This Vegetarian Portobello Pot Roast recipe can be made easily in the slow cooker or Instant Pot (pressure cooker). And it’s SO hearty and comforting and delicious!
As a Midwestern girl through and through, I’ve gotta admit, I will always love me a good pot roast. But hey, whoever said that had to include roast beef?
A few weeks ago, when I found myself with two leftover cartons of baby bella mushrooms in the fridge that needed to be used up stat, I decided to try swapping them in as the main ingredient in my traditional pot roast recipe. And lo and behold, they turned out to be a plant-based swap made in heaven. This vegetarian pot roast recipe was a total winner!
It’s still full of those classic savory flavors (and garlicky gravy) that we all love. It’s quick and easy to prep, and easy to make either on the stovetop or in the slow cooker or Instant Pot. It’s naturally vegetarian and vegan. And it’s totally, wonderfully delicious.
My kind of comfort food.
To make the recipe, start by gathering lots of your starring ingredient — portobello mushrooms. You’re welcome to use full-size portobellos if you’d like. Or, you can be like me and just use a few cartons of baby bellas. Chop them up into bite-sized pieces…
…then combine them in a slow cooker or pressure cooker, along with some potatoes, carrots, pearl onions, garlic, and all of the ingredients for that classic savory gravy. Cook until the potatoes are nice and tender. Then for a final step, thicken that gravy up a notch…
…and voila! This delicious veggie-filled mushroom pot roast will be yours to serve and enjoy!
I went old-school and served mine over some egg noodles, but some grains or rice would also work well here. I served mine up with this simple salad and some red wine, and the meal was perfection.
Vegetarian twist for the win!
Vegetarian Portobello Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 1.25 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 pound baby bella mushrooms (if they are large, cut them in half)
- 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 cups frozen pearl onions*
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 cups vegetable stock, divided
- 1/2 cup dry red or white wine
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons vegetarian Worcestershire sauce*
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
- optional garnish: finely-chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Slow Cooker Method:
- Add potatoes, mushrooms, carrots, onions, garlic, thyme, 2.5 cups vegetable stock, wine, tomato paste and worcestershire together in the bowl of a crock pot, and gently toss to combine. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, until the potatoes and carrots are tender.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup vegetable stock and cornstarch until combined. Add to the roast mixture, and gently toss to combine. Continue to cook for 1-3 minutes, until the sauce thickens up a bit.
- Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.
Instant Pot Method:
- Add potatoes, mushrooms, carrots, onions, garlic, thyme, 2.5 cups vegetable stock, wine, tomato paste and worcestershire together in the bowl of a pressure cooker, and gently toss to combine. Close lid securely and set vent to “Sealing”.
- Press “Manual”, then press “Pressure” until the light on “High Pressure” lights up, then adjust the up/down arrows until time reads 20 minutes. Cook. Then let the pressure release naturally, about 15 minutes. Carefully turn the vent to “Venting”, just to release any extra pressure that might still be in there. Remove the lid.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup vegetable stock and cornstarch until combined. Add to the roast mixture, and gently toss to combine. Continue to cook for 1-3 minutes, until the sauce thickens up a bit.
- Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Now that the fall is here, I make this delicious recipe once a week for my family. It is so hearty and comforting. After making it a few times, I have found I enjoy a thicker “gravy” and will add much more cornstarch to the veggie stock when it’s time. I also add a bit more onions, garlic, and Worcestershire as well as thyme. I make it in the Instant Pot and it is perfect every time. Chop everything & sit back while it cooks!! Such a great weeknight meal!
This is incredible! Subbed stock for wine and omitted then cornstarch step. Made it in the instant pot. Carnivore approved!
This is a very tasty fall stew. I added some fresh rosemary, 3 stalks of celery, frozen green beans and peas. Made 12 servings for 3 families for Meatless Monday. Full of flavor. Soul satisfying. Nirvana in a bowl.
What could I sub for the wine?
Just not what l was expecting. It smelled hearty but tasted bitter
I’d omit the wine if l were to make it again
Overall taste is good but definitely a little bland. Am going to try adding red pepper flakes and maybe some cheese (because who doesn’t love cheese?) to add to the flavor. Probably will not make again though.
I love this recipe. It is comforting and delicious on a cold day. I have found that 12 minutes in the IP is perfect and I needed a little more cornstarch to thicken up the 2-1/2 cups of broth I used. I did not use 3 cups. Our garden yielded so much zucchini I added that in as well. We have had this with crusty bread and over noodles and each way is great. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
I’ve been vegetarian for most of my life. I like to cook pot roast for my husband when the weather gets cold. I love the smell, especially in the winter. Who would have guessed that I can make a decent substitute we both can eat out of baby Bella mushrooms? Made it today in the crockpot, and followers the recipe with just a few minor changes- no big carrots, so used a bag of baby carrots, used baby potatoes, halved, two boxes of baby Bella’s, and a jar of pearl onions (my only mistake -next tome I will use fresh onion…the jarred version taste pickled and are not a good sub for the frozen or fresh that the recipe called for). The liquid broth /sauce with the garlic, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and red wine was sublime. It had a complex, “beefy” flavor that smelled and tasted delicious. We are ours over a quinoa rice blend. I will definitely make it again. Thank you for the recipe!
Looks wonderful! Making out my grocery list for this now.
This was tasty! I made the instant pot version and it did turn out a bit soupy for me, but we used a slotted spoon and ate over brown rice and it was good. Next time I would probably use a bit less broth. The mushrooms were delicious, this is a great concept.