Vegetarian Vegetable Stew

The title is funny, I’ll admit.  But, when people normally think about vegetable stew, there’s usually a thought of beef in a background of vegetables.  Now, don’t get me wrong.  I know that vegetable beef stew is an amazing and filling meal when the weather turns a little chilly, but, since I don’t eat beef, I didn’t want to feel left out.  🙂  This recipe is actually vegan as well.  Talk about a dose of pure healthy eating!

This recipe is to die for.  The combination of the white button mushrooms and cremini (aka baby portobello) definitely stand out as the stars of this stew-in fact, if you wanted to add meat to this, you probably could, however, the mushrooms add that sort of meaty “kick” already.  I used up my purple potatoes instead of using the standard red potatoes; however, I stuck pretty closely to the original recipe in order to make sure that I prepared it correctly.  Next time I make this, I may add some red bell pepper or some additional root vegetables to get more variety.  I loved the colors and different textures that the veggies provided.  I added the balsamic vinegar (yes, balsamic…I was intrigued by this) at the very end, as the recipe stated, but I thought that it slightly overpowered the stew when I ate it immediately.  However, when I packed it for lunch the next day and the flavors had some time to mellow out, the balsamic seemed to really bring out some intense and earthy flavors that I didn’t taste during the first serving.  So, it’s up to you.  Next time I might add just a little bit less and see what happens.  The bottom line is this:  I will definitely be making this stew again.

Vegetarian Vegetable Stew

Servings: 6

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, minced

1 medium carrot, minced

1 medium stalk celery, minced

1 medium red onion, chopped medium

9 medium portobello mushrooms (about 1 and 1/4 pounds), stems discarded, caps halved and then sliced 1/2 inch thick

10 ounces white mushrooms, stems trimmed and mushrooms halved

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 cup white wine

2 and 1/2 cups vegetable stock

1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 cup canned diced tomatoes

1 bay leaf

4 large carrots (about one pound), peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1-inch pieces

4 medium red potatoes (about 1 and 1/2 pounds), peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon cold water

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Instructions

1.  Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.

2. Add the minced onion, carrot, and celery, and sauté, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to brown, about 10 minutes.

3.  Add the red onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.

4. Add the portobello and button mushrooms, raise the heat to medium-high, and sauté until the liquid the release has been evaporated, about 10 minutes.

5. Add the garlic, rosemary, and thyme and cook for 30 seconds.

6. Add the wine, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pot.

7. Cook until the wine is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

8. Add the stock, salt, tomatoes, bay leaf, carrots, and potatoes, and bring to a boil.

9.  Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the carrots and potatoes are tender, about 35 minutes.

10. Mix the cornstarch and with water to form a smooth paste.

11.  Stir the paste into the stew and cook until the liquid thickens, 1 to 2 minutes.

12.  Turn off the heat, stir in the peas, cover, and let stand until the peas are hot, 3 to 4 minutes.

13. Stir in the parsley and balsamic vinegar, discard the bay leaf, and adjust the seasonings.  Serve immediately.

Source:  Soups and Stews.

October 28, 2010 - 10:41 am

RavieNomNoms - Looks delicious and hearty! Great fall stew

October 28, 2010 - 9:57 pm

notyet100 - slurp,..

October 29, 2010 - 2:31 pm

Yesim - this looks great.. but i cant eat mushrooms, i know this s funny but dont like to felling inside of my mouth when i m eating it 🙂

October 29, 2010 - 3:07 pm

Shanon Lacy - Hahahha. I have the same thing-except with bananas!

October 29, 2010 - 5:44 pm

sarah - The recipe looks perfect for a fall meal.

October 30, 2010 - 5:56 pm

kateiscooking - I think I’ll be making this one! Looks fabulous and healthy. Great combination!! thanks, Kate @ kateiscooking

October 5, 2011 - 8:09 am

Fall Comfort Foods for Vegetarians | Healthy Vegetarian Recipes - […] Vegetarian Vegetable Stew: from The Curvy Carrot: Balsamic vinegar adds a splash of flavor to this nutrient rich vegetable stew. […]

January 22, 2012 - 7:51 pm

Dasha - I’m vegetarian for many years and this stew turned out so good! Thank U for this recipe

January 22, 2012 - 11:53 pm

Dave Mosher - Made this tonight. As a former meat-eater who loved beef stew, this recipe was extremely satisfying.

For those making it: Note that I had to switch from a 4 qt cast iron to an 8 qt soup pot midway, but it worked out. When it says “large Dutch oven” it means monstrous.

August 29, 2012 - 7:14 pm

molly - I made this last night. It was super good! My meat-eating husband loved it too. Thanks for the great recipe!

