This Healthy Vegan Stew is loaded with veggies and flavor, with just a hint of heat. You'll love its simple ingredients, easy prep, and delicious taste.
Chock full of vegetables like butternut squash, zucchini, tomatoes, and onion, this Vegan Stew tastes great and is good for you. And with spices like cumin, coriander, and garam masala, not to mention some chilies, you'll love the rich and complex flavors of this dish.
Some may think that a stew can't be filling without some meat, but this Vegan Stew will set them straight. Rich and hearty, full of flavor, it will be a delicious addition to your dinner table. And during the winter, you'll be glad for such a warm and satisfying supper.
Main Ingredients
- Butternut Squash. You could use sweet potato instead if you prefer.
- Zucchini. Yellow or green would work fine here.
- Chickpeas. These you can boil yourself or just use canned chickpeas.
- Onion.
- Garlic. The more the better.
- Pureed Tomatoes. Just pulse the tomatoes in a blender or smoothie cup to get the right consistency. These could also be substituted with canned tomato sauce or diced tomatoes.
- Coconut Milk. Use good-quality coconut milk.
- Olive Oil. Or you can use the oil of your choice. I LOVE this Coconut Oil with Butter Flavor!
- Spices. Cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and salt.
- Chipotles in Adobo Sauce. I use this for heat and extra flavor. If it's not available, use chili powder or fresh chilies to add the desired level of spiciness.
How to Make This Healthy Vegan Stew
1. In a large pot, add the olive oil and onions. Cook the onions on the stovetop until they are soft and caramelized, stirring often to keep them from sticking.
2. Add the minced garlic, chipotle in adobo sauce, coriander, garam masala, cumin, and salt. Continue to stir until everything is mixed together thoroughly.
3. Then, add the butternut squash and tomato puree to the pot, mixing well. Cover the pot and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir.
4. Add the zucchini, chickpeas, and coconut milk, stirring until the ingredients are well-incorporated. Cover and cook for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, stir in the cilantro.
5. Serve with some more fresh cilantro on top and enjoy.
How to Serve
As is. It's wonderful on its own, with a slice of crusty bread on the side.
With grains. Rice, quinoa, farro, bulgur, and couscous all work great with this vegan stew.
With pasta. Mix some pasta into the stew. It's perfect this way.
With Roasted Veggies. Even though this stew is loaded with veggies, some roasted vegetables on the side add extra flavor and make a great addition.
Recipe Variations
Spinach or Kale. These make great additions to this Vegan Stew. Add some fresh, or in a pinch, you could use frozen (just defrost and drain first).
Beans. If chickpeas aren't your favorite, then you can use pretty much any other type of bean - kidney, navy, or black all work.
Potatoes. Add some potatoes to make this stew even more filling.
Seasonings. Adjust the seasonings to your personal taste. Add some more chilies if you like your stews spicy, or add some other favorite spices to the mix.
Herbs. Any herbs can be used to enhance the flavors. So, get creative and make this amazing Vegan Stew your own.
How to Store this Vegan Stew
If you would like to store this Vegan Stew in the refrigerator, keep it in the same pot covered with lid, or place it in an airtight container. It will last for 3-4 days.
You can also store this stew in the freezer. Place the stew in an airtight container, or to save space, in a ziplock freezer bag. Lay the bag flat in the freezer until it is solid, then store it vertically to leave room for other freezer items. Your stew will last in the freezer for 4-6 months.
How to Reheat
To reheat this Vegan Stew from the refrigerator, just place it in a microwave-safe bowl and heat, stirring periodically until it's hot. If you are reheating from the freezer, first place the container of stew in the microwave to defrost, or in the case of freezer bags, in a bowl of water until it becomes slushy. From there, either heat the stew in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop.
I hope your family will enjoy this delicious and healthy Vegan Stew as much as mine does. Filling, flavorful, and served hot, it makes a great dinner, especially during the colder months.
More Tasty Vegan Recipes:
- Roasted Green Beans and Potatoes
- Mexican-style Quinoa Salad
- Sweet Potato Hummus
- Zucchini Noodles
- Angel Hair Pasta
Video Tutorial
Healthy Vegan Stew
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 lbs. butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 3 medium tomatoes, pureed or use 1 can of tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 lbs. zucchini, cubed
- 2 15 oz. cans chickpeas
- 1 14 oz. can unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 tbsp. chipotles in adobo sauce, minced
- 1 tsp. cumin powder
- 1 tsp. coriander powder
- 1 tsp. garam masala
- 1 tsp. salt or to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, add the olive oil and onions. Cook the onions on the stovetop until they are soft and caramelized, stirring often to keep them from sticking.
- Add the minced garlic, chipotle in adobo sauce, coriander, garam masala, cumin, and salt. Continue to stir until everything is mixed together thoroughly.
- Then, add the butternut squash and tomato puree to the pot, mixing well. Cover the pot and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir.
- Add the zucchini, chickpeas, and coconut milk, stirring until the ingredients are well-incorporated. Cover and cook for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, stir in the cilantro.
- Serve with some more fresh cilantro on top and enjoy.
I started to make this dish and had to check the recipe a few times. The directions tell me to heat the oil and cook the onion. Then add the minced garlic and the chipotle adobe sauce. Looking at the recipe, there is no mention of garlic and or the amount of garlic to add. No big deal, I just added the desired amount of garlic to my ingredients. Hope it turns out well
Hi Tom! Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I just added the garlic to the recipe card. I can't wait to hear how you enjoyed it!