Need something hearty for dinner? Here are 5 winter stews to try this season.

What I love about stews is you can put the ingredients in the pot and just let it stew… like literally let it stew. So simple and self-explanatory. Although some stews can be a bit complex, the process is still fairly the same: sear the protein of your choice, sweat your vegetables, deglaze with wine or stock, add the proteins back into the pot, cover it with liquid and let it simmer until it’s cooked. Easy, done deal meal. Pair it with mashed potatoes, crusty bread or rice, and you’ve got supper covered! For inspiration, we listed 5 recipes for you to try.

Beef Bourguignon

Recipe by NY Times

Before we move forward, we have to acknowledge the classic stew of the season. Beef Bourguignon is a classic French dish that is commonly made with beef chuck. The difference between bourguignon and a beef stew is that the former is simmered in red wine. That means you should use a good drinkable red wine for this recipe. 

Vegan Winter Lentil Stew

Recipe by Budget Bytes

The perfect combination of winter comfort and no-guilt plant-based meal. If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to cut back on meat consumption, then this recipe is for you. It’s hearty, creamy, and easy to make!

Seared Scallop Stew with Winter Vegetables

Recipe by Food & Wine

This stew is lighter than usual but still filling with the help of cannellini beans and smoked ham hock. Add to that the variety of winter vegetables like turnips and romanesco broccoli, this stew will have you wanting for more. It is also a great party meal for when you want to impress the guests without lifting a finger. The additional seared scallops alone will wow them.

Winter Vegetable Mulligatawny 

Recipe by Eating Well

Mulligatawny soup is a South-Indian dish that was brought over to colonial Britain. The stew is sweet and hot due to the addition of apples and curry powder. This particular recipe is a meatless version with butternut squash and parsnips. 

Gochujang Cioppino

Recipe by Food & Wine

Cioppino is a variation of fish stew that is commonly comprised of mussels, crab, shrimp, squid and scallops. The seafood stew is simmered with tomato sauce and wine. This version however was given a Korean twist with the use of Gochujang paste (Korean red pepper paste). This gives the dish a tasty heat which is frankly a great attribute to look for in a winter stew.

Published by HOLR Magazine.