Easy Vegetarian (Vegan) Irish Stew for a Slow Cooker

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2013

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UPDATE March 28, 2016 – the Hearty Vegan Beef & Vegetable Stew for the Slow Cooker (just above) is – I think – a superior recipe to this one so please consider it.

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Lots of ingredients yet not lots of effort.  This stew – like any stew – is very forgiving & many ingredients could be omitted or substituted with no negative impact on the result.  I read that Guinness beer is not vegan, so note that.  Also, I used some flame-broiled garden burgers for a faux ground beef effect and, in the future, will not as they have a stronger presence in the stew than I expected & their flavor is one that benefits more from the standard accoutrements one typically associates with a traditional hamburger – namely ketchup & mustard & pickles etc – than stew ingredients.  I also used soyrizo for the same reason but might try something else in the future simply due to the amount of a fiery red oil it released to float on the surface of my stew.  Still, despite fearing I might toss the whole effort, after scooping some of the oil off the top & reducing the overwhelming quantity of veggie burger I’d dumped in – I set up a huge bowl to photograph.  Then I tasted it so I could begin trying to salvage it and, to my great surprise, I loved it!  Not perfect, of course but damned edible!!   If you try this dish – feel free to experiment.  I think it can withstand tweaking of all sorts.  For example – I wanted to add Worcestershire sauce but had none.   You might want to lose the Guinness or the faux meats or add different vegetables or use a different grain than pearl barley.  Your call.  Make the recipe your own.

My crock pot is huge!  It makes tons of food so this recipe is for a very large quantity – St. Patrick’s Day party quantity – of stew.  I am certain it will freeze well, so don’t be intimidated.

I made this in a slow cooker but this could easily be made stove top.  I had this in my crock pot for 24 hours – but you could get this done in 2 hours in a large stock pot over medium heat.

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Easy Vegetarian (Vegan) Irish Stew for a Slow Cooker

1 lb mushrooms – sliced

2 TBS olive oil

6 garlic cloves – quartered

1 large onion – diced

8 celery stalks – sliced

1 14.9 can Guinness beer (or vegan alternative)

3 turnips – cubed

6 red potatoes – cubed

1 15.25 oz can corn

8 carrots – sliced

2 cups peas

8 cups stock

5 TBS your favorite BBQ sauce

2 TBS A-1 Steak Sauce

2 veggie patties (optional)

12 oz soyrizo (optional)

10 sprigs fresh thyme – left on stems

1 TBS fresh rosemary – chopped

1 TBS dry sage

3 bay leaves

1 cup heavy cream (or soy-based cream)

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 cup pearl barley (or other grain)

1 TBS corn starch dissolved into 1 cup water

S&P to taste

DIRECTIONS

Heat the 2 TBS of olive oil in a frying pan.  Saute the garlic & mushrooms & onions until the mushrooms just begin to brown.  Add the celery & saute a few more minutes.

Then simply combine the rest of the ingredients.  In a slow cooker on high – this should be done in 4-5 hours but can sit on warm overnight.  Add more water if it begins to get too thick.  Generously season with salt & pepper.

Stove top in a large stock pot – bring everything to a boil & then simmer on medium heat & it should be done in two hours.  Generously season with salt & pepper.

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