Vegetarian's Best Hearty Stew

By AislePrompt Test Kitchen · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-05 · Updated 2026-04-05

A vegetable-packed stew where the 'best' flavors emerge without needing 'the'—simmered to perfection with potatoes, carrots, and herbs. This soups ready in about 55 minutes pairs medium, diced carrots, medium, diced potatoes, medium, diced onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 220 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 medium, diced carrots
• 2 medium, diced potatoes
• 1 medium, diced onion
• 2 stalks, diced celery
• 2 cloves, minced garlic
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup diced zucchini
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 2 diced carrots, 2 diced potatoes, 1 diced onion, and 2 diced celery stalks. Sauté for 8 minutes until vegetables begin to soften and edges are slightly golden.
2. Step 2: Stir in 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add 4 cups chicken broth, 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Bring to a gentle boil.
3. Step 3: Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes until potatoes are tender. Stir in 1 cup diced zucchini and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes until zucchini is just tender but not mushy.