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Vegetable Stew – an easy use what you have recipe

Homemade vegetable stew can be made with pretty much any vegetables you happen to have on hand. I use a combination of fresh seasonal vegetables, home canned vegetables and dehydrated vegetables to make this use-what-you-have vegetable stew.

While I do have a real vegetable stew recipe that I share below in the recipe card, I rarely use the exact vegetables and quantities that it calls for. Not because they aren’t good…it’s a fantastic recipe…but because I’m a big fan of using what I have on hand when I cook and not buying produce out of season.

That means, I won’t buy summer squash during the winter, instead I’ll use the dehydrated squash from our summer preserving.

This time I used quite a bit of our dehydrated squash from our summer garden, canned tomatoes and a can of corn. I left out the celery. (Several members of my family don’t care for celery but I think it’s great in this soup.)

There have been times I’ve added cabbage. When we have some congestion we often add just a dash of cayenne pepper to help with congestion.

I think the key to this soup is in the spices, so be sure to use them as written – even the mustard.

This soup is super versatile and can be made on the stovetop, in a crock pot, or instapot. Make extra because it’s even better as leftovers.

Yield: 8 servings

Homemade Vegetable Soup

Homemade Vegetable Soup

This is a super simple and quick vegetable soup recipe. Don't worry too much about following the ingredient list exactly - just use what you have, it will turn out great.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 1 onion (diced)
  • 1 garlic (diced)
  • 1 potato (cut into chunks)
  • 1 carrot (cut)
  • 1 stalk celery (cut)
  • 1 zucchini (cut)
  • ½ cup broccoli (cut)
  • 1 leek (cut)
  • 2 cans tomato sauce
  • 1 tbsp parsley flakes
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp basil
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp mustard
  • 1/2 tsp cumin1/
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper

Instructions

Cook first 5 ingredients in small amount of water for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and cook over low heat until tender, approx. 35 min.

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Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

This is a super easy and versatile vegetable stew recipe, just use whatever you have on hand. The secret is in the seasonings and the stock.

Thanks for sharing with your friends!

Susan Hoots

Tuesday 2nd of January 2018

I love a cup of tomato soup. We usually make grilled cheese sandwichs to eat with the soup.

I love veggie stew. My friends have always called mine stew. I also add ground beef sometimes.

Angi Schneider

Wednesday 3rd of January 2018

oh my, tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches are my favorite!

Rachel E.

Tuesday 22nd of January 2013

I enjoy throwing together soup now and then. They turn out pretty tasty. Veggie soup is so easy. I like to throw together a simple tomato soup when I want a hot soup quickly.

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