A one pot 35 minute vegan butternut squash stew made with quinoa, tomatoes, white beans and kale. Perfectly hearty on a cold winter night and super nutritious while being delicious. Gluten Free too!
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While I was house sitting in Costa Rica I was constantly in a state of overheating. It was just too hot for me. Without any air conditioning in sight it was just always at least a few degrees above my comfort level. While there I was always thinking, it’s better to be too cold than too hot.
I had justified it all in my mind. When you’re in a cold climate you can dress warm, you can jump around and exercise to keep yourself warm, or of course just slug back a few shots.
In the heat though? What can you do? I mean you can literally reach temperatures where sitting completely still and naked might still be uncomfortably warm.
Not that I’m back in the cold North East (and yes I know this is an abnormally warm winter as is) I think it’s better to be in the heat.
Now I’m rationalizing all the things you can do when it’s too hot, that you simply can’t do when it’s too cold. Grass is always greener on the other side right? Tell me I’m not the only one with these constant conflicts in my head that quickly get rationalized away so that whatever situation I am not in being more desirable.
While it might be too cold to go for a comfortable run outside, and my lips are getting chapped and the skin on my hands is uncomfortably dry, there is one thing I know I can always do when it is cold outside.
Make brimming hot bowls of comfort food indoors. Cue this vegan butternut squash stew with tomatoes, quinoa and white beans.
Check this out for more vegan butternut squash recipes:
- Vegan Butternut Squash Tacos with Chipotle Black Beans {GF}
- Vegan Butternut Squash Gratin with Creamy Rosemary Cashew Cream {GF,Paleo}
When it’s cold I crave soups, stews, or pretty much anything comforting, hearty and with steam coming off of it. Goodbye salads hello stews. I’ve been making a lot of soups lately so I was in the mind for a dish with a different consistency. I wanted something with just minutes of prep and a handful of ingredients.
High nutritional content was key, since I’ve been fighting a cold for just about the last ten days now (another wonderful surprise about landing smack dab in winter after six months of summer weather). So that’s how this uber healthy yet simple vegan butternut squash stew with tomatoes, kale, quinoa and white beans came to be.
I picked up a can of Hunt’s Organic Diced Tomatoes at Walmart – by the way did you know Hunt’s make organic canned tomatoes? I was impressed. I rarely see organic canned tomato products so there was really no thinking to be done between brands. If Hunt’s makes an organic canned product, I’m going with that one. You can find this is the canned food aisle.
With the canned tomatoes, veggie broth, canned white beans, quinoa and fresh butternut squash and kale you can have dinner on the table in 35 minutes.
I gobbled up two bowls of butternut squash stew at once. I let most of the broth boil off, but if you want a thicker more liquidy consistency add another can of organic diced tomatoes or more vegetable broth.
This butternut squash stew recipe is a perfect easy main dish for the holidays. Comfort food in a bowl. The butternut squash softens and almost turns into a mash blending with the quinoa while the kale provides a sharper fresher taste and the tomatoes add a bit of acidity and comfort flavor.
To find more easy recipes that are great during the holidays make sure to check out: Yes You Can Recipes
Another quinoa recipe favorite of mine is my Mediterranean quinoa recipe. Don’t forget to support small businesses this holiday season and check out my holiday gift guide if you’re looking for gift ideas!
How to make butternut squash stew
- 1 cup diced onion about 1 medium onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic about 5 cloves
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cups diced butternut squash
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 can Hunt's organic diced tomatoes
- 2 cups vegetable broth add more broth for a more liquid consistency
- 1 handful kale slivered
- 1 can cannellini white beans rinsed and drained
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Heat oil in a pot over medium, heat. Add onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic, cook for additional 1-2 minutes.
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Add butternut squash and mix, cooking for 1-2 minutes.
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Add quinoa and mix, cooking for 1-2 minutes.
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Add salt, paprika and cumin. Mix.
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Add diced tomatoes and mix.
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Add vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered for 15-20 minutes or until quinoa and butternut squash are cooked through.
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Add kale and cannellini beans, cook for 1-2 minutes.
