Hearty Vegetable Stew

This healthy vegetable stew recipe is just what you need when you’re craving something feel-good and cozy. It’s vegan, gluten-free, rich in flavor, and very hearty. And it takes just one pot and 40 minutes! 

I was inspired to make this vegetable stew by a mountain of veggies in my fridge and no stomach for washing dishes. As it came together, I heard the gentle bubbling of a vegetable-spiked tomato broth loaded with seasonal veggies, and it hit me: this vegan stew is my winter ratatouille!

Like the Provençal summer favorite, I keep the seasoning simple to let the vegetables take center stage. It uses humble ingredients but is still elegant in its own way. And it tastes even better the next day!

There’s nothing fancy about this vegan stew recipe, but a few seasonal ingredients working together make all the difference. Yukon gold potatoes get buttery and tender, adding a welcome creaminess and heft. Canned tomatoes add richness and frozen peas bring a taste of spring’s sweet and delicate flavors.

Red bell peppers, fresh parsley, and lemon add a pop of brightness to balance the savory elements. Healthy and yet so comforting, this vegan stew recipe is everything I love about the Mediterranean diet!

Table of Contents

1. Vegetable Stew Ingredients 
2. How to Make this Vegetable Stew Recipe
3. Ways to Mix it Up
4. What to Serve with this Vegetable Stew Recipe
5. More Hearty Vegetable Stew Recipes
6. Hearty Vegetable Stew Recipe

Vegetable Stew Ingredients 

This vegetable stew recipe uses all easy-to-find seasonal ingredients, with canned tomatoes and frozen peas bringing a bit of spring-summer to winter’s coldest days. You’ll need: 

• Extra virgin olive oil: I like a robust, full-flavor variety for this dish. I used our Greek Koroneki.
• Yellow onion, garlic, celery, and carrots provide the soup’s aromatic base.
• Potatoes add a bit of heft. I like the buttery, creamy flavor of Yukon gold, but use what you have (russet, red gold, etc).
• Red bell pepper adds bright, sweet bursts of flavor. Yellow, purple, and green bell peppers will work, they just lean more bitter and vegetal than sweet red bell peppers.  
• Kosher salt and black pepper enhance the flavor.
• Peas add a pleasant pop of texture and sweetness. Frozen peas work great! You don’t even need to thaw them.  
• Canned diced tomatoes add summery sweetness and richness all year round. If you have canned whole tomatoes, just burst them with the back of your spoon. 
• Vegetable broth keeps this soup vegan (and did you know you can make your own with leftover vegetable scraps?). You can also use chicken stock, chicken broth, beef broth, or whatever you have on hand.  
• Parsley adds freshness and bright, peppery flavor. You can substitute it with other tender herbs, like basil or cilantro. 
• Fresh lemon juice lifts the savory flavors, adding acidity for balance. Please don’t skip it! Otherwise, your soup will likely taste “flat.” You can substitute with lime juice or a splash of sherry vinegar or white distilled vinegar (start small, taste, and adjust). 

How to Make this Vegetable Stew Recipe

This is a very fuss-free, no-fail vegan stew recipe. You really can’t go wrong–feel free to throw in whatever veggies are lingering in your fridge if you’d like. 

• Get ready: Finely chop one medium yellow onion. Mince 3 garlic cloves. Coarsely chop 2 celery ribs. Slice 2 carrots into thin rounds. Cube 3 Yukon gold potatoes. Core and coarsely chop 1 red bell pepper. 
• Soften the aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy cooking pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the onion, garlic, celery, carrots, potatoes, and bell pepper. Season with a big pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened some, 5 to 7 minutes. 
• Boil. Add 1 cup of frozen peas, one can of diced tomatoes and their juices, and 4 cups of vegetable broth. Bring to a boil for about 5 minutes. 
• Simmer. Lower the heat and cover the pot partway (allow an opening on top). Simmer until the vegetables are fully tender and cooked through, about 25 to 35 minutes. 
• Get ready to serve. While the soup simmers, chop enough parsley and tender stems to yield one cup. Juice 1 lemon. 
• Thicken (optional). Turn off the heat. If you want a thicker stew, take an immersion blender and blend it ever so briefly so that some parts of the soup are pureed but the majority remains in large chunks. Alternatively, you puree one cup of the stew in a food processor or blender (let it cool a bit first), then return it to the pot.
• Finish and serve (or store). Stir in the parsley and lemon juice. Transfer to serving bowls and finish each bowl with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Or let cool completely and store in a tightly closed container in your fridge for up to 4 days.

Ways to Mix it Up

I kept this recipe simple so I can tweak it according to what I have. It’s meant as a raid the fridge situation! Some ideas: 

• Up the seasoning: Stirring in about a teaspoon each of ground cumin, Spanish paprika, and coriander after you’ve softened the aromatics. Or, add a spoonful of harissa paste for a boldly smoky-spicy version!
• Add canned beans: Up the protein with chickpeas or white beans (drained and rinsed). Stir them in after blending the stew, and give them a few minutes to warm and soften into the broth.
• Mix up the veggies: Feel free to add the seasonal vegetables you have on hand, like mushrooms, cauliflower, and fennel.
• Add greens: Stir in hearty greens, like stemmed and torn kale or Swiss chard, after blending the stew. Allow a few minutes for the greens to wilt. 
• Finish with parmesan: If you’re not concerned about this stew being vegan, freshly grated parmesan will add a rich umami quality. 

What to Serve with this Vegetable Stew Recipe

This stew is plenty hearty on its own. If you don’t avoid gluten, though, I do love to up the cozy factor with a bit of crusty bread for dipping. Freshly baked olive bread or French baguette would be a special treat, but of course you can use a quality store bought loaf as well. Round out the meal with a simple salad, like this nutritious kale salad with pistachios (simply skip the parmesan to keep things vegan).

More Hearty Vegetable Stew Recipes

Mediterranean Diet Recipes

Hearty One-Pot Lentil Stew

Vegan

Tomato and Chickpea Chili (Two Ways)

Soups and Stews

Mediterranean Spinach Stew with Chickpeas

Soups and Stews

“Detox” Cabbage Soup with Turmeric and Ginger

*This post has recently been updated with new information for the readers’ benefit.