This easy vegan pot roast is a hearty, plant-based take on a classic comfort food. This one-pot dinner is bursting with rich flavors from a medley of roasted vegetables and a savory broth, making it a comforting meal for vegans and non-vegans alike. It is truly the perfect centerpiece for a family dinner or a cozy weekend meal.
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If you need other inspiration for hearty, rich, tasty vegan comfort food for dinner, then I recommend you check out my vegan jackfruit stew, vegan pot pie, or this hearty vegetable stew!
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❤️ Why you’ll love it
This comforting vegan recipe truly stands out from the crowd for its satisfying heartiness and depth of flavor. It proves that vegan food can be just as enjoyable and delicious as meat-based dishes.
I love the delicious, hearty, meaty flavor you get without using any meat at all. I kept the sauce rich, thick, and robust with the help of various vegetables.
Beets add a delicious richness to the sauce and contribute to darker, deeper colors and flavors reminiscent of its non-vegan counterpart. Plus, the flavorful red wine gravy adds further depth for an authentic classic you will love.
By including large caps of portobello mushrooms in this roast, the texture is incredible! They have a spongy, beefy, and tough texture, but they taste-neutral, so incorporating the right mix of seasonings makes them delicious.
Over the years of being a vegan, I have learned that mushrooms are one of the best plant-based meat substitutes. While there are many other options like tempeh, seitan, jackfruit, and whole cauliflower head, you will get the best results using mushrooms, as I have in this recipe.
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🧾 Key ingredients
This vegan pot roast is a hearty, filling, and comforting one-pot dinner that is easy to make and much faster than any classic recipe. The best part is all the ingredients are easy to find and may already be in your pantry.
Portobello mushrooms are the star of this dish, providing a meaty texture and robust flavor that perfectly mimics a traditional pot roast.
Root vegetables like potatoes, beets, carrots, and parsnips not only add a delicious crunch but also absorb the flavors of the broth, making them incredibly tasty.
Veggie broth and red wine form the liquid foundation of this dish, creating a rich and flavorful gravy that brings all the ingredients together.
Vegan Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste add a tangy, umami flavor that enhances the overall taste of the dish.
Cornstarch thickens the gravy, giving it a hearty, satisfying texture perfect for a cold winter’s night.
🛒 You can find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
🥘 Equipment
For this hearty vegan pot roast recipe, the most essential piece of equipment you will need is an enameled Dutch oven. This versatile pot is perfect for slow-cooking your vegetables to perfection, allowing all the flavors to meld together beautifully. Its thick walls and tight-fitting lid ensure even heat distribution, making it ideal for simmering your dish on the stovetop or baking it in the oven.
👩🍳 Instructions
Preparing the ingredients
STEP 1
Start by preparing your vegetables. Peel and slice your onion, then peel and finely chop your garlic. Next, wash, peel, and chop your potatoes, carrots, beetroot, and parsnip. If you have young carrots and parsnips, you can use them whole. Lastly, clean your mushrooms gently with a damp cloth and remove the stems.
STEP 2
Next, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius).
Making the vegan portobello pot roast
STEP 1
Heat your enameled Dutch oven to medium heat and add olive oil. Cook the sliced onion for about 1-2 minutes.
STEP 2
Add the chopped garlic. Stir and cook for another minute.
STEP 3
Add cornstarch to the pot and give it a quick stir.
STEP 4
Next, add smoked sweet paprika powder. Stir continuously and cook for another 1-2 minutes. This will activate the starch and deepen the flavor of the paprika.
STEP 5
Next, add veggie broth, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste to the pot. Stir until all the ingredients are well combined.
STEP 6
Add your seasonings, which include basil, sage, rosemary, salt, and black pepper. Stir and bring the mixture to a boil.
STEP 7
Now add the mushroom caps to the pot.
STEP 8
Next, add all your other veggies, including potato, beetroot, carrot, and parsnip. Stir and cover the pot with a lid.
STEP 9
Finally, place the pot in your preheated oven and cook the veggies with the lid on for about one and a half hours or until the veggies are cooked and soft. Enjoy your delicious vegan pot roast!
💡 Expert tip
For this vegan pot roast, the key to unlocking the most flavor lies in the initial sautéing of the onions and garlic in olive oil. Don’t rush this step—allow the onions to become translucent and the garlic to soften, releasing their aromatic compounds. This forms a flavor foundation that deeply infuses the entire dish, making every bite rich and savory.
🔄 Variations
Try adding some protein to this vegan pot roast. Tofu or chickpeas would be a great addition. Simply drain and rinse your chickpeas or press and cube your tofu, then add them to the dish during the last half hour of cooking. This will make the dish even more filling and add a different texture.
For a more earthy flavor, add some root vegetables like turnips or rutabagas. Simply peel and chop them into bite-sized pieces, then add them to the other vegetables. This will give the dish a unique taste and make it even more hearty.
