How to Make a Hearty Pot Roast Without the Meat

Usually, pot roast recipes involve beef—typically a tougher cut of the meat, like brisket or round. But if you don’t want to eat red meat, there are ways to make this comforting, American favorite with plant-based ingredients. It’s just as nourishing and arguably even more delicious. For proof, check out some of our go-to vegan pot roast recipes below.

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What is the secret to a good pot roast?

Some might believe that the secret to a good pot roast is the meat, but arguably, it’s the cooking method and the seasoning. Aromatic ingredients like garlic, onions, leeks, celery, carrots, and shallots, alongside herbs, soy sauce, and miso, for example, give the dish a rich depth of flavor. And the longer they cook, the more flavorful they become. This is because cooking at a low temperature for hours allows seasonings, herbs, and spices to fully infuse into the dish, melding together and caramelizing to create a well-rounded flavor profile.

RELATED: How to Make the Best Steak Frites—No Beef Required

The Hidden Veggies

Instead of beef, which is linked with environmental and health problems, opt for plant-based alternatives like mushrooms, seitan, and jackfruit. They will soak up the flavor of the seasonings and the vegetables, and after slow cooking, will have a tender, juicy texture similar to meat. 

Vegan pot roast recipes

Plant-based pot roast can be nourishing and hearty, just like beef-based versions. It’s perfect for the colder months of the year, as it will help to warm up your insides and leave you feeling satisfied and comforted. 

Feeling inspired? Check out some of our favorite ways to cook a vegan pot roast below.

A Virtual Vegan

1 Vegan Portobello Pot Roast

In this deliciously savory, umami-rich dish, meaty portobello mushrooms are combined with ingredients like garlic, onions, white wine, vegan Worcestershire sauce, and vegetable broth to make a plant-based pot roast that is packed with flavor. The simple dish is perfect with a generous helping of fluffy mashed potatoes on the side.
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The Hidden Veggies

2 Vegan Seitan Pot Roast

If you prefer a really meaty, beef-like texture, seitan is a great plant-based option for pot roast. It’s tender and chewy just like meat, and will soak up the flavors of anything you decide to pair it with. In this recipe from The Hidden Veggies, ingredients like mushrooms, oregano, soy sauce, and smoked paprika impart seitan with rich flavor. But it’s the red wine-based basting liquid that really gives the seitan umami. Recipe developer Monica says: “This meatless pot roast is total vegan comfort food that the whole family will love.”
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Food With Feeling

3 Jackfruit Pot Roast

Jackfruit can replace meat in most recipes, from tacos to pasta to, you guessed it, pot roast. Usually, the fruit is shredded to emulate pulled pork, chicken, or beef, but in this recipe, Brita Britnell from the Food With Feeling blog chooses to leave it as chunks to get that authentic roast beef texture. “This vegan pot roast comes together much like traditional pot roast and it’s overall super simple to make,” says Britnell. She adds: “Everyone will be shocked that it’s fully vegan.”
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From My Bowl

4 Vegan Slow Cooker Pot Roast With Tempeh

This simple recipe from From My Bowl calls for tempeh, a versatile fermented protein made from soy. The ingredient hails from Indonesia, and is typically used in dishes like satay and stir-fry, but it also works beautifully in pot roast. The key to the meaty flavor, however, is vegan beef broth, says recipe creator Caitlin Shoemaker. “You can use regular vegetable broth here, but it won’t taste as ‘meaty,’” she says. Another tip: “I recommend searing the tempeh in oil before adding it to the slow cooker with all of the other vegetables.”
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Vegan With Curves

5 Oyster Mushroom Jackfruit Pot Roast

Like portobello mushrooms, oyster mushrooms are a tender, juicy plant-based alternative to beef. In this recipe, Gina Marie of Vegan With Curves combines them with shredded jackfruit for the ultimate meaty texture. “It’s sure to bring you comfort,” says Marie. One pro tip? “I highly recommend you boil the brine out so that your jackfruit can have a more neutral taste and take on the seasonings of your pot roast better,” she writes.
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