This vegan vegetable stew is made with potatoes, corn, carrots, and celery simmered in a slightly spicy, tangy tomato base. A flavor-packed, low-calorie dinner that just happens to be vegan.
Happy Monday, all! We are on week number two of March Meatless Monday Meals and today’s recipe is one that brings back so many busy-college-student memories. Remember last week in my Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes with Broccoli and Cheese Sauce post when I mentioned I was vegan for a while in college and survived on vegan hot dogs and oreos?
That’s not 100 percent true. I also had this Mexican Vegan Vegetable Stew.
I must have made this stew at least twice a month, and at the time, it was God sent. It’s the type of recipe that get’s better with age, so I could make a pot on a Sunday and happily eat it all the way through Friday with nary a complaint.
Seriously, by the time Friday rolled around, I would practically be licking the bowl after I finished the last spoonful because I was so sad to see it go.
The garlic, cumin, and chili powder give it an intense (but not insanely spicy) flavor, that deepens and matures the longer it sits and its tomato base is tangy, sharp, and perfectly offset by the mild vegetables.
This stew makes a fantastic dinner when served with warm tortillas or my Sweet Buttermilk Cornbread Muffins, or as a delicious and healthy lunch. It’s packed with vegetables, so it’s fantastically filling, but so low in calories, you won’t feel an ounce of guilt over indulging in dessert.
Mexican Vegan Vegetable Stew is one of the few vegan things that stuck after I went back to being an omnivore. Soy ice cream is a thing of the past, and I don’t eat veggie dogs or many oreos these days, but this soup is still a favorite in the rotation.
Looking for some more Meatless Monday Meals?
- My Homemade Margherita Pizza is a huge favorite around here.
- I dare you not to enjoy my Easy Fettuccine Alfredo with Broccoli.
- Crepes for Two make a great vegetarian Breakfast for Dinner.
- This Ginger Sweet Potato Carrot Soup from West via Midwest is another great vegan option!
- OR, you could always check out this post where I compiled a year’s worth of Meatless Monday Meal Ideas.
Mexican Vegan Vegetable Stew
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
- 5 small red potatoes cubed
- 2 carrots peeled and sliced 1-inch thick
- 2 stalks celery sliced 1-inch thick
- 1 15-ounce can corn drained
- 2 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes with green chilies
Instructions
- Over medium heat, heat oil in a large pot. Add onions and cook until nearly translucent. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook until garlic is lightly golden and the spices aromatic, about 30 seconds. The pot will be quite hot, so have your broth ready to pour in so your garlic doesn't burn.
- Add broth, tomato paste, potatoes, carrots, and celery. Stir and bring to a boil. Cook at a low boil for 20 minutes.
- Add corn and tomatoes. Bring stew back up to a boil and continue to cook for 5-10 minutes until potatoes are fork tender.
- Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes, serve, and enjoy.
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Nutritional Information for Mexican Vegan Vegetable Stew
Recipe Adapted From: Allrecipes
Small-yield Instructions: For the oil and tomato paste, 1/2 of 1 tablespoon is 1 1/2 teaspoons. You can use two or three potatoes and an entire can of corn if you’d like. This stew is flexible. Everything thing else halves cleanly. No prep or cooking changes are necessary.
Make-ahead Instructions: Carrots, celery, onions, and garlic can be cut up to two days in advance and stored in the refrigerator in airtight containers. Potatoes should be cut just before cooking to avoid browning.
Freezer Notes: I prefer not to freeze this stew because of the potatoes, but it can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 4 months.
stephanie says
way too salty 🙁 Maybe you meant to put course sea salt instead of regular salt?
Tracy says
Thanks for the feedback, Stephanie! I’ve never found this stew too salty because the potatoes suck up a ton of it. Maybe you had saltier broth than I usually use? I’ll add a note in the recipe.
Michelle Betts says
Could you make this in a crockpot? Do you know how? Just dump it all in a cook it for how long?
Tracy says
I’ve never done it, so I can’t guarantee the results, but I would use only about 3 1/2 cups of broth vs 4, add everything except the corn at the beginning, and cook for 3-4 hours on high, 6-8 on low, throwing the corn in for the last 30ish minutes of cooking time. If the soup looks really watery when you add your corn, leave the lid off while it cooks. If you do try it, please let me know how it works out!
Courtney P. says
I just whipped this up and I LOVE it!! It has a nice kick to it, too! It was easy to make and I had all the ingredients in my cabinet. Thanks for the recipe.
Tracy says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Courtney!! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
Nikki says
Would it be okay if I didn’t use the can tomatoes and just the paste with everything else?
Tracy says
Hi Nikki, functionally, yes, you could, though you might have to add another can of broth or some water so there is enough liquid. But the tomatoes are a huge part of the flavor, so I’m not sure how good it would taste. It would definitely be a very different stew. If you do try it, let me know how it turns out!
Susan says
If I was going to double this recipe, would you change anything as far as spices, etc. go?
Tracy says
Nope, you can make as written. The amount of spice going into it is probably going to look a little scary though, so if it seems like too much, you can absolutely cut it. This is a very flavorful stew! 🙂
Tammy says
Don’t use the Rotel Tomatoes w/chili’s…way to hot for this amount of stew.
Tracy says
Oooo, you’re right. Rotel tomatoes are very spicy!
Madeline says
How much is one serving?? I’m scared to eat so much of it.
Tracy says
Hi Madeline, one serving is about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of soup.
Shelby says
This soup is simmering in the pot as I type, I can’t believe how flavorful it smells with such simple ingredients. I haven’t tried it yet but I’m willing to bet this goes into our rotation. Thanks!
Tracy says
I hope you enjoy it, Shelby! I do love the smell of this one while it cooks!
Aracely says
It was so delicious & perfect with some tostadas 🙂
Tracy says
I’m so happy to hear that! And mmmmm tostadas. That sounds really good right now. 😉
Marsha | Marsha's Baking Addiction says
This stew looks absolutely delicious! That steaming GIF – pass me a spoon!
Tracy says
Thanks, Marsha!
Diana says
Tracy, could you tell me the serving size? Thanks.
Tracy says
Hi Diana, I can’t give exact serving size, because it’s always going to vary a little bit depending on veggie size, etc, but it’s *about* 1 1/2 to 2 cups per serving. Hope that helps!
Swayam says
What a hearty stew!! It’s already hot where I live but this got me wishing for winters again
Tracy says
Uhhgg. It’s getting there here too. We’ve had a brief cool down the last couple days here in southern California, but the hot weather is coming. I am not ready!!!
sue|theviewfromgreatisland says
I love delicious food that just ‘happens’ to be healthy!
Tracy says
So do I!
Bella B (xoxoBella) says
This just looks so hearty and flavourful!
Tracy says
Thank you, Bella!
Jillian @ Food, Folks and Fun says
Yummm, the flavors of this stew sound so tasty!
Tracy says
Thanks, Jillian!
Rahul @samosastreet.com says
I am up for soup anytime of the year, and I love this one. Wish I had a big bowl of this right now!
Tracy says
Agreed, any time is soup time!
peter @feedyoursoultoo says
Mexican is one of my two favorites foods. i like the heartiness and the flavor you got with this vegetarian dish.
Tracy says
Mexican is definitely one of my favorites too! Thanks, Peter.