Apr 24
2020

Stay-at-home Japanese Vegan Cream Stew (クリームシチュー)

in Japanese, Main Course, Vegan

bowls filled with Japanese cream stew and rice

Dinner at our house has been a parade of one comfort food dish after another lately.  Are any of you in the same boat?  Our meal last Sunday was no exception.  I made Japanese Cream Stew (クリームシチュー)—a popular Japanese yoshoku dish (yoshoku is a form of Japanese-western fusion cuisine).  Cream stew is a mix of meat and vegetables cooked in a thick white roux (flour and fat cooked together and used to thicken sauces/soups/stews).  I find that I don’t miss the meat in this veganized version.  It’s hearty and comforting, easy to make, and a great way to use up the vegetables you already have on hand.  We like to eat it served with a scoop of steamed Japanese rice, but you could have it alone or with some cooked noodles too!

Box of S&B brand Japanese creamy white stew mix

In Japan, people often use a box mix to make it, but I find that it just as easy to make it from scratch, and doesn’t really take more time.  It’s a simple process of sauteing the vegetables, then cooking them until tender in a broth.  While the vegetables are cooking, you make a roux, which is a super quick process.  To make it gluten-free I use cornstarch instead of flour.

making japanese cream stew in a pot

I’ve tried to include lots of different options for ingredients, so that if you don’t have soymilk, like I used, or miso paste, that you can still make it without having to make an extra trip to the store.  If there’s something you’re looking for a substitution for, let me know!!

bowl of vegan Japanese cream stew with rice

bowls filled with Japanese cream stew and rice
5 from 1 vote
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Japanese Vegan Cream Stew (クリームシチュー)

Japanese Cream Stew is a mix of meat and vegetables cooked in a thick white roux (flour and fat cooked together and used to thicken sauces/soups/stews).  You won't miss the meat in this vegan version!  It's easy to make and a great way to use up the vegetables you already have.

Servings 8
Author Rachael Hutchings, www.lafujimama.com

Ingredients

  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 10-ish cups chopped mixed vegetables/mushrooms*
  • 4 cups vegetable stock
  • 2 tablespoons butter (or coconut oil)
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 2 cups unsweetened plant milk (I prefer unsweetened soymilk or cashew milk, but use what you have!)
  • 1 tablespoon white/yellow miso paste (or soy sauce, or gluten-free tamari, or fine grain sea salt)
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Heat a wok or large pot on high heat. Add the chopped onion and dry saute it for 2 minuters, unil it is starting to brown.  If it is sticking, add a splash of water as needed.

  2. Add the chopped vegetables, with the exception of any quick cooking vegetables like corn or spinach.  Saute them for 2 minutes.

  3. Add the vegetable broth, bring it to a boil, then cover the wok/pot and reduce the heat to medium-low.  

  4. Let the stew simmer for 15 minutes, until the vegetables are almost cooked through, then add any quick cooking vegetables like corn or spinach.

  5. While the vegetables are cooking, melt the butter/coconut oil in a medium saucepan, then whisk in the cornstarch until there are no lumps.  Then slowly add in the plant milk, whisking as you add it, to prevent lumps from forming.

  6. Once all the vegetables have been added to the stew, stir in the milk mixture.  Let the stew simmer until it has thickened, but do not let it boil.

  7. When it has thickened, turn off the heat.  Put the miso paste in a small bowl and add a few spoonfuls of the stew liquid and mix together until smooth.  Repeat with a few more spoonfuls.  When the miso is thinned out, stir it into the stew.  (If you are using soy sauce, gluten-free tamari, or sea salt, it can be stirred directly into the stew.)  Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with steamed Japanese rice.

Recipe Notes

*This cream stew is a great way to use up what you have or what you find at the grocery store.  You can use as many or as few vegetables as you want.  For example, the last time I made it I used 3 cups of chopped yellow potatoes, 2 cups of chopped carrots, 2 cups of broccoli florets, 2 cups of quartered crimini mushrooms, and 1 cup of frozen corn that I defrosted before adding to the stew.



{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

www.Gmail.com July 7, 2020 at 3:57 am

This looks so yum! A nice idea for dinner, thank you for sharing the recipe!

Reply

Neev Sanghvi November 27, 2021 at 1:08 pm

Healthy and I’ll surely try

Reply

Midori Kirby February 9, 2022 at 3:00 am

I just tried this recipe and it’s delicious! Thanks for posting:)

Reply

slope game May 16, 2023 at 8:09 pm

I really like this soup.

Reply

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