I was initially 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 bring a nice heft, and get buttery and tender, adding a welcome creaminess. Canned tomatoes add richness and frozen peas add 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!
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 is used to sauté the vegetables and is drizzled on just before serving for extra richness and flavor. 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 any all-purpose potato like red gold or purple majesty will work well. 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 that will work too–just burst them with the back of your spoon. Vegetable broth keeps this soup vegan, but you can 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 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, a 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.
What to Serve with Vegetable Stew
This easy stew recipe makes a satisfying dinner in under an hour. You don’t need any sides! But if you’re feeding a very hungry crowd, make a hearty salad while it simmers for extra protein. Balela or Tabouli both come to mind. And if you love the crunch of tabouli salad but avoid gluten, try my Cauliflower Tabouli instead. Browse all Mediterranean recipes
Easy Ratatouille (One Pot Vegetable Stew)
Hearty One-Pot Lentil Stew
Tomato and Chickpea Chili (Two Ways)
Mediterranean Spinach Stew with Chickpeas
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