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
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 240 minutes
- Total Time: 250 minutes
- Yield: 6 -8 servings 1x
Description
This vegetarian Portobello Pot Roast recipe is quick and simple to prep, easy to cook in the Instant Pot or slow cooker, and it’s full of the classic savory flavors we all love!
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
Onions: Feel free to sub in sliced white onions, if pearl onions are not available.
Worcestershire: If making this recipe vegetarian, be sure to use vegan Worcestershire sauce.
***Cook time listed above is for a slow cooker set on “high”.
I just made this and it was so good! My grocery store was out of baby bellas so I had to use sliced. Otherwise I followed the Instant Pot instructions exactly. Mine came out pretty soupy but I think it may have been because of the sliced mushrooms. Next time I would do maybe 1.5 or double the mushrooms. We served this over a wild rice blend and between the two of us my boyfriend and I ate about half the recipe! I’m vegetarian and he’s not and we both loved it!
What size crock pot can you use? I have a small (3.5qt) pot
This is delicious! I added frozen peas at the end and heated until they thawed. The first time, I served it over noodles; the second, over polenta that I had pan fried. Both ways we’re great. Love this dish!
Making this right now! Wondering if it freezes well??
My wife made this tonight and it was delicious. I do wish the portion size and calories were included for us that are counting calories.
This is Delicious! Don’t miss the meat at all. Used baby carrots.
Listen girl, can I just say, as a fellow food blogger, you have mastered taking pretty pictures with food in a crock pot. MASTERED. Finally, I can see that I need to slay down a white background to make it pop. thank you!!!
www.chocolateismyvice.com
Hi, I love your blog! I wanted to know if there was a substitute for the wine in this recipe? I don’t cook with it for religious purposes. Your feedback would be appreciated.
I would like too fund a substitution for the wine as well!!
I used a half cup of orange juice since wine can’t be in my house. It was amazing!
Quick question…how would I cook this on the stove?
Thanks! :)
Really good flavor but mine came out so soupy and nothing like the pictures! What did I do wrong?! I want to get that nice glaze on the veggies like you have in the pictures
Mine too! Taste was great but liquid never thickened. Followed instant pot directions.