In the beginning of the twentieth century Kidunae Ikeda, Japanese physics professor, discovered what makes savory foods, such as stews, taste meaty. It's not just the meat. He found the substance glutamate which results in a sensation called umami - the fifth primary taste sensation after salty, sweet, bitter, and sour. There are various foods with naturally occurring glutamates, like Parmesan cheese. Adding glutamates to soups and stews is an easy way to build a meaty flavor, even if your cooking a vegetarian dish. Sautéed crimini mushrooms initiate the building of flavor. Use a thick tomato paste. Red wine is useful for loosening flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Potatoes and onions have high levels of glutamate, but nothing compared to Parmesan cheese and sea kelp. In fact, sea kelp is often used in Japanese broths.
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