Featured Recipe
Red Wine Seitan Stew
By Kate
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Seitan stewed with leeks, carrots, celery in a rich red wine broth, miso adds depth. Pearl onions glazed with butter and sugar. Mushrooms sautéed and tossed in parsley. Slow simmer brings veggies to tender. Protein-rich vegan main. Free of nuts, lactose, eggs.
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Prep:
40 min
Cook:
Total:
Serves:
6 servings
vegan
stew
French-inspired
plant-based
hearty
Introduction
Seitan cubes, red wine, mirepoix. Earthy miso for savor. Pearl onions—glazed sweet. Mushrooms browned, parsley bright. No nuts, eggs, or dairy here. Simple vegan approach, rich in umami. Barrel aged wine, clincher taste. Long simmer until softness hits carrots and celery. Flavors mingle, thicken. Butter swapped for vegan type keeps richness but no lactose. Quick peel on onions after blanch. Carrots diced, celery diced, leek sliced fine to soften nicely. Short bursts of heat, then slow bubble. You want tender, layers of flavor, punchy wine setting tone. Balanced salt and pepper all along. Chunky, rustic, bold. French flair with plant power.
Ingredients
Pearl Onions Glazed
- 20 pearl onions small (marinated type)
- 130 ml water
- 10 ml maple syrup
- 1 package 200 g button mushrooms quartered
- 20 ml vegan butter
- 15 ml fresh chopped parsley
Mushrooms
About the ingredients
Seitan—homemade or store-bought, preferably firm, cut evenly for uniform cooking. Flour dusting gives crispness in sear. Use white miso, lighter and subtle, swapped from brown miso for gentler tone. Vegan butter feels rich but keeps dairy out. Maple syrup replaces sugar in onion glaze—adds complexity and depth without cloying sweetness. Red wine should be dry, quality mid-range for best body in stew. Fresh thyme and bay leaf key aromatics, avoid dried if possible. Fresh parsley chopped at end to brighten earth tones. Onions peeled after brief blanch helps keep shape intact with softened skin for bite-sized pearls.
Method
Pearl Onions Glazed
- Blanch pearl onions 20 seconds in boiling water. Drain, cool under cold water. Peel off skins.
- Melt vegan butter gently in small pot. Add water, maple syrup, peeled onions. Salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat until liquid evaporates about 20 minutes. Keep warm.
- Heat vegan butter in skillet. Sauté mushrooms with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Fold in parsley. Hold.
- Dust seitan cubes lightly with flour.
- Heat oil and half vegan butter in large pot. Brown seitan cubes over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper. Remove seitan, set aside.
- In same pot, cook garlic, leek, celery, carrots in remaining vegan butter for 4 minutes. Salt and pepper.
- Return seitan to pot. Add wine, stock, miso paste, thyme, bay leaf. Salt and pepper.
- Bring to simmer. Cover and cook gently for 35 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Stir occasionally.
- Add pearl onions and mushrooms. Warm through 5 minutes.
- Serve hot sprinkled with parsley.
Mushrooms
Technique Tips
Start onions first—they take longer glazing low and slow, patience needed for sugar-water boil-off without burning. Mushrooms last, fast brown while stew simmers. Sauté garlic and veggies briefly so retained crunch softens without mush. Browning seitan first locks texture, keeps firmness after long simmer. Constant gentle bubble with lid prevents drying but stewing enough for flavor infusion. Stirring occasionally stops veggie bits from sticking or burning bottom. Add pearl onions and mushrooms near end to avoid overcooking, keep fresh textures intact. Final heat through allows mild meld of flavors without losing shine. Seasoning adjusted throughout helps balancing savory flavors. Parsley last for fresh herbal notes no wilt. Serve immediately, avoid reheating long to keep seitan firm.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Start with the onions first. Blanch briefly. Dropping them in boiling water helps peeling. Afterward, simmer with syrup. Patience needed for glaze. Maintain low heat. Avoid burning syrup. Allows sweetness to develop.
- 💡 Sauté mushrooms fast. High heat keeps them from becoming soggy. Use vegan butter for richness. Salt and pepper before plating. Fold parsley in at last minute. Brightens the earthy tones. Keeps texture intact.
- 💡 Dusting seitan in flour adds a crispness for sear. Lock in moisture. Browning gives texture. Keep on medium heat for best results. Don't rush this process. This sets up the stew's body.
- 💡 Browning garlic and veggies is critical. Fast cooking, don’t let them turn mushy. Retain crunch, let flavors mingle. Building layers is key. Balanced seasoning brings out the depth. Check throughout cooking.
- 💡 Add pearl onions and mushrooms near end. Overcooking can ruin the texture. Final five minutes just heat through. Enhances flavor without loss. Fresh parsley is essential. Last minute touch for brightness.
Kitchen Wisdom
What's the best kind of seitan to use?
Firm seitan recommended. Homemade or store-bought works. Cut evenly for cooking. Keep uniformity for best results.
Can I substitute red wine?
Yes, use veggie broth instead. Missing depth though. Red wine adds umami. For alternatives, consider a splash of balsamic.
How to store leftover stew?
Refrigerate in airtight container. Lasts 3 to 4 days max. Warming slowly is best. Avoid overheating. Keeps seitan’s texture.
Can I freeze this stew?
Yes, it freezes well. Portion in freezer-safe containers. Lasts up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before reheating. Restore moisture gently.
