Butternut Squash and Red Bean Stew

Smoky and sweet with a touch of heat, this hearty stew is the perfect recipe for a chilly night. Use two colors of bell peppers for a more festive look, and be sure to cut your squash into uniform cubes so everything cooks at the same rate. For a little more creaminess, add a dollop of vegan sour cream on top. Bon appétit!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups chopped onions
  • 1 cup chopped carrots
  • 1 cup chopped bell peppers, any color
  • 9 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon ground caraway
  • 1½ lb. butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (4 cups)
  • 1½ cups chopped tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 2 tablespoons oat flour
  • 2 15-oz. cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained (3 cups)
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  • In a Dutch oven combine the first six ingredients (through caraway) and ¼ cup water. Cook over medium about 10 minutes or until vegetables soften, stirring occasionally and adding water, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, as needed to prevent sticking.
  • Add the next five ingredients (through crushed red pepper) and 2 cups water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes or until squash is fork-tender.
  • In a small bowl whisk together oat flour and ¼ cup water; stir into stew. Stir in beans and vinegar. Cook 5 minutes more or until thickened. Season with salt and black pepper.

Comments (24)

(5 from 14 votes)

Recipe Rating

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Anonymous

I used diced tomatoes with chilies and it was AMAZING!!!

ALISON JOY STURDY

Really easy to make and delicious

Anna C.

This was absolutely AMAZING! I didn't properly plan this one, and didn't realize until I was cubing the butternut squash that I didn't have kidney beans! :\ Double check the cabinet-nada. Check both freezers-still nada! Black beans to the rescue! I took the advice of another rater and added corn and oregano. I also used the AC vinegar in place of the red wine, and I literally tripled both paprikas. The flavors were super delish! And for those raters who say that nine cloves of garlic is too much, I added at least five more PLUS powdered! (Hubby says my taste buds are burnt because I use so many different spices.) I agree with the other raters that cornbread would accompany this quite well! FOK, this one was a hit!!!

Lisa Cruz

I absolutely loved the stew. I substituted apple cider vinegar for the red wine vinegar for an extra kick. It was perfect.

Beata

This soup is amazing! I didn’t use caraway as I don’t care for its taste/flavor, and I didn’t use flour, and it’s still such a delish fall meal!

Mariecke Sando

9 garlic cloves??? That's overkill. Don't know what the obsession with stinking garlic is. It ruins the dish!

Donna

Didn't have bell peppers handy so used poblano. Gave it more of a kick. Added a scoop of sour cream and heavy hand with the salt. Delish. Cornbread would have been nice but it's not necessary.

Diana

This recipe sounds great, except that I don't think I would enjoy the caraway flavor. Any ideas for substitutions?

Amber Miller

Leave it out that is what I do for all my recipes

Margo

I used veg broth and added more veggies - chopped cauliflower, celery, zuccini - and since I read it lacked flavor I included oregano, thyme and cumin, just until is felt right. I also threw in some cellentani pasta for a 'twist'. ;) salt and pep to taste. Tossed in some spinach along with the pasta in the last 20 min. Very tasty. Family loved it.

Catherine

You completely changed the recipe, so you actually cannot possibly call this a review.

Diane McLauchlan

It was okay but not something I will make again. Both my husband and I found it lacking in flavor but the textures were good. The vinegar may be what threw it off for us.

Joy

Made this stew tonight. Delish. I braised the veggies before adding veggie broth (instead of 2 c water). I never used BOTH paprika together; it “works”. I served with a cornbread-honey muffins. I’m glad this makes a lot. I’m happy to have left overs for tomorrow. ty

Haydee Simmons

No garlic? This is too large for me. Any two servings recipes?

Wendy

It says nine cloves?

Sandra

Delicious. Really enjoyed it.

A De Simone

As another reviewer stated, this recipe is pretty bland and lacking bold flavor. I added almond milk and some corn to the leftovers and it helped it a lot. I would make it again adding these adjustments.

Debbie Gabe

Haven't made it yet, but it looks really good. It's like the Japanese dish using Kabocha squash and azuki beans. Could you make your recipe in an instant pot pressure cooker? How would you adapt the recipe for IP? Thanks. Debbie from Hawaii.

Lorna

I made this recipe and found it to be flat on taste.... it definitely needs more flavor through added spice or herbs. I loved the ingredients (which is why I chose it), but I will definitely figure out the best herbs to add to give it a little more "punch" of flavor.

Theresa

This was delicious! I used a Crown Prince Squash instead of Butternut and it made for a really rich flavour. Next time I won't add the flour because it was thick enough.

Jill

I think this needs some kind of liquid to help the squash cook. The picture shows a juicer stew than mine. There is no way it will need to be thickened.

Shannon

The recipe does say to add water as you go along, so there's at least a couple of cups of water to cook the squash. Thinking of trying this tonight!

ed

looks good but useless without calorie and macro information

John Wear

Useless? Not for me!!!

About the Author

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About the Author

Darshana Thacker Wendel

Darshana Thacker Wendel is a whole-food, plant-based chef and former culinary projects manager for Forks Over Knives. A graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute, she is the author of Forks Over Knives: Flavor! She created the recipes for Forks Over Knives Family and was a lead recipe contributor to the New York Times bestseller The Forks Over Knives Plan. Her recipes have been published in The Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook, Forks Over Knives—The Cookbook, Forks Over Knives: The Plant-Based Way to Health, and LA Yoga magazine online. Visit DarshanasKitchen.com and follow her on Instagram for more.
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