Slow Cooker Vegetable Stew with Chickpeas

Bowl of vegetable stew with chickpeas, potatoes and butternut squash on a countertop with another bowl beside it and two lemon wedges on counter.

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Slow Cooker Vegetable Stew with Chickpeas

Prep Time15

Cook Time5

Total Time5 15

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan

Servings: servings

Author: Deryn Macey

Ingredients

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large white onion diced (about 2 cups)
3 medium carrots peeled and diced
3 stalks celery diced
5 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1½ tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
½ tsp paprika
3½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes cut into 1-inch cubes, about 5 cups
3 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash 1-inch cubes
2 bay leaves
1 can (19oz) chickpeas drained and rinsed
1 cup green peas frozen
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Fresh dill optional
salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery with a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook for 5–6 minutes until softened.
Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, thyme, rosemary and paprika. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste darkens slightly and becomes fragrant.
Transfer the vegetables to the slow cooker. Add the broth, Dijon, potatoes, butternut squash and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
Cover and cook on low for 6–7 hours or high for 3 hours, until the vegetables are fork-tender. For the best flavour and texture, cook this stew on low. The longer, gentler cook keeps the vegetables tender without turning mushy and allows more time for the flavours to develop. You can use high only when you're short on time or see the post for Instant Pot instructions.
Remove the bay leaves. For a thicker stew, blend about 2 cups of the cooked vegetables and broth (use an immersion blender, or transfer to a countertop blender), then stir the puree back in.
Stir in the chickpeas and green peas. Cover and let sit on warm for 10 minutes to heat through.
Stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Taste and season well with salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh dill, if desired.

Notes

Consistency: This makes a thick stew. If you prefer it brothier, stir in extra vegetable broth a little at a time at the end until it's just right. It will also thicken as it sits, so add a splash of broth when reheating leftovers.

Storage: Let the stew cool, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freezing: This stew freezes well for up to 3 months. Cool completely, then portion into freezer-safe containers, leaving a little room at the top for expansion. Thaw in the fridge.

Reheating: Warm on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave. The stew thickens as it sits, so stir in a splash of broth or water to loosen it, then add a fresh squeeze of lemon to brighten it back up, if needed.

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