Seitan and Vegetable Stew

This Seitan and Vegetable Stew is the kind of cozy, hearty meal that works especially well when you want something warming without making dinner complicated. Tender potatoes, carrots, green beans, onions, and garlic simmer in a paprika and thyme broth, while the seitan gets browned separately with tamari for extra flavor and texture. Once everything comes together, you get a thick, satisfying plant-based stew with plenty of vegetables and a good protein boost from the seitan.

Also try my Ground Seitan Peas Bolognese recipe.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Hearty and satisfying: Potatoes, vegetables, and seitan make this much more substantial than a light vegetable soup.
• Packed with plant-based protein: Seitan gives the stew a meaty texture and plenty of protein.
• Simple ingredients: Most of the recipe is built around basic vegetables, herbs, and pantry staples.
• One-pot comfort food: The stew itself comes together in one large pot, with just a quick skillet step for the seitan.
• Naturally dairy-free: No cream or dairy is needed to make the broth thick and comforting.
• Great for leftovers: Like many stews, the flavors become even better after resting overnight.
• Easy to customize: You can swap vegetables and seasonings depending on what you already have.

Also try my Curried Seitan Salad with Mango Dressing recipe.

What You’ll Need to Make Seitan and Vegetable Stew

For the Stew

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1½ pints (720 ml) water
• 5 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 7 ounces (200 g) green beans, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons tamari
• 1.5 pounds (680 g) seitan, cut into chunks
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste

To Serve

• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

What You’ll Need to Do

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Serves: 6
• Course: Main Course

Start by grabbing a large soup pot and adding 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Place the pot over medium heat, then add the chopped onions and minced garlic. Cook everything gently until the onions soften and start turning golden.

Now add the water, potatoes, carrots, vegetable bouillon cube, sweet paprika, and dried thyme.

Give everything a good stir and bring the pot to a gentle boil.

Once bubbling, reduce the heat and let the stew simmer with the lid slightly ajar for around 15 to 20 minutes. You’re looking for potatoes and carrots that are nearly tender but not quite falling apart.

Add the green beans and let them continue simmering with the rest of the vegetables.

While that’s bubbling away, it’s time to give the seitan some attention.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the tamari in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the seitan chunks and sauté them for around 10 minutes, stirring regularly so you get plenty of browned, slightly crisp edges.

This step is worth doing separately because browned seitan brings much more flavor and texture than simply dropping it straight into the stew.

Once the potatoes are fully tender, use the back of a wooden spoon to mash a few of them right there in the pot. No blender needed. Just squash enough potato to naturally thicken the broth.

Stir in the browned seitan.

Take a look at the consistency. You want something thick, hearty, and moist rather than very soupy. If it looks a little too thick, add a splash of water.

Check that all the vegetables are tender. If they need a few more minutes, keep the stew simmering gently.

Finally, season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Spoon the stew into bowls, scatter over plenty of chopped parsley, and serve warm.

Try High Protein Tofu Bolognese recipe next.

Easy Ingredient Swaps

Seitan: If you don’t need the stew to be particularly high in protein, mushrooms can provide a savory alternative. For another protein option, try firm tofu or tempeh.

Potatoes: Yukon Gold, red potatoes, or regular russet potatoes will all work.

Carrots: Parsnips, sweet potatoes, or butternut squash can replace some of the carrots.

Green beans: Peas, broccoli, zucchini, or chopped kale are easy alternatives.

Tamari: Regular soy sauce works if gluten is not a concern.

Sweet paprika: Smoked paprika gives the stew a deeper, smokier flavor.

Parsley: Fresh thyme, chives, or cilantro can be used depending on what you have.

Vegetable bouillon: Use vegetable broth instead of the water and bouillon cube.

Try my Roasted Vegetable Traybake with Yogurt Tahini Dressing recipe.

Some Twist and Tweak Ideas

Make it smoky: Replace some or all of the sweet paprika with smoked paprika.

Add tomatoes: Stir in a tablespoon or two of tomato paste or a small can of chopped tomatoes for a richer base.

Add mushrooms: Sauté sliced mushrooms with the onions for an extra savory layer.

Give it some heat: Add red pepper flakes, cayenne, or a chopped chili.

Make it extra herby: Add rosemary or a bay leaf alongside the thyme.

Add more greens: Stir in spinach, kale, or Swiss chard during the final few minutes.

Make it richer: Stir in a spoonful of nutritional yeast for a deeper savory flavor.

Add beans: Cannellini beans or butter beans can make the stew even more substantial.

Try my Tofu and Vegetable Korma recipe.

