This hearty, delicious Mediterranean vegetable stew with beans inspired by ratatouille is a quick and easy to make vegetarian/vegan dish that's perfect for sharing. Simple to make and ready in just over 40 minutes.
See also vegetarian goulash!
This hearty, delicious Mediterranean vegetable stew was inspired by ratatouille, a classic French vegetable stew, with a few extra ingredients thrown in for a more satisfying meal and seasonal character. This healthy vegetarian stew is very easy to make and can feed a crowd, which makes it great for entertaining as well as a family meal.
What I love about this simple recipe is that it's extremely adaptable. You can cook it using different vegetables, such as pumpkin (omit the squash) or fennel, depending on what's in season. Use your favourite Mediterranean herbs, not necessarily ones I used.
Vegan vegetable stew ingredients
This Mediterranean stew is brimming with nutritious ingredients which create a satisfying dish that's full of flavour and warmth. I cooked the eggplant, zucchini, butternut squash and red pepper in a rich tomato sauce with a hint of garlic, oregano and thyme. To inject even more flavour into this dish I added vegetable stock into the mixture.
I also added a can of beans (including the water) into this stew to turn it into a more satisfying meal. The beans add bulk while the bean water creates a thicker, creamier stew. Plus nothing gets wasted! Use any white bean variety.
How to make Mediterranean vegetable stew: step-by-step
1.Heat up 3 tablespoons of oil, add the bay leaf, garlic and onion and fry gently for 3 minutes until softened. Pour in the whine and cook for another minute. Add the squash and eggplant, stir and cook for 5 minutes stirring often.
2. Add the beans (along with the water from the can), tomatoes, tomato puree, sun dried tomatoes, herbs, a little seasoning and hot vegetable stock. Stir, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Stir in the zucchini and pepper, cover and continue simmering for 15-20 more minutes or until all the vegetables are cooked through.
4. Remove from the heat, adjust the seasoning if needed and enjoy!
Serving suggestions
Serve this Mediterranean stew alongside pasta or crusty bread, garlic bread, sun dried tomato soda bread, a sprinkle of grated cheese (optional), fresh basil and drizzle of oil.
Top tips
- Vegetables: You can add different vegetables into the pot depending on what's in season as well as preference. Swap the squash for pumpkin (chop it into larger chunks as it cooks quickly), add fennel or turnip.
- Herbs: I used a combination of thyme and oregano but it's entirely up to you whether you want to use both or just one of these herbs. Or perhaps create your own herb combination if you prefer.
- Try not to overcook the stew as the vegetables might be too soft. Eggplant and squash take a little longer to cook so I cooked them for 15 minutes before adding the zucchini and pepper.
- Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
You might also like
- Mexican Black Bean Stew (Vegan)
- Baked Eggplant Bean Casserole Recipe
- Mediterranean Butternut Squash Casserole (Vegan)
- Root Vegetable Stew (Polish-Style)
Check out also this collection of healthy vegetarian pasta meals.
Keep in touch!
If you make this simple vegetarian stew with beans I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Did you make any swaps? Let me know in the comments below, thanks:)
Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular recipe updates! Or you could subscribe to this blog and receive all my latest recipes right into your mailbox!
Recipe
Mediterranean Vegetable Stew with Beans
Equipment
- Large pot with lid
Ingredients
- 1 medium eggplant cubed
- 1 medium zucchini cubed/cut into chunks
- 1 red bell pepper roughly chopped
- 10.58 ounces (300 g) butternut squash peeled, cubed
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1x14.11oz can (400 g) tomatoes
- 1x14.11oz can (400 g) white kidney beans or another white bean variety, including the water
- 4 sun dried tomatoes in oil, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons tomato puree
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon each oregano and thyme
- 5 tablespoons white wine
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ⅘ cup (200 ml) vegetable stock hot
- ⅔ teaspoon coarse sea salt plus pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot heat up 3 tablespoons of the oil, add the garlic, onion and bay leaf and fry slowly for 3 minutes until softened. Add the wine, stir and cook for another minute. Add the eggplant and squash and cook for 5 minutes stirring often.
- Add the beans (along with the water from the can), tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato puree, herbs, stock and a little seasoning, stir, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Stir in the zucchini and pepper, cover and continue simmering for 15-20 more minutes or until all the vegetables are cooked through. Remove from the heat, adjust the seasoning as necessary and serve.
Notes
- Vegetables: You can add different vegetables into the pot depending on what's in season as well as preference. Swap the squash for pumpkin (chop it into larger chunks as it cooks quickly), add fennel or turnip.
- Herbs: I used a combination of thyme and oregano but it's entirely up to you whether you want to use both or just one of these herbs. Or perhaps create your own herb combination if you prefer.
- Try not to overcook the stew as the vegetables might be too soft. Eggplant and squash take a little longer to cook so I cooked them for 15 minutes before adding the zucchini and pepper.
- Serving suggestions: Serve alongside pasta or crusty bread or garlic bread, with a sprinkle of grated cheese (optional) and drizzle of oil.
- Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.
**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.
Gary says
It was a hit with my family.
Monika says
Thank you for letting me know:)
CHRISTINE WOOD says
Can I replace butternut squash with suede or another vegetable., any suggestions please as I am not able to purchase butternut where I live.
Monika says
Any squash will work, but swede should be ok to use too.
Natalie Labandter says
Came out yummy!
Monika says
Great! Thanks for letting me know:)
Dougo says
Just when does one add the 200 ml of hot vegetable stock?
Monika says
Step 2. It was in the post but I forgot to add it in the recipe card. Thank you for bringing this up .
Elizabeth says
The Mediterranean Vegetable Stew with Beans is a great meal, nutritious and tasty. I like that the nutrition information is stated but no where does it state the SIZE of ONE SERVING. Is the size 1 Cup, 1.5 Cups, 300 grams, 500 grams? All the nutritional values are directly dependent on the SERVING SIZE.
Please identify the serving size either by mass or volume. Diabetics especially need to know this information. Thank you for the clarification. Please continue to share these wonderful recipes.
Monika says
Hi Elizabeth, thank you for visiting my blog. The nutritional information for every recipe on this blog is automatically generated and should be used as an estimate only. I write my recipes for the general public and decide on the size portions based on what I think is reasonable so unfortunately cannot provide exact numbers. Perhaps sites written specifically for diabetics would be able to provide more precise information.
Kate - gluten free alchemist says
That's absolutely my type of stew. It looks and sounds delicious. Love the flavours and the colours! x
Monika says
Thank you, glad you like it:)
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
This looks delicious, I adore med veg!
Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie says
Yum! This recipe is right up my street. I love the flavours in ratatouille and I love your additions to make it extra hearty - perfect for a more wintery dish. Eb x
Monika says
Thank you Kat:)
Monika says
Thanks Eb, glad you like my hearty version of ratatouille:)
Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food says
I saw the title of your dish and immediately thought, "ratatouille!" I think that the vegetable-frying step is absolutely essential for developing flavor: this must be such a delicious dish! I can't wait to try it.
Monika says
Thank you Michelle, glad you like my ratatouille with a twist:)