Moxtail Stew is a plant based version of the classic Oxtail Stew is cooked in your Instant Pot, making it a super easy, super healthy, good for you dinner.
Moxtail Stew or Oxtail Stew that is the question
Moxtail Stew is my healthier, plant based take on the classic Oxtail Stew. While Oxtail Stew may be delicious, and is a perfect occasional treat for flexitarians, Moxtail Stew uses high protein tofu instead of actual oxtails which is way healthier.
How I came up with Moxtail Stew
It’s really cold here in home town Chicago.
Yes…it’s pancake ice on Lake Michigan! Thanks Daily Mail UK for this picture!
Really really cold.
In fact, it’s so cold that they’re cancelling school tomorrow.
It’s supposed to get down to -26°F … without wind chill. And there’s always wind chill in Chicago.
That’s cold.
Here, in home town Chicago we need warmth. Crackling fireplace fires. Layers of clothing. Hot stew.
Lots of hot stew.
Moxtail Stew
A few weeks back I was in our local kosher grocery store, Hungarian Kosher (now Sarah’s Tent), and found oxtails. I’ve never made oxtail, and they intrigued me. Cell phones are awesome for doing quick searches for recipes involving unique ingredients. Quite a few recipes for Oxtail Stew came up. Enough that I purchased a few packages. In my defense they weren’t expensive. Maybe it was because not many people buy oxtails. But I digress…
The best way to make stew
I ended up making oxtail stew in my electric pressure cooker. It was the perfect cooking medium for making the stew. The meat was soft, buttery and delicious. I (of course) changed the recipe and used chickpeas instead of butter beans. They were a perfect substitution.
How to make Oxtail Stew healthier…make Moxtail Stew
While the oxtails were delicious, they didn’t seem particularly healthy. I loved the stew flavors though. I decided to prepare the stew substituting high protein extra firm tofu for the oxtail. I kept most of the recipe the same. It was SO delicious I wanted to eat the whole pot. It was that good!
What was particularly appealing about the new recipe was the fact that it was plant based, gluten free and extremely hearty and delicious. The chickpeas and tofu added flavor and protein, which is what we’re all looking for in a healthy main dish. The fresh tomato gave a burst of color and freshness to the dish as well.
The best part? It was incredibly easy to make.
Here’s the recipe
Guess what I’m making tonight. Hot Moxstail Stew to warm us up from the cold Chicago weather.
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Moxtail Stew – Plant Based
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Stew
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: Plant Based
- Diet: Kosher
Description
Filled with hearty ingredients like chickpeas, fresh tomatoes, firm tofu and fragrant spices, this mock oxtail stew is perfect for a cold winter night. Using an electric pressure cooker melds all the flavors and makes the cooking of this stew super fast.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces extra-firm tofu, cubed and patted dry with paper towels
- 2 teaspoons molasses
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons canola or avocado oil
- 1 large white onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 medium tomato, diced
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Instructions
- Set the EPC (Electric Pressure Cooker/Instant Pot) to sauté/brown mode.
- In a medium bowl coat the tofu with the molasses, salt ,onion powder, garlic powder, freshly ground black pepper and paprika.
- Add the oil to the EPC pot. Sauté the coated tofu in the hot oil until browned.
- Add the chopped onion and crushed garlic to the browned tofu. Sauté until the onions are clear.
- Change the mode on the EPC to manual high pressure.
- Place the vegetable stock, chickpeas, tomato paste, green onions, bay leaf, dried thyme leaves, and crushed red pepper to the EPC pot.
- Lock the lid of the EPC and close the pressure valve.
- Cook for 30 minutes. Manually release the pressure.
- Serve hot.
Notes
If you don’t have an Instant Pot you can make this in your slow cooker or on your stovetop in a Dutch oven. Simply follow the above instructions and simmer covered for at least 1 hour.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 223
- Sugar: 7.2 g
- Sodium: 735.7 mg
- Fat: 9.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 23.9 g
- Protein: 12.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: Oxtail Stew, Plant Based, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Healthy Eating, Healthy Recipe, Tofu, Tomatoes, Stew, Dinner
More pictures of how to make Moxtail Stew
Here is the cubed tofu. You can use more tofu than 20-ounces if you like it more tofuey.
Here’s what the stew looks like before it’s cooked…
Self explanatory…
This plant based version of the classic Oxtail Stew is cooked in your Instant Pot, making it a super easy, super healthy, good for you dinner.
Now…does someone want to send me a hot water bottle?
Don’t worry, we Chicagoan’s are made of tough stuff.
More cold weather Soup recipes
- Roasted Brussel Sprout Soup
- Roasted Cauliflower and Caramelized Onion Soup
- Sweet Potato Soup with Candied Pecans
- Hearty Vegetable Soup
- Miso Soup with Bok Choy
- Jerry’s Minestrone Soup
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If I want to use beef cubes in place of tofu, would cooking instructions in EPC be the same? I have not used my EPC yet so I am not familiar with the settings.
Thanks for your question Shifra! You can use beef cubes in place of the tofu. After browning the beef, I recommend deglazing the bottom of the pan with a little bit of the vegetable stock. This means that you add a little of the stock and scrape the bottom of the pan to make sure there are no crusty bits or residue on the bottom of the EPC pot. Then proceed with the recipe as directed. If you have any other questions please let me know. Also, make sure to keep me posted (send pics!) of how your recipe turned out. Sharon