Some Helpful Tips

Brown the seitan properly. Give it enough time in the skillet to develop golden edges. That’s where a lot of the flavor comes from.

Don’t cut the potatoes too small. Larger chunks hold their shape better during simmering.

Mash only some of the potatoes. You want to thicken the broth while still keeping plenty of chunky vegetables.

Add the green beans later. This helps keep them from becoming overly soft.

Taste before salting. Tamari and bouillon can both be quite salty, so add extra salt only after tasting the finished stew.

Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil can break the potatoes apart too quickly.

Adjust the liquid at the end. Different potatoes absorb different amounts of water, so add an extra splash if necessary.

Try my Sweet Potato Cottage Pie recipe.

Some Budget-Friendly Tips

Potatoes, carrots, and onions are usually some of the most economical vegetables available, which already keeps the base of this stew affordable.

If fresh green beans are expensive, frozen green beans work perfectly well and often cost less.

You can also use water with a bouillon cube rather than buying cartons of vegetable broth.

Seitan is likely to be the most expensive ingredient here. Buying larger packages or making homemade seitan can significantly lower the cost per serving if you use it regularly.

And don’t worry about buying fresh parsley specifically for the garnish. If you already have another fresh herb that works with the recipe, use that instead.

Some Serving Ideas

This stew is hearty enough to stand on its own, but a few simple sides work really well.

Try serving it with:

• Crusty bread
• Garlic bread
• Toasted sourdough
• Dinner rolls
• A simple green salad
• Steamed broccoli
• Roasted cabbage
• Pickled vegetables
• Extra fresh parsley
• A sprinkle of nutritional yeast

A thick slice of toasted bread is probably my favorite option because it’s perfect for soaking up the savory broth.

Some Storage and Reheating Tips

Refrigerating: Let the stew cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Reheating on the stovetop: Warm gently over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water or vegetable broth if it has thickened too much.

Microwave: Reheat individual portions in short intervals, stirring between each one.

Freezing: You can freeze the stew for up to 2 months, although potatoes may become slightly softer after thawing.

For best results, thaw frozen stew overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Meal prep tip: Keep the parsley separate and add it after reheating so it stays fresh and bright.

Final Thoughts

This Seitan and Vegetable Stew is a solid choice when you want something warm, filling, and packed with plant-based ingredients. The potatoes naturally thicken the broth, the vegetables keep things hearty and colorful, and the browned seitan gives the stew plenty of texture and substance.

I also like how flexible it is. You can change the vegetables, add more herbs, make it smoky, give it some heat, or simply use whatever needs using up in the refrigerator.

Make a big pot for dinner and there’s a good chance tomorrow’s lunch is already sorted too.

Seitan and Vegetable Stew

This seitan vegetable stew combines tender potatoes, carrots and green beans with browned seitan in a thick, savory, herb-filled broth.

Author: Danny Davis Courses: Dinner, Lunch, Soup Recipe Keys: High Protein M Meal Prep Vegan

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Prep Time 15 mins Cook Time 40 mins Total Time 55 mins Difficulty: Intermediate Servings: 6 Estimated Cost: $ 15 Calories: 391

Ingredients:

Servings

• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1.5 pts water (720ml)
• 5 potatoes, peeled cut into chunks
• 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube
• 1 tbsp sweet paprika
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 7 oz green beans, trimmed (200g)
• 2 tbsp tamari
• 1.5 lbs seitan, cut into chunks (680g)
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp parsley, chopped, to serve

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.
2. Add the chopped onions and minced garlic. Sauté until the onions are soft and lightly golden.
3. Add the water, potatoes, carrots, vegetable bouillon cube, sweet paprika, and dried thyme.
4. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat. Cover partially and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are nearly tender.
5. Add the green beans and continue simmering gently.
6. Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the tamari in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
7. Add the seitan pieces and sauté for approximately 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned and lightly crisp on most sides.
8. Once the potatoes in the stew are tender, use the back of a wooden spoon to mash a few pieces directly in the pot. This will naturally thicken the broth.
9. Stir in the browned seitan.
10. If the stew is too thick, add a small amount of additional water. The finished consistency should be thick and hearty rather than overly soupy.
11. Continue cooking for a few additional minutes if any of the vegetables require more time to become tender.
12. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
13. Divide the stew among serving bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.
    

Nutrition Facts

Servings 6

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Amount Per Serving

Calories 391kcal

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 8g13%

Total Carbohydrate 56g19%

Dietary Fiber 8g32%

Protein 58g116%

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* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

• Estimated GI ~48
• Estimated GL per serving ~ 18

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