Hearty Vegetarian Stew

This hearty vegetarian stew is the perfect dinner for fall or winter!

When cooler weather rolls around, my craving for a hearty stew rockets straight into the sky. This vegetarian stew recipe is exactly the kind of plant based meal that I like to meal prep early on the week so I can enjoy it as a no-brainer dinner throughout the week. What makes this vegetarian recipe even more delicious is that we roast the vegetables in the oven before adding them to the simmering stew. Roasting the vegetables gives it an extra flavor boost, and it helps make sure the texture of this stew stays firm and doesn’t turn mushy.

The variety of veggies in this stew makes it the ultimate healthy comfort food. I’m not a huge soup person, but I like stews, especially when you can really taste everything that’s in it. Seasoning the vegetables well before roasting them gives this stew a flavor boost, and of course we’ll also season the stew again later on while it’s cooking. Add a squeeze of 1/2 lemon into the stew at the very end to balance out the flavors even more.

As for the vegetables used in this stew, consider this to be a choose-your-own-adventure story. I used a combination of sweet potato, brussel sprouts, carrots, onions, and green beans. You can use whatever you like. If you follow a low FODMAP diet, you can certainly swap out the vegetables listed here for any low FODMAP foods that work for you.

What are the ingredients for this vegetarian stew?

The full ingredients are listed below, but here’s the gist:

• Sweet potato

• Brussel sprouts

• Carrots

• Onions

• Green beans

• Canned stewed tomatoes

• Coconut milk

You can swap out any of these veggies for whichever ones you really like! This recipe can easily be made low FODMAP-friendly.

How long does this recipe take to make?

Start to finish, you can expect to enjoy this vegetarian stew about 1.5 hrs after you start it. This is because you’ll roast the veggies in the oven for about 45 minutes first. Meanwhile, you’ll prepare the rest of the stew on the stove. Once the veggies and stew are combined, you’ll simmer the stew together for another 5-10 minutes, and then it’s ready to serve.

Recipe

Active Time: 20 mins / Prep Time: 20 mins / Cook Time: 45 mins / Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato, cubed

• 1 c brussel sprouts, sliced

• 2 large carrots, chopped into 1/2” pieces

• 1 1/2 c green beans, chopped into 1/2” pieces

• 1/2 onion, diced

• 4 cloves of garlic, diced

• 1/4 c olive oil, divided

• 1/2 tsp paprika

• 1 tsp garam masala

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 tsp coriander

• 14 oz can stewed tomatoes

• 13 oz can coconut milk

• 2 c spinach

• Pita or rice, or serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil and spray with non-stick spray.

2. Pour the veggies onto the sheet pan. Drizzle 2 tbsp olive oil over the veggies and sprinkle a little salt and pepper on top. Toss the veggies so it’s coated in the oil and seasonings.

3. Roast the veggies for about 45 minutes, stopping to toss half way through.

4. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat on the stove. Add in the seasonings and cook for about one minute, stirring continuously so it doesn’t burn.

5. Pour in the can of stewed tomatoes (liquid and all), breaking apart the tomatoes if they’re still whole. Cook for another minute, until it slowly starts simmering again.

6. Add in the can of coconut milk, and bring to a simmer. At this point, the liquid for your stew is ready. If the veggies are still roasting, turn off the burner on the stove and wait for them to be done. Turn the burner to medium heat again once the veggies are finished roasting.

7. Once the veggies are finished roasting, add them to the stew and stir them in.

8. Add in the spinach and stir. The spinach will wilt quickly. Allow the stew to simmer for about 5 more minutes until heated through.

9. Serve the stew with warmed pita or rice.