3 Healthy and Hearty Stew Recipes (2024)

Beef, vegetarian or seafood, these recipes are good for entertaining or for a weeknight dinner

3 Healthy and Hearty Stew Recipes (1)

3 Healthy and Hearty Stew Recipes (2)

Bacon is Magic

By

Terry Ward

En español

Published December 09, 2021

Comforting for body and soul, stews are also fairly hard to mess up. That makes them appealing for both an easy weeknight meal and for entertaining, when you want to keep kitchen time to a minimum while pleasing a crowd. Pair these recipes with a salad and maybe some crusty bread or biscuits and you'll have a meal that will make anyone feel cozy on the coldest day.

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Read on for three tasty and simple stews to try this winter, with a meat, fish and vegetarian option in the mix.

A beef stew with Spanish roots

This Spanish stew, layered with rich flavors, is even tastier the day after it's made. It’s a rustic recipe that’s perfect for a crock pot or Dutch oven, says blogger Ayngelina Brogan of the food and travel blog baconismagic.com, who shared her recipe with AARP.

The version is called Chilindron, Brogan says, and if you’re entertaining a crowd, you can make it the day before and reheat it when it’s time to serve.

Whatever you do, don’t be tempted to use a lean cut of beef in this stew, Brogan says. Fat equals flavor, so look for beef cuts with fat marbled throughout that will melt and tenderize while cooking, adding to the stew’s delicious layers.

Chilindron

Ingredients:

  • 3 pounds stewing beef, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 10 small starchy potatoes, cut in half
  • 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 cups red wine, such as cabernet sauvignon
  • 1/2 cup bacon, diced
  • 2 roasted red bell peppers, chopped
  • 2 cups yellow onion, diced
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons smoked paprika
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 5 sprigs thyme
  • 1 teaspoon corn starch
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions:

1. Remove stewing beef from fridge, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Allow beef to come to room temperature, about 20 minutes.

2.Heat cast iron pan to medium-high heat. Once hot, add vegetable oil. When oil shimmers add beef and brown 1 to 2 minutes per side. Cook beef in batches and set aside.

3.Reduce heat to medium, add onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Add bacon and cook 3 minutes more. Add garlic and cook 45 seconds.

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4.Add beef back to pan. Add two cups of red wine, using a spatula to scrape bits sticking to bottom of pan. Bring wine to a boil and cook until wine is reduced by half.

5.Move everything to a slow cooker or Dutch oven, except for potatoes and cornstarch. Add fresh thyme sprigs. Cook on low for 3 hours in slow cooker or at 190°F in Dutch oven with the top on.

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6.Add potatoes, making sure they are submerged in liquid.

7.Cook for 30 minutes, then take a cup of stew liquid and add a tablespoon of cornstarch to it. Mix thoroughly back into pot and continue to simmer.

8.Serve after 4 hours of total cooking time, removing thyme sprigs before ladling into bowls.

An aromatic vegetarian stew

Your kitchen will fill with enticing aromas as soon as you start sizzling the initial ingredients of this vegetarian stew, allowing the lentils, fresh ginger and curry to intermingle as they gently simmer away on your stovetop. Depending on how strong you like your flavors, feel free to add more ginger, garlic and curry powder than the recipe calls for. The stew is a meal on its own, but it's also delicious with a side of warm focaccia or naan on a cold winter’s night.

Spiced Red Lentil and Coconut Stew

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • Knob fresh ginger, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon mild curry powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup red lentils
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth or water
  • 1 14.5-ounce can tomato sauce
  • 3/4 cup cilantro, chopped fine
  • 1 13.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
  • Lime wedges

Instructions:

1.Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat and sauté onion until it just begins to brown, roughly 8 minutes.

2.Add finely chopped garlic, ginger, curry power and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

3.Add lentils, tomatoes, 1/2 cup cilantro, salt and 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth.

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4.Stir coconut milk thoroughly and add 3/4 cup to pot, reserving rest for garnish.

5.Bring ingredients to a boil then reduce to simmer and cook 20 to 25 minutes, until lentils are soft.

6.Ladle into bowls and top with fresh cilantro, a drizzle of coconut milk and a squeeze of lime.

A hearty smoked salmon and tomato stew

Fish stew recipes tend to vary regionally. This one, borrowed from the church cookbook of the Skagway First Presbyterian Church in Alaska, is easy to prepare no matter where you live, with canned tomato soup and fresh and smoked salmon as a base. “Every time we make it, it’s a little different, because my wife has been experimenting with differentcombinations of seasonings when preparing smoked salmon,” says the church’s reverend, Ryan Mandeville. “But a creamy tomato soup taste is always at the core.”

Skagway Smoked Salmon Tomato Stew

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
  • 1 cup mushrooms, sliced thin
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 3/4 pounds salmon filet, chopped into small cubes
  • 2 to 4 ounces smoked salmon, chopped
  • 2 cups diced tomatoes seasoned with pinch of basil, garlic and oregano
  • 2 cans tomato soup
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons chopped dill
  • 2 cups cream
  • Pinch black pepper
  • Pinch crushed red pepper
  • Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Melt butter in a medium stockpot over medium heat.