Matt @ Plating Pixels says
Besides excessive heat how sitting in Costa Rica doesn’t sounds like a bad gig. Welcome back and yum!
Vicky says
Haha no it was not a bad gig at all!!! Thanks!
Angie says
Yummy, this all sounds delicious. I love it!
Aarika says
This looks amazing! I love squash, and the idea of creating a stew with it is brilliant! I cannot wait to try this recipe over the holidays. Cheers!
Annie @ Annie's Noms says
This looks just perfect for a weeknight meal! So comforting and delicious!
Vicky says
Thanks! It certainly is : )
Mimi Rose says
I’ve never been the biggest fan of quinoa, but this recipe looks way too good to pass up. I’m also a very big butternut squash enthusiast! I’ll have to give this one a go in the new year, thanks for sharing!
Vicky says
You;ve got to give quinoa another chance! When I first tried it I wasn’t a huge fan either, but over a few more times it really grew on me and now I love it! Let me know how you like this if you give it a go!
Cristie @ Little Big H says
This is my kind of meal. Love it and can’t wait to try it. Pinning so I remember. X
Vicky says
Thanks! Enjoy! Thanks for pinning : )
Tania @ COOKTORIA says
I am always on a lookout for healthy, delicious meals like this one! I am definitely going to try it! 🙂
Pinned and Yummed!
Vicky says
Thanks for sharing!
Rachel @ Simple Seasonal says
Yum! This looks filling, nourishing, and full of awesome flavor!
Vicky says
Thanks!
Sara- The Organic Dietitian says
Quinoa will never get old, especially with recipes like this one. Pinned!
Vicky says
My thoughts exactly! thanks for pinning : )
Christine | Vermilion Roots says
I’m the other way – I prefer hot to cold. That’s just because I grew up in a tropical country! Fixing myself with soups and stews is one of the ways I deal with the cold weather. Again, thanks for sharing such a practical recipe. 🙂
Vicky says
Makes sense considering where you grew up! Soups and stews definitely do help with the cold — though I have not yet found a perfect recipe to cool me down when I am super hot – just ice water I guess!
Christine | Vermilion Roots says
Try barley water! 🙂
Vicky says
Never even heard of that before but now I’m intrigued and will have to seek it out!
Jeannette Roy says
Vicky… this says it is Vegan.. and the ingredients call for Veg. broth..instrucitions say chicken broth. probably a typo but thought you might like to change it.. this sounds delicious and I intend to try it soon.. your recipes look so appetizing.. thanks for being here ..
Vicky says
Hey Jeannette – yep definitely a typo. Thanks for pointing that out – I will update the recipe now. Thanks for the kind words about my recipes. Hope you enjoy them!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
This sounds delicious and I love that rich, vibrant color!
Vicky says
Thanks!
Boastful Food says
Great recipe! Looks super hearty for this time of year.
Vicky says
It certainly is!
Chris @ SimpleFood365 says
Sounds like a great gig, the house sitting I mean. The stew sounds pretty good too! It is a great use of butternut squash that is outside the box. Love recipes that shakes things up and bit and this one does!
Vicky says
It certainly was! Definitely interesting to do once for sure : ) This recipe sure does include and mix in a bunch of different ingredients!
Anne Murphy says
Squash and beans go so well together – I just love that combination all winter. This sounds marvelous.
Vicky says
Right? A great pair if you ask me!
Matthew Antolovich says
This is the first recipe of yours I have tried… Just found your blog today. This was absolutely delishes! I will be making this again this week. Thanks!
Vicky says
So glad you enjoyed it!!! Makes my day to hear that!
Brenda says
I had to try this recipe and it is terrific! I am not a big fan of kale so I substituted spinach and it is my favorite fall recipe now!!
Vicky says
So glad you enjoyed this!
Brenda says
I had to try this recipe and it is terrific! I am not a big fan of kale so I substituted spinach and it is my favorite fall recipe now!! I love the quick and easy vegan meals, but I loved the flavors and it is definitely a go to comfort food!!
Vicky says
So glad you enjoyed this! Great idea to use spinach instead of kale : ))