Hearty and Savory Vegetable Stew

The colder weather makes me yearn for delicious, warm, and comforting food like this hearty and savory vegetable stew. This vegan stew recipe is terrifically easy. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself making this dish more than once in the months ahead!

Servings: 8

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon soy sauce or coconut aminos
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 large garlic cloves, minced
4 cups peeled and diced winter squash (Butternut, Delicata, or Kabocha)
1 15-ounce can of chopped tomatoes
1 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 15-ounce can of red kidney beans (see note)
1 1/2 cups frozen sweet corn

Instructions:

Heat water and soy sauce in a large pot. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until the onion is translucent and most of the water has evaporated.
Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds, then peel it and cut it into 1/2-inch cubes.
Add the squash to the onions and chopped tomatoes, water, oregano, chili powder, cumin, and pepper.
Cover and simmer until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes.
Add the kidney beans with their liquid and the sweet corn. Cook for another 5 minutes.

Note:

You can use canned kidney beans for this recipe. However, if you have the time, it is recommended to use dried beans that have been soaked and cooked, as they lend a richer flavor to the dish. Choosing dried beans over canned is also more economical: 1 can of kidney beans is around $2.79, and one pound of dried beans can make approximately 5-6 cans worth of beans for about the same price. Not interested in soaking and cooking beans every time you need them? Save prep time by soaking and cooking the full pound of beans, then freeze them in 15 oz increments for future use. Be sure to freeze beans within four days of preparing.

How to Quick Soak and Cook Dried Red Kidney Beans:

Sort beans, discarding any shriveled, broken beans, stones, or debris. Rinse the beans well in cold running water.
For every 1 pound of beans, add 10 cups of hot water.
Bring water to a rapid boil. Boil for 2-3 minutes.
Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour.
Drain and rinse the beans with cool water.

Cooking Instructions:

Add 6 cups of water to the drained and rinsed beans in a large pot. Bring to a boil.
Place a lid on the pot and simmer gently until desired tenderness, about 1 1/2 – 2 hours. The kidney bean should be easy to mash against the side of the sauce pot with a fork.
Add salt and pepper to taste, and use them in your favorite recipe!