Favourite Hearty Vegetable Stew

A Five-Vegetable Vegan Stew with Beans and Corn Noodles

This is the kind of stew that turns the freezer’s frozen-vegetable bag into a meal. Pinto, lima, or navy beans get soaked and simmered to tenderness first, then everything else, corn noodles, carrots, broccoli, green peas, and green beans, joins them in a quick tomato-sauce-based broth.

Corn noodles are the surprise carrier here. They’re naturally gluten-free and have a slightly sweet, mild flavor that lets the vegetables and beans take the lead. Cook them with the carrots in a separate pot first; tossing dried noodles into the bean pot turns the beans starchy and the noodles overcooked.

Using tomato sauce rather than diced tomatoes is what gives this stew its smooth, coating consistency. The sauce clings to every vegetable and binds the dish together, while diced tomatoes would leave the broth thinner and chunkier than what this recipe is going for.

Kitchen Tips

• Soak the dried beans for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight. Underhydrated beans take forever to cook tender and never turn evenly soft.
• Salt the beans only after they’re tender, not during the soak or initial simmer. Salt added too early can toughen the skins.
• Add frozen vegetables straight from the freezer at the end. They thaw and warm through quickly without overcooking.
• This stew freezes well in single portions for make-ahead lunches.

Variations

• Swap corn noodles for whole wheat pasta or rice noodles, depending on what’s in the pantry.
• Add 2 cups of vegetable broth in place of some water for richer flavor.
• Stir in 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika or Italian seasoning at the end to lift the spice profile.