2.Add onions, mushrooms and garlic and sauté for 7 to 10 minutes.

3.Add tomato soup, smoked salmon, tomatoes, parsley, cilantro, dill, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook until heated through.

4.Slowly add cream to the soup.

5.Stir in fresh salmon and simmer for 5 minutes.

6.Salt to taste and garnish with fresh dill.

Terry Ward is a contributing writer who covers food, drink and travel. Her work has appeared inNational Geographic Traveler, The Washington Postand on CNN.

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3 Healthy and Hearty Stew Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Can stew be healthy? ›

The essential ingredients for stew -- meat, vegetables and broth -- are healthy stuff. The problem is that traditional recipes call for massive portions of fatty meats paired with super-salty canned broths. Don't be turned off by recipes that use wine; a large portion of the alcohol and calories cook away.

What are the healthiest vegetables for stew? ›

Carrots and other root vegetables, onions, chard, spinach, and lettuce are ideal for stewing while potatoes, leeks, cabbage, and porcini mushrooms are optimal for braising.

What are 4 different foods that can be stewed? ›

Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables, such as carrots, potatoes, beans, onions, peppers, tomatoes, etc., and frequently with meat, especially tougher meats suitable for moist, slow cooking, such as beef chuck or round. Poultry, pork, lamb or mutton, sausages, and seafood are also used.

What is the secret to good beef stew? ›

The best beef stews are made with the right cut of meat, like chuck roast, brisket or round. Leaner cuts (which are good for the grill) lack the connective tissue that turns into gelatin as it cooks. That keeps the meat juicy and tender while also thicken and enriching the stew.

Can I live on stew? ›

It is unlikely that a person could live healthily solely by eating stew, as stew typically consists of a limited range of ingredients and may not provide all the nutrients that a person needs for optimal health.

Is homemade beef stew healthy for you? ›

It's full of veggies and protein after all. Although traditional beef stew recipes provide more nutrition than many meals, most still plague you with far too much sodium and calories. Make some easy switches to truly have a healthy beef stew recipe you can be proud to share. Most stews use a beef broth for the base.

What's the best vegetables to put in a stew? ›

Although I added carrots, little red potatoes, rutabaga and cremini mushrooms, you have plenty of options. Parsnip, turnip, pearl onions, squash and fennel will also work. Stir them in gently and immediately return the pot to the oven for the final hour of cooking.

Are stews the healthiest food? ›

If you're talking about a stew made with a variety of vegetables, lean protein like chicken or fish, and whole grains like brown rice or quinoa, then yes, it's definitely possible to eat healthily by just eating stew.

What are the best things to put in a stew? ›

Vegetables: small chopped carrots, celery, and onion or shallot practically melt into the sauce. Mushrooms: button mushrooms are a nod to the quartered mushrooms many classic beef stew recipes call for, but are thinly sliced instead of being left in bigger pieces. Garlic: minced garlic brings lots of cozy flavor.

What are 2 dishes that are traditionally stewed? ›

From goulash to jambalaya, chili to cioppino, to classic beef, pork and chicken stews: browse trusted stew recipes, rated and reviewed by the Allrecipes community of home cooks.

What are two dishes that are traditionally stewed? ›

Our Best Stew Recipes
  • Lentil and Sausage Stew. ...
  • Crockpot Beef Stew. ...
  • Jamie Oliver's Italian Bread and Cabbage Soup. ...
  • Chicken, Chard, and Cranberry Bean Stew. ...
  • Alton Brown's Shrimp Gumbo. ...
  • Beef Bourguignon. ...
  • Traditional French Cassoulet. ...
  • Vegan Slow-Cooker Tomatillo Stew.

Are vegetables still healthy when stewed? ›

Cooking certain veggies can break down their cell walls to release more of their nutrients. When cooked, these vegetables can provide more antioxidants like lutein, beta-carotene and lycopene than when you eat them raw. Cooking vegetables can also increase your mineral intake.

Why put celery in stew? ›

In the original version, celery, carrots and onion are added to the meat. Usually just one onion, a celery rib and three carrots – enough to give a good amount of sweetness to the sauce. Make sure all these are sliced thin, so that they can brown well in a little bit of olive oil.

Why put vinegar in stews? ›

Vinegar can add depth of flavour to soups, sauces, and stews. Especially great for tomato-based recipes, you can add a couple of tablespoons of vinegar towards the end of the cooking process to amplify the flavours of your other ingredients.

What can I add to my beef stew to give it more flavor? ›

Add spices such as turmeric, coriander and cumin at the early stage of cooking, when you are frying onions and garlic, to enhance the taste of the beef stew. Fresh herbs like coriander and bay leaves also contribute a distinct flavour without making the dish too spicy for the younger members of the family.

Is beef stew considered healthy? ›

It's still hearty and rich but also packed with fiber, vitamin A and beta carotene. Make this on the weekend and enjoy it through the week.

What does stew give to the body? ›

Promotes Heart Health: Stew contains a combination of heart-healthy ingredients, including tomatoes, onions, and peppers. These ingredients are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of heart disease.

Is rice and stew healthy? ›

This stew is low in saturated fat and sodium, and brimming with healthful fats ― a perfect heart-smart recipe!

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