If you want a thicker gravy, add some lentils. Rinse and drain them before adding to the dish. They will absorb some of the liquid and thicken the sauce, adding a boost of protein and fiber.
🥣 Serving ideas
This vegan pot roast is a hearty and satisfying main dish perfect for any occasion. The robust flavors in this dish complement the freshness of salads perfectly. Try serving it alongside a crisp kale and apple salad, a tangy beetroot and quinoa salad, or a refreshing cucumber and tomato salad.
While it does contain potatoes, many like it to be served with mashed potatoes.
It pairs well with other plant-based starters like stuffed mushrooms, pistachio nut cheese, or vibrant beetroot hummus.
❄️ Storing tips
Storing and reheating this vegan pot roast is a breeze and doesn’t sacrifice any of its hearty, comforting flavor. It may taste better after a day or two as the flavors from the portobello mushrooms and various veggies have had more time to mingle in the rich red wine gravy.
To store, allow it to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It can be safely stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. Keep any leftover gravy in a separate container, as it can be used to moisten the roast when you’re ready to reheat it.
As for freezing, this dish is unsuitable due to the variety of vegetables used. Certain vegetables, like potatoes, can become grainy and lose their texture when frozen and then thawed. However, the red wine gravy can be frozen separately in an airtight container for up to three months and used in other recipes.
When you’re ready to reheat it, place it in a pan over medium heat on the stovetop. Add a splash of the leftover gravy or a bit of vegetable broth to keep it moist and flavorful. Cover the pan and allow it to heat through, stirring occasionally to ensure it heats evenly. If you’re using a microwave, be sure to stir the roast every minute or so for even reheating.
🤔 FAQs
For this recipe, I recommend using large portobello mushroom caps. They have a rich, meaty texture that works well in this hearty dish, and they hold up well to the long cooking time.
Absolutely! This recipe is very versatile. You can substitute or add other root vegetables like turnips or sweet potatoes. Remember that the cooking time may vary depending on the vegetables you use.
If you prefer not to use red wine, you can substitute it with additional veggie broth or a non-alcoholic red wine. The wine adds depth to the flavor, but the recipe will still be delicious without it. If you follow the whole food plant-based diet, grape juice can also be a suitable option.
Cornstarch is used to thicken the gravy in this recipe. If you don’t have cornstarch, you can substitute it with all-purpose flour. Just cook it for a few minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
More vegan portobello recipes
We collected 20+ delicious vegan portobello mushroom recipes, or check out one of the below ones:
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Portobello Pot Roast (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp Olive oil
Vegetables
- 1 Onion (medium)
- 3-4 cloves Garlic (finely chopped)
- 4 Large portobello mushrooms
- 10 Potatoes (small) approx. 16 oz is 10 small potatoes
- 2-3 Beet (medium)
- 4 Carrots (small)
- 2 Parsnip (small)
Liquid ingredients
- 3 cup Veggie broth
- ½ cup Red wine
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce choose a vegan brand
- 3 Tbsp Tomato paste
Seasoning
- 1 Tbsp Rosemary (freshly chopped)
- 1 Tbsp Basil (freshly chopped)
- ½ tsp Sage (dried)
- 1 tsp Sweet smoked paprika powder
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 Tbsp Corn starch or all-purpose flour
Instructions
Preparing the vegetables
- Peel and slice onion. Peel, and finely chop garlic. Wash, peel and chop potatoes, carrots, beetroot, and parsnip (unless you have young carrots and parsnips, then no need to peel or chop, use them in whole). Gently clean the mushrooms with a damp clothes and take the stem out.
Making the pot roast
- Heat your enameled Dutch oven to medium heat and add olive oil. Cook sliced onion for 1-2 minutes, then add chopped garlic. Stir and cook for another minute.
- Add corn starch and smoked sweet paprika powder. Stir continuously and cook for 1-2 minutes. This is to activate the starch and deepen the flavor of the paprika. We want the gravy part to be deep, rich and hearty. (Pay attention, not to let it burn as there is not much liquid at the moment. If it burns, it will be bitter.)
- Add veggie broth, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste. Stir until combined.
- Add seasoning (basil, sage, rosemary, salt, and black pepper). Stir and bring it to boil.
- Add all veggies (mushroom caps, potato, beetroot, carrot and parsnip). Stir and cover it with a lid.
- Pre-heat oven to 375 Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) and cook the veggies in the pot with a lid on for 1 + ½ hours or until veggies are cooked and soft.
Tina Anfuso
There is no indication for when to add the meat. Is the meat browned before putting it in the oven?
Poorly written recipe if the main part of the recipe is missing
Nandor
It is a vegan recipe, so there is no meat in it. The main part is the large portobello mushroom caps in place of the meat.