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Beef stew was one of my favorite Puerto Rican dishes growing up.
Also known as “carne guisada” in Spanish, it’s a Latin-Caribbean dish traditionally made with beef chunks, potatoes, carrots, olives, tomato sauce and Puerto Rican spices including sazon, adobo, and homemade sofrito.
When I went plant-based, I took on the challenge of recreating the dish so it can remain a staple in my home.
Now, it’s a special dish that brings me so many fond memories and helps me connect to my roots, even while being plant-based.
If you’re into a quick and easy dinner recipe using affordable plant-based ingredients, you’re going to love this recipe!
What To Eat With Puerto Rican-Style Vegan “Beef” Stew
Because this recipe is packed with flavor, a pot of plain white rice is the perfect side dish.
As a kid, Puerto Rican beef stew was a weekly dinner meal that we often paired with sliced avocado, tostones or maduros, Puerto Rican yellow rice with pigeon peas, and a small salad.
Other side dishes that pair well with beefless “beef” stew include mashed potatoes, french baguette, dinner rolls, and roasted vegetables.
Recipe FAQs
How To Thicken The Stew
For a thicker stew, cook the stew for another few minutes without a lid This will help some for the liquid to reduce.
Additionally, you can make a slurry with either cornstarch or all-purpose flour.
In a small bowl, combine equal parts liquid with cornstarch/flour and whisk together until smooth and lump-free. Then, pour the slurry back into the stew.
In this recipe, I set aside 1 tablespoon of the stew’s liquid and combined it with 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour. Once thoroughly mixed, I poured the slurry into the stew.
You can make more slurry if it’s not thick enough to your liking.
How To Make Tomato Sauce From Tomato Paste
This recipe uses 2 ounces of tomato paste and 2 ounces of water to create a quick and easy tomato sauce.
In a pinch, equal parts tomato paste and equal parts water will create the perfect tomato sauce. Simply whisk to combine until smooth and thick.
Tomato paste is an important ingredient in a stew. It’ll add that must-have umami flavor, some color, and it’ll help thicken up the stew.
Recipe Tips
- Season and taste as you go. If the stew needs more salt, add more sazon/adobo.
- I used mushroom broth, but you’re welcome to use your choice of vegetable broth.
- I chopped my carrots and potatoes in larger chunks because this is how I grow up eating them. But, you can cut them into smaller bite-sized pieces and cut the time to simmer.
For more cozy recipes, check out our Puerto Rican habichuelas guisadas, mushroom chili, chipotle sofritas.
How To Store
Store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container or reusable silicone bag for up to 4 days. It may also be stored in the freezer.
To reheat, simmer in a dutch oven until warm all the way through.
Tried out this Beefless "Beef" Stew recipe?
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Beefless "Beef" Stew (Puerto Rican Style)
Ingredients
- Gardein Beefless Tips whole bag, 225 grams
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup sofrito
- 4 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 ¼ teaspoon sazon seasoning from Badia, with coriander & annatto
- 1 teaspoon adobo seasoning
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups carrots chopped into large chunks, 10 ounces
- 3 large red potatoes about 20 ounces
- ½ cup pimento-stuffed green olives
- 2 cups mushroom broth
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Add the Gardein Beefless Tips to a mixing bowl and add the all-purpose flour. Toss to coat.
- Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the Gardein Beefless Tips and cook on all sides until browned. About 10 minutes. Remove beefless tips and set them aside.
- Pour a bit of the mushroom broth into the pan to scrape any of the browned bits left behind. Pour the bits with the rest of the broth. Set aside.
- Heat a dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add sofrito, tomato sauce, sazon, adobo, and bay leaves. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the carrots, red potatoes, pimento-stuffed green olives, mushroom broth, water, and Gardein beefless tips. Stir to combine. Cover with a lid and bring the stew to a boil. Once at a boil, reduce heat to a simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Serve and garish with parsley (optional).
Notes
- To thicken the stew, remove ¼ cup of the stew's liquid and whisk 1 tablespoon of flour until thick and well-combined. Pour and stir the liquid back into the stew. Allow the stew to simmer for another minute without a lid.
- Check out my homemade sofrito recipe used in this dish.
- Store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container or reusable silicone bag for up to 4 days. It may also be stored in the freezer. To reheat, simmer in a dutch oven until warm all the way through.
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