October 22, 2012 - 11:22 pm

DJ - Loved…loved… loved this recipe!! I used red wine instead of white. It was hearty and amazing!

October 23, 2012 - 1:44 am

Georgia - This was absolutely delicious. We are not vegetarians but eat a lot of meatless meals. I didn’t have vegetable stock on hand so I used beef stock instead, and red wine. I can’t wait to try it with the veggie stock but the beef broth did give it a very hearty flavor that even satisfied my carnivorous husband. The only problem I had was that my potatoes were a bit too soft for my liking, but that was my fault for making the chunks too small. I am thinking about making this again and omitting the potatoes altogether, perhaps serving it over egg noodles. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!

October 24, 2012 - 5:33 am

Susan - I’ve been exploring meatless meals, I just got my new dutch oven, and I had some mushrooms that needed to be cooked so finding this recipe was perfect timing! This is delicious. I will definitely make it again. My dutch oven is 5.5 quarts. It was large enough with plenty of room for stirring. Thank you for sharing!

October 25, 2012 - 12:24 pm

Sweet Harvest Stew « hey, beth baker! - […] by autumn’s leaves and harvest [and this recipe by The Curvy Carrot] I set to work to pacify those […]

October 29, 2012 - 10:02 pm

Crystal - We made it, we loved it!

November 12, 2012 - 11:21 pm

Julia - This dinner was amazing! I am looking forward to eating this tomorrow as well, Thank you!

January 24, 2013 - 12:49 pm

Ragoût de légumes aux champignons portobello | La Cuillère à goûThé - […] aimez bien les champignons, j’espère? Cette question s’impose d’emblée car la recette qui suit a beau contenir une tonne de légumes, elle contient surtout une bonne quantité de champignons! […]

February 16, 2013 - 2:31 am

Trish - I made this for dinner tonight, it was delicious! I used red wine and beef broth, and added a parsnip! Will make this again, thanks for the great recipe!

September 22, 2013 - 6:40 pm

Robin - We made this tonight! It was SENSATIONAL, my meatie husband said it tasted like beef bourgouignon (I was generous with the wine) and I am so pleased we have a ton of it left! Yum yum!

October 9, 2013 - 10:51 pm

Crystal - I love vegetable stews/soups and made this tonight to take to a weekend camping trip. I only sampled a bit tonight and found the rosemary to be a bit overpowering. I followed the recipe and only added a teaspoon. I am hopeful it will mellow out as it sits for a day or so. Otherwise, I loved all the mushrooms and it is very hearty!

October 16, 2013 - 12:19 pm

Angela - Can you use a crock pot?

October 16, 2013 - 12:41 pm

srlacy - Hi Angela-

I don’t see why not! I’m sure it would turn out wonderfully.

November 9, 2013 - 12:48 pm

Jennie - Love it! Best stew recipe ever!! Absolutely delicious!
Don’t miss meat 🙂

November 12, 2013 - 11:28 pm

Vegetable Stew | - […] It’s been quite awhile since I’ve blogged!  I really enjoy writing about what I cook, but I’m not so great at stopping and taking pictures before and after I cook something.  I just want to cook and then eat, with very little time in between those two activities.  But now I’m back, so here is a delicious vegetable stew recipe!  I adapted this recipe from one I found on The Curvy Carrot. […]

November 14, 2013 - 7:04 pm

tia - Will this turn out ok if you skip the step with the wine?

November 15, 2013 - 9:09 am

srlacy - Hi Tia- it will be ok if you omit the wine. Enjoy!

November 22, 2013 - 12:46 pm

33 VEGETARIAN THANKSGIVING DISHES MADE WITH REAL FOOD (NOT TOFURKEY) - - […] 11. Vegetarian Vegetable Stew Those who are serious about getting their veggies on Thanksgiving should bookmark this fresh stew recipe. Combine onion, carrot, celery, Portobello mushrooms, white mushrooms, garlic, tomatoes, potatoes, peas, and parsley to make this hearty, surprisingly filling vegetable soup. […]

December 14, 2013 - 9:30 am

Millie - Hi, will this freeze ok?

December 14, 2013 - 11:45 am

srlacy - Hi Millie-

It should be just fine with freezing. Enjoy!

December 23, 2013 - 1:31 am

Julia - I am going to try this for Christmas (main dish). Will let you know how it turns out 🙂

December 25, 2013 - 7:15 pm

Julia - It came out perfect. So tasty and easy to make. Will definitely make again and likely soon. Did this and lettuce salad, bread and pecan pie for a vegan Christmas dinner.

