A Vegan Version of a Popular Spanish Stew
Here is an easy dinner recipe similar to a Spanish stew called “Picadillo” which means “small bits and pieces”. My Dad called it “poor man stew” as this was one of the most budget friendly recipes he cooked up. We grew up on this comfort food. It is warm and nourishing and full of flavor.
You’ll notice a lot of “to taste” or “dash” in this recipe. That’s because, traditionally, there is not a lot of measuring going on in our kitchen. If fact, this recipe (like many others from our home) wasn’t even written down until now.
I’ve made some slight alterations of this family favorite dad created by using a plant based meat. If you are looking for a meat alternative, I have been using Impossible Meat and find that it has a better flavor over the other plant-based “beef” products. You can also consider using lentils or mushrooms if you prefer a whole food alternative.
This dish can be served as either a soup or in a burrito. Both alternatives are delicious!
To prepare this stew as a soup:
I recommend you add more water than the recipe calls for (double the quantity) and add another can of tomato sauce (or replace the 8 oz. can with a 15 oz. can). You can also add canned or frozen vegetables, like:
- Green beans
- Whole kernel corn
- Diced mixed vegetables
When serving as a soup, my favorite add-ons (toppings) are:
- Sour cream (dairy or non-dairy) — my favorite choice for vegan sour cream is Forager Sour Cream
- Shredded cheese (dairy or non-dairy) — I prefer Daiya Cheddar or Mozzarella Shreds
- Fried tortilla strips
- Chopped avocado
To prepare this stew for burritos:
I recommend using the amount of water listed in the recipe (about 2 cups), however, depending on the size of potatoes or any additional ingredients you wish to add, the water can be adjusted to accommodate your taste.
My recommended add-ins for the burritos are:
- Sour cream (dairy or non-dairy) — Forager Sour Cream
- Shredded cheese (dairy or non-dairy) — Daiya Cheddar or Mozzarella Shreds
- Salsa
- Chopped avocado or guacamole
This recipe is versatile and works well with a variety of added ingredients. Hope you enjoy!
Impossible Meat Stew
Notes
This recipe is very versatile. Feel free to add or omit ingredients as you prefer.
You can use any oil you prefer as a replacement for olive oil.
Ingredients
- 12 ounce package Impossible Meat
- 3 large russet potatoes, diced
- 8 ounce canned tomato sauce
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, or adjust to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, or adjust to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, or adjust to taste
- dash of ground cumin
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- Optional add-ons:
- Flour tortillas
- Sour cream (dairy or non-dairy)
- Shredded cheddar cheese (dairy or non-dairy)
- Avocado slices
- Salsa
Instructions
- Peel and dice potatoes, set aside.
- In a deep frying pan or stock pot, heat olive oil and sauté the Impossible Meat approximately 6-8 minutes, until browned completely.
- Add all seasonings, adjust to taste. Add diced potatoes, tomato sauce and water. Bring to a boil, turn down heat and simmer, covered for approximately 20 minutes (until potatoes are soft).
- Serve in a bowl or wrapped in a flour tortilla with desired optional add-ons.
