Vegan Vegetable Stew With Tofu
This vegan vegetable stew recipe is such a nourishing dinner to cozy up to on chilly nights. Made with 7 kinds of veggies (like carrots, potatoes, and kale), plus tofu for protein. It’s easy, healthy, and great for batch cooking!
As soon as the temperature dips and we make the transition to fall and winter, all I crave are cozy meals like this veggie stew. It’s so nourishing and comforting, while being super nutritious!
While traditional vegetable stews are often made with meat, this recipe is made with tofu for both a vegan and vegetarian option. It also happens to be gluten-free, making it an excellent meal for multiple dietary restrictions or preferences.
As a dietitian, I’m happy to share that this recipe is packed with nutrition benefits. It’s an excellent way to get in plenty of fiber-rich vegetables, as well as plant-based proteins, healthy fats, and whole grains.
Stews by nature have a longer cooking time, but this recipe is quite easy and straightforward to make. The majority of the cooking time is simply allowing the stew to simmer, so the most labor-intensive part is chopping up the veggies 🙂
This tofu stew is also a great option for batch cooking and meal prep. It makes a handful of servings, reheats well, and leftovers taste great. I love a “make once, eat multiple times” kind of meal. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Is Vegetable Stew Healthy?
You bet it is! This veggie stew is SUCH a great way to get in a whole variety of vegetables during the colder months. This recipe features 7 different kinds of veggies, including carrots, celery, parsnips, sweet potatoes, red potatoes, tomatoes, and kale.
Each of these veggies have their individual nutrition benefits, but collectively they are rich in dietary fiber and so many different vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
In addition to veggies, this vegan stew adds in cubed tofu for an awesome plant-based protein source. Plus, it’s got healthy fats from olive oil and is served over brown rice for whole grains.
Ultimately, it’s a nutritionally-balanced meal that is super satisfying and comforting!
What Veggies Are Good In Stew?
I recommend using hearty, sturdy vegetables in stews. You want the veggies to be able to hold up well when cooked for a long period of time.
As we typically enjoy these warming stews during the winter, I love using seasonal veggies like carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, kale, etc. All of these veggies are featured in this recipe!
What To Serve With Stew?
In this recipe, I chose to serve this veggie stew over brown rice. That said, you can totally serve it over another whole grain like:
I find serving this stew over grains makes it extra cozy and hearty, but if you’d prefer to enjoy it on its own (more like a chunky vegetable soup), you can always do that too!
Make Ahead: Storage & Reheating
As this stew recipe makes about 6 servings, it’s a great option for batch cooking or meal prep! Stews reheat really well and leftovers taste great.
Be sure to refrigerate this stew within 2 hours of cooking. It’ll keep for up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
You can reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave.
More Vegan Soup Recipes
- No-Bean Vegan Chili
- Roasted Butternut Squash & Red Pepper Soup
- Creamy Vegan Miso Mushroom Soup
- Butternut Squash & Pear Soup
- Tomato Soup With Cashew Cream
Did you give this Vegan Vegetable Stew Recipe a try? Let me know by leaving a comment and recipe rating below!
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. You can also subscribe to my email list to never miss a new recipe or nutrition education post!
Get the Recipe: Vegan Vegetable Stew With Tofu
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown rice dry
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch (or a similar thickener, like potato starch)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 cups carrots, chopped (~2 med-large carrots)
- 2 cups celery, chopped (~5 stalks)
- 2 cups parsnips, chopped (~1 large)
- 2 tsp thyme, dried
- 2 tsp rosemary, dried
- 3 cups sweet potatoes, peeled + chopped (1 large)
- 3 cups red potatoes, peeled + chopped (2-3 potatoes)
- 5 cups curly kale, stems removed + torn into small pieces (1 large bunch)
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 jar tomato sauce (approx. 19 ounces or 550 grams)
- 1 package tofu, firm or extra firm (drained + cut into 3/4-inch cubes)
- Salt + pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook rice according to package directions.NOTE: You can use another grain (like quinoa or farro), if you'd prefer!
- In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch with 2 Tbsp water to make a slurry. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a very large (5 qt.) pot or Dutch oven over medium-high.TIP: if you only have a medium-sized pot, you may want to halve this recipe!
- Add diced carrots, celery, parsnips, thyme, and rosemary to the pot. Stir and cook for 5 mins.
- Add sweet potatoes, red potatoes, tomato sauce, veggie broth, and kale. Stir ingredients together well, seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Stir in cornstarch slurry and bring liquid to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer (uncovered) for 25 minutes.
- At the 25-minute mark, gently stir cubed tofu into the pot and continue to cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until veggies are fork tender (but not falling apart).
- Serve stew over brown rice and enjoy hot!
Notes
- I originally made this recipe to be a low FODMAP option, but you are welcome to add diced onions and garlic if you tolerate it! Simply do so at the same time you add the carrots.
- I chose to serve this veggie stew over brown rice. That said, you can totally serve it over another whole grain like:
- I find serving this stew over grains makes it extra cozy and hearty, but if you’d prefer to enjoy it on its own (more like a chunky vegetable soup), you can always do that too!
- Be sure to refrigerate this stew within 2 hours of cooking. It’ll keep for up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
- You can reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- As this stew recipe makes about 6 servings, it’s a great option for batch cooking or meal prep! Stews reheat really well and leftovers taste great 🙂
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a recipe rating below, or by tagging @walderwellness on Instagram. I love seeing your beautiful creations!
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2 Comments on “Vegan Vegetable Stew With Tofu”
This is a great recipe for batch cooking. Really simple to make and bursting with flavour. I found this was perfect for my diet – just used half the oil.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Liz! Your review is so appreciated. I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this one. Agreed – I love this meal for batch cooking in the colder months 🙂