January 23, 2014 - 11:37 pm

Meal Planning | Tiny Spark Academy - […] January 9: Vegetarian Stew […]

February 16, 2014 - 11:47 am

Jennifer - Hi! I am planning on making this today! Did you use baby Bellas or large Portobello mushrooms? Thanks!

February 16, 2014 - 12:44 pm

srlacy - Hi Jennifer-

I used medium-sized Portobellos-but you can use baby bellas, too!

March 5, 2014 - 8:48 pm

Erika - I just made this and it is SOLID.

March 17, 2014 - 2:27 pm

Colin - I’m thinking of trying red wine instead. Any thoughts?

March 17, 2014 - 3:14 pm

srlacy - Hey Colin-

I bet red wine would be awesome here. Let me know how it turns out.

March 29, 2014 - 9:08 pm

Meredith - This is the best vegetarian/vegan stew I’ve ever had! I followed the recipe exactly and hesitated at the end to put in the balsamic vinegar because it already tasted so good but I added it anyway and it was even better! Packed with tons of flavor – this is my new favorite dish!

April 27, 2014 - 7:58 pm

Michele - This is an awesome vegetable stew!! I added red pepper and put the balsamic vinegar in about 20 minutes before it was done. It seemed to help the flavor permeate the stew. I highly recommend accompanying it with fresh bread and butter. A new fav for sure.

May 31, 2014 - 3:55 am

patie - Wow!! Amazing flavours and so so good! I added more garlic than called for..black pepper..some onion powder..even some Italian spices..turnip or rutabaga besides the other veggies. I added more rosemary and even some basil…(i luv cooking with herbs and spices)this is the best tasting stew and first time making a veggie stew..that I’ve ever tasted! Will make it again soon.!

May 31, 2014 - 3:59 am

patie - I also used red wine and beef stock instead of veggies stock. DELICIOUS!! Yes.with a fresh bun and some butter…a meal in itself!

September 20, 2014 - 8:13 pm

Marylee - This stew tastes fabulous!!!!! Even the meat eaters in my family liked it. Thank you!

October 10, 2014 - 5:32 pm

Connie Chambers - I’ve been making this for a couple of years now and it’s wonderful! I’m vegetarian and my husband is a carnavore and we’re both happy when it’s on the menu.

October 19, 2014 - 5:52 pm

jessica - If I use a crockpot do I need to leave out the wine or anything else?

October 20, 2014 - 1:07 pm

srlacy - Hi Jessica-

Not that I’m aware of. I think the recipe in its entirety should be fine.

November 21, 2014 - 1:32 pm

33 Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipes Made With Real Food (Not Tofurkey) - […] 11. Vegetarian Vegetable Stew […]

November 21, 2014 - 5:14 pm
November 29, 2014 - 7:28 pm

jared - Truly excellent! I followed the recipe also exactly (including the balsamic – delicious). I added some kale for extra texture and a can of white beans. I also doubled the veggie stock and cornstarch for a bit more broth.

10/10

December 29, 2014 - 7:35 am

Vegetable Stew Meatless | All Documents - […] Vegetarian Vegetable Stew | The Curvy Carrot – The title is funny, I’ll admit. But, when people normally think about vegetable stew, there’s usually a thought of beef in a background of vegetables. Now,… […]

January 2, 2015 - 6:14 pm

Vegetarian Harvest Stew | All Documents - […] Vegetarian Vegetable Stew | The Curvy Carrot – The title is funny, I’ll admit. But, when people normally think about vegetable stew, there’s usually a thought of beef in a background of vegetables. Now,… […]

January 12, 2015 - 11:42 am

Adrian - I was looking for a good vegetarian shepherd’s pie recipe, and this turned out to be exactly what I wanted! I just left out the potatoes, transferred the stew to two smaller baking dishes after it was finished, topped them with mashed potatoes, and baked them in the oven for about 25 minutes. Perfect.

January 17, 2015 - 2:56 am

Kelly - Hi, I was wondering what makes this stew brown? 🙂 I’m so happy to see a recipe without soy sauce but I was wondering if it still comes out as dark (I’m omitting the wine)? Also is there any other mushroom I could use beside portobello? My sister doesn’t like them lol

Thank you so much!

February 17, 2015 - 11:15 am

Vegetarian Vegetable Stew | Juice Plus+ Today - […] via Vegetarian Vegetable Stew | The Curvy Carrot. […]

February 17, 2015 - 11:17 am

Vegetarian Vegetable Stew - Nutrition Savvy Moms - […] via Vegetarian Vegetable Stew | The Curvy Carrot. […]