Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics & Vegetables
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery, diced
- 3 garlic, minced
- 400 g butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed into 2cm pieces
- 300 g sweet potato, peeled and cubed into 2cm pieces
- 150 g swiss chard, stems diced, leaves roughly torn
Pantry & Base
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 30 g tomato paste
- 800 ml vegetable broth, low sodium preferred
- 400 g diced tomatoes, canned, undrained
- 240 g cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Seasonings
- 2 g smoked paprika
- 2 g dried thyme
- 1 g dried rosemary, crushed
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 294 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 50 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fiber
- 10 g
- Sugar
- 9 g
- Sodium
- 1079 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 1169 mg
- Calcium
- 132 mg
- Iron
- 4.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 78 mg
- Phosphorus
- 121 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 1036 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 29 mg
- Vitamin E
- 3.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 229 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.38 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.22 mg
- Niacin
- 3.4 mg
- Folate
- 90 mcg
- Water
- 362 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Using a chef's knife and cutting board, dice the onion, carrots, celery, and the stems of the Swiss chard, keeping them together. Tear the chard leaves into bite-sized pieces and set aside separately.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, celery, and Swiss chard stems.
Stir in the minced garlic, tomato paste, smoked paprika, dried thyme, and crushed rosemary. Cook continuously to toast the spices and caramelize the tomato paste.
Pour in the vegetable broth, using the wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the Dutch oven.
Add the cubed butternut squash, sweet potatoes, diced tomatoes with their juices, salt, and black pepper. Stir well to combine.
Increase the heat to medium-high to bring the liquid to a rolling boil at approximately 100 degrees Celsius or 212 degrees Fahrenheit.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the Dutch oven tightly, and let the stew bubble gently. Stir occasionally to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom.
Stir in the rinsed cannellini beans and the reserved torn Swiss chard leaves. Continue cooking uncovered until the beans are heated through and the greens are completely wilted.
Remove the Dutch oven from the heat. Taste the broth and add additional salt or pepper if needed. Let the stew stand off the heat before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Toasting the tomato paste until it turns brick red adds incredible depth of umami, which is essential for giving body and complexity to vegan stews.
- Swiss chard stems act like a secondary celery; adding them early with the mirepoix builds a wonderful flavor base while preventing unnecessary food waste.
- For a thicker, creamier consistency, use the back of a wooden spoon to mash some of the cannellini beans or sweet potatoes against the side of the pot just before serving.
- If you want to add a subtle heat to counterbalance the sweetness of the root vegetables, a pinch of red pepper flakes added during the aromatics stage works wonders.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Flavors deepen overnight, making it ideal for leftovers.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in airtight containers. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium heat until simmering, adding a splash of water or broth if it has thickened too much.
Troubleshooting
Squash and potatoes disintegrate into mush
Cause: Vegetables were cut too small or stew was simmered too vigorously for too long
Fix: Embrace the texture by stirring vigorously to turn the dish into a thick, rustic porridge, adding a little extra broth if it becomes too stodgy
Prevention: Ensure vegetables are cut into uniform 2cm cubes and monitor the simmer to ensure it stays at a gentle bubble rather than a rapid boil
Broth tastes flat or overly sweet
Cause: The natural sugars from the squash, sweet potato, and carrots overpowered the savory elements
Fix: Stir in a splash of apple cider vinegar, a squeeze of lemon juice, or an extra pinch of smoked paprika to balance the sweetness
Prevention: Ensure the tomato paste is properly toasted at the beginning to build umami and acidity
Cultural Context
Root vegetable and squash stews have been winter survival staples across North America and Europe for centuries, originating from the need to rely on cellar-stored produce during cold, dormant months. The incorporation of New World crops like sweet potatoes and butternut squash provides natural sweetness and dense nutrition, making this dish a historically grounded yet distinctly modern comfort meal.
