A simple vegan version of the delicious Cuban carne con papas, a dish we grew up eating in Miami.
If you love a hardy stew, then you'll love this. The traditional recipe uses beef, but we simply replaced that with mushrooms. The great thing about this vegan take on the recipe (apart from the lack of cruelty) is that it doesn't take as long to cook! Normally you'd be making this recipe over a couple of hours, because the beef needs to cook for a while, however, mushrooms are much quicker to fry-up! Plus, they are delicious and there is no need to worry about under-cooking.
Why you'll love this recipe
This is a common meal to have in a Cuban household, and despite being a stew like dish, it is not served only during chilly seasons. In fact, you can walk into a household while it feels over a 100 degrees outside and be welcomed by the delicious aromas that fill a home when you make hongos con papa. The earthy mushrooms, soft potatoes, with the sweet peas, all covered in a delicious savory sauce are so satisfying over a bed of fluffy white rice.
Ingredients
We are very relaxed in the kitchen about ingredients. If we don't have something, we find a replacement that works by using ingredients we already have at home.
- Mushrooms: button, baby bella, portobello, all work fine. We haven't tried all mushrooms, but we image many work in this dish.
- Potatoes: we used yukon gold potatoes.
- Bell pepper: typically red bell pepper is used, but we had an orange one this day.
- Carrot
- Peas: preferably frozen or fresh.
- Onion: white, yellow, or sweet.
- Garlic
- Paprika
- Tomato paste
- Red wine: any old opened bottle is what we use.
Tips to Make this Mushroom and Potato Stew
- Prep all ingredients first. This makes the whole cooking process much easier and less stressful.
- Chop the garlic, onion and pepper.
- Peel and cube the potatoes. Submerge them in a bowl of water to prevent them from browning.
- Cut your mushrooms in halves or quarters.
- Use Frozen peas instead of canned peas. When cooking, it's best to use frozen or fresh peas. Canned peas get mushy in recipes like these, but you can use it if you add them once everything is cooked.
- Let the potato and carrots cook a bit before tossing in the frozen peas.
Pairing Suggestions
- Carne con papas is typically served with rice. Feel free to use whatever rice you enjoy. If you want our recipe for how we make our fluffy white rice without a rice cooker check out that post here.
- Serve our Spanish tomato and toast recipe as an appetizer with a side avocado kale salad, and enjoy a tasty raw cinnamon roll for dessert or a Cuban mamey shake!
- For drinks, try our red wine sangria or tinto de verano, or for a non-alcoholic option, try Peruvian chicha morrada.
Other Cuban recipes you might enjoy
- Picadillo (a plant-based "beef" hash)
- Pastelito de "carne" or guava and "cheese" pastries
- Fried sweet plantains
We hope you enjoy this recipe. Remember, every step you take towards a plant-based lifestyle is something to be proud of.
Whether you're vegan, trying to eat more plant-based meals, or just here for a delicious recipe -
thank you for being part of the journey with us!
Ingredients
- 16 oz mushrooms
- 4 potatoes chopped into medium pieces
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 1 onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 carrot chopped into medium pieces
- ½ cup frozen peas
- ½ tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine
- 3 cups water
- 1 tbsp oil for cooking
Instructions
- Begin by chopping and prepping all the ingredients.
- Heat a pan with about 1 tbsp oil. When hot, toss in 16 oz mushrooms. Cook on medium-high until mushrooms have a golden crust.
- Remove mushrooms from the pan and set them aside on a plate.
- De-glaze the pan with a splash of wine (not the whole cup). Do not wash off any mushroom residue. Use a spatula to scrape off any bits.
- In the same pan, add a little oil. Once hot, toss in 1 onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 bell pepper, 1 tbsp tomato paste, and ½ tbsp paprika. Cook until the onion and pepper until soft, about 2 - 5 minutes.
- Add the 1 cup red wine, 3 cups water, 1 carrot and 4 potatoes. Bring to a boil, then cover and let it simmer at a low-medium heat for about 20 minutes.
- Once the potatoes are soft (check by piercing one with a fork or knife), add in the cooked mushrooms and ½ cup frozen peas, and let that simmer on low heat for 10 minutes or until the peas are fully thawed and soft.
- Serve and enjoy with rice!
Notes
- Prep all ingredients first. This makes the whole cooking process much easier and less stressful.
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Use Frozen peas instead of canned peas. When cooking, it's best to use frozen or fresh peas. Canned peas get mushy in recipes like these, but you can use it if you add them once everything is cooked.
