I never liked soup. Frankly, if you ask me, I’ll probably tell you I hate soup. There is nothing satisfactory about drinking a meal to me. Unless that meal happens to be a very large cotton candy milkshake from Stewart’s Shops. However, last year when I began my cooking adventure with Plated, I started making various stews and chilis, and IÂ loved them. So I may just be in soup denial. One thing I really like about making chilis and stews – they’re so very flexible! This recipe came about from having a stockpile of vegetables left over from the farmer’s market. My pantry is still stocked with garlic, onions, shallots, Â and potatoes as we speak.
I love making this early in the week, especially now that it’s cold. It’s a warm dish that is great for lunch or dinner the next day. And I like to dress it up with various things – cheese, sour cream, cilantro, sometimes even slices of avocado. It’s versatile and delicious – and just FILLED with vegetables. When I eat it I have this strong feeling of adulthood pride because for once, JUST once, I am EATING THE DAILY RECOMMENDED SERVING OF VEGETABLES. That’s a true accomplishment.
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 8 bowls | 45 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 30-45 minutes |
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This is a really easy, flexible, one pot vegetable stew. It's almost vegetarian because I use a chicken stock, so to make it fully vegetarian just sub in vegetable! It's great with garnished with some cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and some fresh cilantro.
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- 2 cans diced tomatoes no salted added
- 2-3 cups chicken stock low sodium or no salt added
- 1 bunch celery chopped
- 1 bunch carrots chopped
- 1 pound small fingerling/red potatoes diced if larger, otherwise whole
- 1 whole small butternut squash approximately 10 ounces
- 1 whole red onion diced
- 1 whole shallot minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 1 dash red pepper flakes
- Heat olive oil in dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic, red onion, shallot, and spices. Cook until fragrant.
- Add in tomatoes and 2 cups of stock, cook for a few minutes.
- Add all vegetables to the pot. If it needs more liquid, add the last cup of stock. It will cook down. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and let simmer for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally and check to see if potatoes, or squash are tender.
- Serve with cheddar cheese, sour cream, and chopped cilantro. Since this makes a large amount, I usually freeze half and eat the other half for lunches.
If you decide to make this, keep in mind the spices can be adjusted to your preference. I don't ever actually measure, I just start dumping them in until it smells good, taste it half way through, and add more if needed. Also note, I don't use any salt, which may not be your preference.
