As the nights draw in and the temperatures drop, it’s safe to say, curling up on the sofa with a good book (or a great series to binge-watch) is becoming all the more appealing. Embracing a little bit of hygge this fall and winter (which is the Danish word for a cozy, contented feeling) comes from many things: lighting a candle, taking up a quiet hobby (like knitting or reading), or enjoying a warm, comforting meal. And arguably, there is nothing more comforting than a steaming bowl of stew.
Why stew is the ultimate winter dish
Stew is the coziest of meals. It’s hearty, filling, warming, and most importantly, bursting with flavor and nutrition. It can be cooked slowly over low heat, which means it’s also a relatively low-maintenance dish, and it’s incredibly versatile. Many different ingredients can be used in a stew, including vegan meat, root vegetables, like sweet potatoes and carrots, as well as lentils, beans, and more. Another big bonus of preparing stew in the winter is the nostalgic, comforting aroma it gives off while cooking. It is the epitome of a hygge dish.
The best vegan stews to keep you warm all winter
We’ve created this list of tasty vegan stews—come back to it every time you’re craving something warm, comforting, and delicious.
1 Vegan Miso Mushroom and Barley Stew
Mushrooms, shallots, garlic, miso, barley, and thyme combine to create a delicious and warming stew that is bursting with flavor and nutrition. It’s dreamy, comforting, and guaranteed to become one of your new winter favorites.
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Hannah Kaminsky
2 Moroccan-Inspired Vegan Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew
If you love the aromatic flavor of Moroccan cuisine, you’ll definitely enjoy this fragrant stew, which is packed with nutrient-dense ingredients like carrots, tomatoes, dried fruit, and chickpeas. For extra meaty texture and protein, it also features tender vegan chicken strips.
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3 Vegan French Lentil and Kale Stew
Thick coconut cream is the secret to the thick, comforting texture of this vegan stew, which is also packed with Italian herbs, garlic, French lentils, and shredded kale. It’s the ultimate nourishing dish for a cold winter’s evening.
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Jackie Sobon
4 Hearty Vegan Almond Butter Sweet Potato and Kale Stew
Smooth almond butter, sweet potatoes, kale, and extra-firm tofu are just a handful of the delicious, nourishing ingredients used in this hearty delicious stew recipe. Top tip: make a batch in advance and freeze for a low-effort, nutritious mid-week meal.
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Rachel Ama
5 Vegan Brazilian Moqueca
Moqueca is traditionally prepared with fish, but it’s easy to make this popular Brazilian recipe without animal products. As this recipe demonstrates, it’s just as delicious with hearts of palm.
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6 Filipinx-Inspired Vegan Peanut Vegetable Stew
If you love peanut satay, you’re guaranteed to love this Filipinx-inspired recipe, which is loaded with half a cup of smooth peanut butter. It also features annatto, a carotenoid-rich food coloring derived from the seeds of the achiote tree.
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7 Vegan Afro-Peruvian Carapulcra
This flavorful dish, inspired by the soul food of Peru, is the perfect mix of spicy (thanks to Peruvian hot peppers), creamy (thanks to peanut butter), and crunchy (thanks to the addition of toasted dry chickpeas).
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Jeff Wysocarski
8 Meaty Vegan Seitan Bourguignon
This traditional French stew is usually made with beef, but this recipe proves that you can achieve the same rich and meaty result by combining umami-rich mushrooms and protein-packed seitan instead.
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Vanessa K. Rees
9 Vegan Boeuf Bourguignon in Red Wine Sauce
If you love bourguignon, this recipe by celebrated vegan chef Miyoko Schinner is also well worth a go. Thanks to the rich red wine sauce, homemade seitan, and hearty potatoes, it’s nourishing, flavorful, and delicious.
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10 Vegan Filipinx Adobo With Tangy Soy Curls and Potatoes
This popular, flavor-packed Filipinx stew traditionally features meat or seafood, but soy curls are a great vegan alternative with a very similar texture.
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Ashley Hankins
11 Filipinx-Inspired Spicy Vegan Chicken Adobo
If you can’t get your hands on soy curls, or you simply prefer vegan meat, this delicious recipe demonstrates another way to make Filipinx adobo, this time with vegan chicken strips.
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12 Vegan White Bean and Seitan Pozole Verde
Traditional Mexican pozole is a rich, hearty, nourishing stew. In this recipe, white beans and seitan replace the traditional meat component with mouthwatering results.
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13 Vegan Plantains With Spicy Red Pepper and Tomato Rice
Tomato stew provides the base for plantains and spicy rice in this delicious recipe, which is inspired by West African cuisine. The addition of fiery Scotch bonnet peppers is guaranteed to warm you up during the chilly winter nights.
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14 Vegan Creamy Italian Gnocchi Soup
This recipe is more of a soup-stew hybrid, but it’s just as comforting, rich, and delicious as any other recipe on this list. It’s also quick and easy to pull together, too, making it the perfect nourishing meal for a busy weekday evening.
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Alejandra Graf
15 Vegan Mexican Pozole
Another take on traditional Mexican pozole, this recipe opts for shredded oyster mushrooms in place of meat. It’s fiery and flavorful and best served with corn tostadas.
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Charity Morgan
16 Meaty Vegan Lentil Chili Con Chili
You might not initially think of chili in the stew category, but it does qualify. And it makes sense. As this recipe proves, it’s hearty, nourishing, and bursting with flavor.
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17 Easy, Smoky Vegan Bean and Lentil Chili
There are many, many different ways to make chili, but we think this recipe—which combines fresh vegetables with chickpeas, kidney beans, and lentils with plenty of smoky spices—is one of the best.
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Hannah Kaminsky
18 Vegan Sweet Potato Chili
Another delicious way to make chili? Load it up with sweet potatoes, red bell peppers, and kidney beans. Warm, crusty bread is also the perfect accompaniment.
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A Virtual Vegan
19 Vegan Portabello Pot Roast
A pot roast isn’t technically a stew, but this savory recipe is simmering with herbaceous hearty flavor, so we think it qualifies. It’s certainly a winter warmer.
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20 Smothered Vegan Black-Eyed Peas
Serve this easy-to-make stew with steamed rice or grits over the holiday season (or any other time of year, who’s making the rules?!) for a delicious, nourishing side.
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For more vegan recipes, read:
Charlotte is a writer and editor based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.
