Vegan Hawaiian Beef Stew – Great Flavor without the Meat
Every culture has their own form of a stew or curry. I grew up eating my Dad’s Hawaiian Beef Stew and if you asked anyone that has been able to try his stew… well they would agree it is a winner! Therefore, I made it my mission to create my own vegan beef stew!
The difference between Hawaiian Beef Stew and other beef stews is that the base of the stew is created with a mixture of tomato paste, beef broth, and chicken broth. To “veganize” my vegan beef stew, I used vegetable broth and a vegan chicken broth!
Substituting shredded Jackfruit for the shredded beef is a big component of “mocking” the traditional dish. Jackfruit is a great substitute to use for anything that typically requires a type of shredded meat, like pulled pork. Jackfruit is a natural ingredient and can be purchased in the produce section or served in a can or package.
My Vegan Hawaiian Beef Stew is easy to make with minimal ingredients. It is very filling and great to bring to a potluck or dinner. I also love to freeze and reheat it for another day as well. All this recipe requires is a single pot and an open mind to trying a delicious Hawaii classic!
Give this recipe a shot! Let me know what you think of the recipe in the comments section below or on any of my social media platforms. If you’re posting on Instagram, make sure to tag me at @nuttinelli and include #nuttinelli so I can see your amazing creations!
TIPS & TRICKS
- Purchase the canned or packaged version of Jackfruit. This will minimize prep and cooking time tremendously!
- If you don’t want to buy the Vegan Chicken Broth, feel free to use Vegetable Broth instead, but it won’t quite taste the same.
THE MORE YOU KNOW
Seasoned Vegetable Broth
I recommend using Better Than Bouillon’s seasoned vegetable base. It’s so easy to keep in the fridge and use whenever a recipe calls for vegetable broth. This stuff is amazing and my go-to vegetable broth. All you need to do is add water and the jar yields 30 cups of broth.
Vegan Chicken Broth
Normal vegetable broth just doesn’t quite work for this recipe. Luckily, Better Than Bouillon makes a Vegan Chicken Broth! This stuff tastes delicious and I can’t believe it’s vegan. It normally isn’t at grocery stores so order it on Amazon or from Better Than Bouillon directly!
Roux
Many soup recipes require starting with a roux. It’s not a complex cooking technique and only requires cooking butter and flour together. I recommend using a vegan butter and whole wheat flour.
Vegan Butter
There are a variety of different brands you are able to find at most grocery stores. I use the most commonly found vegan butter brand, Earth Balance. This butter can be found in most grocery stores. Miyokos vegan butter has been found to be a “better” brand with the absence of palm oil, but it is much more expensive.
THANKS FOR READING
This dish holds a special place in my heart and I am so happy I was able to recreate this amazing stew. I hope you have fun with this recipe and a little bit of my childhood. Just because your childhood favorite recipes aren’t necessarily vegan doesn’t mean you can’t have it anymore, so I hope you ENJOY this Hawaiian Beefless Stew!
– Janelle
Vegan Hawaiian Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 2 Medium Carrots
- 2 Celery Stalks
- 2 Medium Potatoes
- 1 Medium Onion
- 1½ cup Shredded Jackfruit fresh or packaged
- 2 Garlic Cloves crushed
- 3 cup Vegetable Broth
- 1 cup Vegan Chicken Broth
- 1 tbsp Vegan Butter
- 1 tbsp Whole Wheat Flour
- 6 oz Tomato Paste
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- If you are using fresh jackfruit, then prepare the jackfruit by first cutting the fruit in half. Continue to cut the fruit into chucks with the skin remaining. Either boil the chucks of jackfruit in water for 45 minutes or cook it in a pressure cooker for 10 minutes. Once cooked, remove the skin and seeds. Partially shred the jackfruit. You may freeze leftover jackfruit.
- Chop up the carrot, celery, potato, and onion into chunk sized pieces. Crush the garlic.
- In a large pot over medium heat, start the roux by whisking together the butter and flour. Continue to whisk until it starts to brown or smell like buttery toast.
- If using the Vegetarian Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Broth and No Chicken Base Broth, add 1 tsp with 1 c of water to make 1 c of broth. I highly recommend getting this brand because it will last a long time and tastes phenomenal.
- Over medium-high heat, add the two broths and tomato paste to the roux. Bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium and bring to a simmer and add the garlic, potatoes, and carrot. Cook for 10 minutes, then add the celery, onion, and jackfruit.
- Continue to cook stew until it reaches your desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.