Vegan Pot Roast

You will not believe how close this plant-based veggie roast tastes to the original, even though it’s meatless!

It’s full of rustic flavors, plump root vegetables that melt in your mouth, and an irresistible smoky sauce. 

This jackfruit roast is a satisfying, wholesome meal that’s perfect for chilly winter nights! It’s almost like a stew but with a thicker gravy instead of a broth. 

The aroma alone truly takes me back to my Thanksgiving and Christmas memories from many years ago. 

My favorites to add to this vegan roast are potatoes, jackfruit, carrots, and mushrooms, but this recipe is totally customizable!

Reasons To Love This Recipe

• Easy to make
• Freezer friendly 
• Hearty and satisfying 
• Perfect for special occasions or anytime!

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Ingredients and Substitutions

• Oil – Use olive or any oil to sauté the onions, or make it oil-free with ¼ cup of water. 
• Onion – Sweet onion is best here for its subtle flavor but other types work. 
• Garlic – Fresh garlic is unbeatable.
• Tomato Paste – Tomato paste can be replaced with ¼ cup tomato sauce or 1 tbsp ketchup.
• Deglaze – Either vegan red wine or pomegranate juice (my preference) is used to deglaze the pot and add a fruit-acid depth and dark color. Broth works if you don’t have these. 
• Worcestershire – Vegan Worcestershire sauce is so delicious here. The ingredients to look out for are anchovies or any other fish. 
• Soy Sauce – Low-sodium soy sauce or liquid aminos adds a delightful umami flavor. 
• Corn Starch – Cornstarch, tapioca starch, arrowroot powder, or even flour work to thicken the gravy. 
• Bouillon or Broth – Use bouillon plus water or low-sodium vegetable broth. I like to use no-beef or vegetable flavor from Better than Bouillon.
• Herbs – Fresh sprigs of rosemary and thyme are so flavorful! You can certainly use the dried versions if needed. 
• Seasoning – Feel free to adjust the amounts of salt, pepper, and oregano according to your preferences. 
• Jackfruit – Canned jackfruit works as a great meat replacement. I don’t suggest you use fresh jackfruit as that tends to be tougher and sweeter. You can also replace this with more vegetables or mushrooms. 
• Mushrooms – I use cremini (baby bella) but others such as white, portobello, or shiitake would work just fine. 
• Potatoes – I have found a medley of baby potatoes or yukon gold to be equally delicious. No need to peel them unless you want to.  
• Carrots – My suggestion is to peel and cut regular carrots. You can certainly use baby carrots as they are quite convenient. However, my concern with them is that they are treated and preserved with added chemicals. 

How to Make a Vegan Pot Roast

Here are some quick visual steps. Find the full recipe with exact measurements on the recipe card below.

Position one of the racks in the middle of the oven, making sure there’s enough room for your dutch oven. Preheat it to 400°F. 

If you don’t have an Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven available, simply start with a medium pot and then transfer everything to a casserole dish with a fitted lid (or foil) before roasting. 

Cut the onions, garlic, potatoes, and carrots into chunks. The mushrooms can be left whole if they are smaller. Drain and rinse the jackfruit really well. Look through the pieces and remove any seeds you see. It’s okay if you don’t get them all. 

Heat your pot over medium-high heat. Then sauté the onions in the olive oil until they are slightly browned. Add the garlic and tomato paste to the pot. Stir as the paste spreads and cooks for 1-2 minutes.

Pour in the pomegranate juice or red wine. Deglaze the pot by scraping the bits off of the bottom. 

Mix the cornstarch into the soy sauce in a small container until it’s smooth. Stir in the soy sauce mixture, bouillon, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, oregano, and water to the pot. 

Bring the gravy to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes. 

Add the potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, jackfruit, and herbs to the pot. 

Stir everything to coat it in the sauce, cover the dish, and cook it in the oven for 50-60 minutes. Give it a stir halfway through and add a bit more water if it looks like it’s drying out. 

The pot roast is done when the vegetables are fork-tender. Remove the herb stems and enjoy!

Ideas For Serving

If I’m setting this out as a festive meal, I like to serve it in a separate casserole dish. This is because the dutch oven will be very hot and the walls will look a little messy. I do this by transferring all of the food to the dish with a slotted spoon and then drizzling the gravy over it. You can also shred the jackfruit before serving it. 

Recipe Variation Idea

• Use vegetables of your choice such as green beans, asparagus, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, etc. 
• Serve it over mashed potatoes.
• Use leftovers to make sandwiches with added vegan cheese.

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate the pot roast for 4 days or freeze it for 3 months. Reheat it in the oven or microwave until heated through. 

Slow Cooker Instructions

Make the gravy over the stovetop as described in steps 1-6 on the recipe card. Then, add the gravy along with the jackfruit, vegetables, mushrooms, and herbs to your slow cooker. Give everything a good stir and cook it for 4-6 hours on high heat or 8-10 hours on low heat. The pot roast is ready when the vegetables are fork-tender.

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