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Easy Vegetable Stew Recipe | Healthy One Pot Vegan Meal

A cozy one-pot vegetable stew with layered flavors, thickened without dairy and packed with tender veggies. It’s flexible, budget-friendly, and ready in under an hour.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 3 medium carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
  • 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
  • 1 bell pepper, diced
  • 1 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moons
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot
  • 2 tablespoons cool water
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
  • Red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)

Instructions
 

Instructions

  • Dice the onion, carrots, celery, and bell pepper; cube the potatoes and slice the zucchini.
  • Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and sauté the onion, carrots, and celery with a pinch of salt until softened and lightly golden, 6 to 8 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  • Stir in tomato paste, smoked paprika, cumin, and thyme, and cook until the paste darkens and smells toasty, 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Deglaze with about 1/2 cup vegetable broth, scraping up browned bits, then add soy sauce or tamari and the bay leaf.
  • Add the potatoes and bell pepper, pour in the remaining broth, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a steady simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
  • Stir in the zucchini and simmer uncovered until the potatoes are tender and the zucchini softens, 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Mix cornstarch or arrowroot with cool water to make a smooth slurry, stir it into the simmering stew, and cook until the broth thickens and turns glossy, 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Turn off the heat and stir in peas, lemon juice, and parsley, then season to taste with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
  • Ladle into bowls and serve on its own or with crusty bread, brown rice, or quinoa.

Notes

For gluten-free, use tamari and cornstarch or arrowroot; always check labels. To thicken without starch, mash a few potato cubes in the pot. Keep a gentle simmer to prevent vegetables from breaking down, and stagger hearty vegetables before tender ones. The stew keeps up to 4 days refrigerated and 3 months frozen; reheat gently with a splash of broth. Potatoes soften more after freezing, so cook them slightly firmer if planning to freeze.