Hearty Vegan Tuscan Stew
Thick Delicious Italian Bean Stew
This Hearty Vegan Tuscan Stew is a very fulfilling and flavorful meal. It is packed with cannellini beans and the fall harvest of onions, leeks, garlic, carrots, turnips and celery. It has such a great combo of Italian herbs and spices. Topping it off with a choice of black olives, green olives, sun dried tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh parsley, fresh thyme, roasted garlic in olive oil or hot pepper flakes. Making this a very versatile stew that can please the whole family.
How To Make Hearty Vegan Tuscan Stew
With the cold weather upon us this is a great time to be making winter stews and soups. This Hearty Vegan Tuscan Stew is a great stew to warm up with by the fire place with a glass of Chianti Italian red wine. At least thats what sounds warm and relaxing to me!
This is a stew that does not take long to cook. It is all about stirring the leeks, onions and garlic in the olive oil and making sure they don’t burn while they cook. I toss in the fennel and thyme at the end of cooking the onions and garlic because the oil helps to open up the flavor of the dried herbs. It really does make a difference.
As for the harvest vegetables I really love the turnip in this dish. Although, you can use rutabagas instead if you can’t find turnip. They are both so surprisingly good with the Italian spices. After cooking the onions, leeks and garlic add the celery, vegetable broth and and veggies. Do not add the beans and pasta and fresh parsley until the veggies are cooked. This way the beans and pasta don’t get mushy and over cooked.
I also add nutritional yeast for the B12 because vegans need it in their diets so this is not a must add to this dish. It just helps us get our nutritional intake of B12 because it is found in meet.
Garnishes and Toppings
When you are finished cooking this delicious stew top it off with some wonderful full flavored toppings. I am a sucker for sun dried tomatoes and fresh basil because I love the intensive flavor. Those are my favorite toppings on most things. Although, you can garnish your stew with black olives, green olives, roasted garlic, fresh garlic, green onions, fresh thyme, fresh parsley, fresh basil or hot pepper flakes. It really has a wide array of flavors that can be added to this dish. Or… I love it just as it is. It is all up to the taste of the beholder of the bowl of stew.
I hope you enjoy this delicious Hearty Vegan Tuscan Stew as much as we do. Enjoy!
Hearty Vegan Tuscan Stew
Equipment
- 1 Chopping board
- 1 Shape knife
- 1 Large stew pot with lid
- 1 Large stirring spoon
- 1 Set of measuring cups
- 1 Set of measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 cans Italian Cannellini Beans
- 1 Leek, chopped
- 2 larger Organic Carrots, chopped
- 1 medium Turnip, chopped
- 1 medium Red Onion, diced
- 5 Cloves of Garlic, minced small
- 1 Tbsp Organic White flour or Organic Oat Flour
- 4 cups Organic Vegetable Stock
- ½ cup Small Pasta, (bow-ties, wheel, orzo)
- 1 tsp Ground Sage
- ¾ tsp Fennel Seeds
- 3 Tbsp Fresh Parsley
- ½ tsp Thyme
- ½ Tbsp Nutritional Yeast, optional
- 2 Tbsp Organic Tomato Paste
- ½ tsp Sea Salt, or more to taste
- ¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper, or more to taste
Toppings (optional)
- Black Olives
- Green Olives
- Sun Dried Tomatoes
- Fresh Thyme
- Fresh Parsley
- Fresh Basil
- Roasted Fresh Garlic in Olive Oil
- Red Pepper Flakes
Instructions
- Wash and clean all vegetables and chop according to desired sizes.
- Heat a large stewing pot on medium heat. Add olive oil, leeks, red onion and garlic. Stirring around as not to burn. Cook for 2 minutes and then add the celery and fennel seeds and cook for 2 more minutes. Stirring constantly, make sure not to burn. You may need to turn down the heat. Add the tablespoon of flour and stir in until well coated. Add the 4 cups of organic vegetable stock.
- Add the carrots, and turnips. Add the rest of the spices (sage, thyme, sea salt and black pepper). Add the nutritional yeast (which is optional) and tomato paste.
- Cook on medium low for 25 minutes.
- Add the cannellini beans and fresh parsley and cook for 10 more minutes on medium low.
- When done top with your favorite toppings listed above or eat as is.
- Enjoy!