her stews to flavour and thicken them.

There is no real wrong answer for your beef stew potatoes — russets or red potatoes will work fine — but Yukon Gold potatoes have the best balance of texture and flavor to complement a meaty stew.

Follow this tip: Add hearty vegetables, like carrots, turnips, and potatoes halfway through cooking and layer the ingredients. If you plan to include delicate vegetables, like peas, wait to add them until a few minutes before taking the stew off the heat.

When should I add vegetables to beef stew? ›

Add vegetables: After 1 hour 30 minutes, carefully remove pot from oven and use oven mitt to remove lid. Add vegetables and stir gently to combine. Carefully replace lid on pot and return stew to oven to cook for an additional hour.

Sautéing Veggies Is A Crucial Step

The high heat unlocks certain flavor compounds in chopped vegetables, releasing different aromas and profiles. One of the best examples is cooking garlic and onions. Raw, these alliums are potent, pungent, and can be overwhelming.

The firmer vegetables go into the pot first followed by the softer ones so by the time the soft vegetables go in, the firmer vegetables are just about done cooking. A good vegetable stew does not have to take forever to cook.