25 Healthy Winter Stew Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What are the healthiest vegetables for stew? ›

Carrots and other root vegetables, onions, chard, spinach, and lettuce are ideal for stewing while potatoes, leeks, cabbage, and porcini mushrooms are optimal for braising.

The essential ingredients for stew -- meat, vegetables and broth -- are healthy stuff. The problem is that traditional recipes call for massive portions of fatty meats paired with super-salty canned broths. Don't be turned off by recipes that use wine; a large portion of the alcohol and calories cook away.

In Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (Bangkok), there is an award-winning restaurant called Wattana Panich, where you can order and then eat a beef and goat soup that is 49 years old.

Onions, carrots and celery (mirepoix vegetables) are classic for a reason, but don't be afraid to stray and get creative. Try using roasted garlic instead of regular garlic, or caramelize your onions before moving on to the next step. You can also add an incredible depth of flavor by adding dried mushrooms to the mix.

Turnips are an ideal potato replacement as they have a similar texture.

Couscous is ideal for thickening soups and stews because it cooks quickly, releasing starch as it plumps. Choose tiny Moroccan-style couscous for the subtlest thickening effect. Use larger pearl couscous (aka Israeli couscous) to add a more luscious, subtly chewy element to the final dish.

A stew can be a good source of protein, vitamins, and minerals depending on the ingredients used, but it may not provide all of the essential nutrients needed for optimal health.

They're a good source of vitamins, minerals and fiber. As a bonus, potatoes are low in calories, contain no fat or cholesterol, and are sodium-free. They're high in vitamin C and potassium and are a good source of vitamin B6. A medium potato, about 5.5 ounces, contains only 145 calories.

Chuck. Chuck is one of the leaner types of beef, making it perfect for stews because it melts into delicious pieces as it cooks. A chuck roast has a large amount of connective tissue, which allows it to retain its moisture during the cooking process.

With a perpetual stew, you've always got it simmering, meaning it can last for literal years. While in the medieval tradition, the cauldron would be drained and cleaned every year around Lent (to observe 40 days without meat), there are some places where a single pot of stew can be constantly replenished for years.

What soup has been cooking for 40 years? ›

Notable examples include beef and goat noodle soup served by Wattana Panich in Bangkok, Thailand, which has been cooking for over 49 years as of 2024, and oden broth from Otaf*cku in Asakusa, Japan, which has served the same broth daily since 1945.

As long as no ingredients detrimental to human health are added, and the soup is constantly boiled to temperatures that will kill off harmful bacteria, the soup can be added to and eaten for a long, long time.

Add spices such as turmeric, coriander and cumin at the early stage of cooking, when you are frying onions and garlic, to enhance the taste of the beef stew. Fresh herbs like coriander and bay leaves also contribute a distinct flavour without making the dish too spicy for the younger members of the family.

The best potatoes for beef stew are those that hold their shape and texture well during cooking, providing a creamy yet sturdy addition to the dish. Yukon Golds have a creamy texture and slightly waxy consistency that holds up well in stews without becoming overly mushy. They add a nice richness to the stew.

Cooking certain veggies can break down their cell walls to release more of their nutrients. When cooked, these vegetables can provide more antioxidants like lutein, beta-carotene and lycopene than when you eat them raw. Cooking vegetables can also increase your mineral intake.

Earthy-sweet Swiss chard, especially rainbow chard, tastes beautiful here, but coarsely chopped spinach, kale, mustard or radish greens, napa cabbage or broccoli rabe would be lovely, too.

The vitamins, minerals and antioxidants are locked inside the plant cells. This is the structure that gives veggies their crunch, but it can break down in cooking.