Looking for an easy and flavorful vegan weekday meal? I’ve got a solution for you! Zucchini stew only takes 20 minutes; it is a balanced vegan meal when served with a grain or starchy vegetable.
What You’ll Need
Ingredients:
- 2 medium zucchinis, also known as courgettes
- 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1/2 medium onion
- garlic
- olive oil
- 16 ounce can of garbanzo beans
- salt
- pepper
- crushed red pepper (optional)
Kitchen Tools:
- Large pot
- can opener
- cutting board
- knives
How to Make Zucchini Stew
First, you’ll need to chop the veggies! Simply dice the zucchinis and onion and mince the garlic.
If you like to take shortcuts like me :), you definitely should stock up on Dorot Garden’s Crushed Garlic. I usually get them at Trader Joe’s, but they also can be found at Safeway and Target in most areas. These amazing little cubes of minced garlic cloves are found in the frozen section and all you need to do is pop them in; brainless time saver!
Over medium heat, drizzle olive oil into a large pot. Add the garlic and simmer till fragrant. Next, add the zucchini, onion, and canned tomatoes with the juice and cook till softened.
Next, add the protein source- garbanzo beans! Before adding the garbanzo beans, drain and rinse the beans with cold running water. Rinsing the garbanzo beans under running water reduces the sodium content by about 40%!
Finally, add a dash of salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to the stew. The crushed red pepper is completely optional, but definitely recommended if you enjoy your zucchini stew with a spicy kick 🙂
Variations
- Fresh tomatoes can be used instead of canned tomatoes. Perhaps you have a supply of fresh tomatoes from the garden or fresh is simply what you enjoy more. Use 2 cups of fresh tomatoes to replace 1 can of tomatoes.
- Also tomato paste can be used as a replacement for canned tomatoes. To substitute tomato paste instead of canned tomatoes, add in 4 tablespoons of tomato paste with 1 1/2 cups of water.
- If you are looking to reduce the sodium content in the zucchini stew, opt for fresh tomatoes or diced canned tomatoes with no added salt.
- Instead of mincing garlic manually, try Dorot Garden’s Crushed Garlic.
- Many other beans can take the place of garbanzo beans. As an alternative, try cannellini beans, pinto beans, green peas, edamame, lentils, kidney beans, or black beans. Rinse beans well under cold running water to reduce the sodium content.
- If you do not want to make this recipe vegan or vegetarian, then use an animal source of protein such as beef, chicken, pork, shrimp, or any fish or shellfish. Cooking time needs to be adjusted if not using precooked animal protein, may increase cooking time by another 15-20 minutes.
- Want additional veggies to add to the zucchini stew? Eggplant, bell peppers, leafy greens (spinach, kale, or Swiss chard, etc.), carrots, or potatoes would be great additions! Keep in mind, some veggies such as potatoes or carrots may increase the cooking time of the zucchini stew by another 25 minutes or so, for a total cooking time of about 40 minutes.
- Do you peel potatoes for stew? Although the peel on the potato increases the fiber content and makes the stew more filling and satiating, the potatoes in this Italian stew can be peeled or unpeeled; the choice is up to you! If you opt for not peeling the potatoes, thin skinned potatoes such as red skinned or Yukon Gold potatoes do not need to be peeled.
FAQ
What goes well with zucchini stew?
Serving the zucchini stew with a grain or starchy vegetable makes it a nutritionally well balanced meal.
For example, try serving it over a whole grain such as farro, barley, brown rice, wild rice, or whole wheat pasta. I love to use the Italian grain farro!
Most people are not aware that whole grains are a fantastic source of protein in addition to fiber. Protein and fiber both help to slow down digestion and leave you feeling more full and satisfied.
Another great option is serving the zucchini stew with a hearty slice of whole grain bread or pita bread.
Or if you wanted to cook the stew with a starchy vegetable, try adding potatoes or corn. Just be sure to increase the cooking time by an additional 20 minutes or so with the addition of potatoes.
Make ahead/ storage/ reheat tips
Zucchini stew can be made in advance. It is best if consumed within 3 days if stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Zucchini stew can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months when stored in a freezer bag.
Zucchini stew reheats well in the microwave or on the stovetop. I love having leftovers for lunch the next day!
Please let me know what you think after reading the post and testing out the recipe! I love reading visitor’s feedback and ratings!
Looking for other delicious zucchini recipes? You’ll also love these, check them out!
- 15 Favorite Zucchini Recipes by a couple cooks
- 35 Best Zucchini Recipes by Love & Lemons
- 24 Best Zucchini Recipes by Forks Over Knives
Make your life easier by skipping the step of mincing garlic, check out Dorat Garden Crushed Garlic
I love serving the zucchini stew over farro. Trader Joe’s 10 minute farro makes that very simple.
If you like this, you should also check out my Pesto Tofu recipe
Next up! read my recent post: What to Dip in Hummus? (15 Healthy Savory & Sweet Options!)
Zucchini Stew
Equipment
- 1 large pot
- 1 can opener
- 1 cutting board
- 1 knife
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchinis
- 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with the juice
- 1/2 medium onion diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 1 16 ounce can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
- dash salt
- dash black pepper
- dash crushed red pepper optional
Instructions
- Mince the garlic and dice the zucchini and onion.
- Over medium heat, drizzle olive oil into a large pot.
- Add the garlic and simmer.
- Add the rest of the vegetables (zucchini, onion, canned tomatoes).
- Stir and cook till softened.
- Drain and rinse canned garbanzo beans, then add to the pot.
- Add a dash of salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper.
- Serve over a whole grain such as farro.
- Enjoy!
