35 Comforting Stews to Make Your Winter Better

Are you an ardent fan of soups and stews? Looking forward to trying something new? This blog has got you all covered with 35 amazing stew recipes that will blow your mind.

Image Credit: The Pioneer Women

Stew is something that you can have in any season due to its array of health benefits and delicious taste that enriches your soul. However, the best time to enjoy a bowl of hot stew would be the winter when you want to stay inside and stay cozy. If you are trying to learn more regional stew recipes to change your palette, here are some exotic stew recipes that can make your winter special.

  • Slow-cooker Beef Stew

Stew tastes the best when they are slow-cooked for hours and rich broth is created. The slow-cooker beef stew is the best traditional recipe to keep you warm in the chilly days. The ingredients are quite easy to get and the recipe is even easier. The main ingredients are meat and potatoes. The brow meat helps to provide the caramelized flavor in the broth which makes it tasty and comforting. Chunky veggies such as carrots and broccoli can be added to get the crunchy essence. Add diced tomatoes if you want a sweet and tangy punch in the broth and salt and pepper would be just enough.

  • Irish Beef Stew

The classic Irish Beef Stew is famous for its rich flavor and array of ingredients that will make you talk about it for a while. You would need beef, potatoes, beef broth, bacon, chunky veggies, and yes a lot of stout beer which offers that dark and rich essence. It might give you the buzz and will definitely offer you a punch that stays in your mouth for a while.

  • Keto Beef Stew

This is a healthy low-carb meal that is specially recommended for fitness freaks. It mainly consists of beef and chunky pieces of carrots and celery without any potatoes. The fragrant herbs like thyme and rosemary offer that rich savory flavor that you can enjoy with your favorite choice of bread. The stew comes with a satisfying texture that is neither too thick nor too thin, but perfect to slurp on.

  • The Cowboy Stew

Just like the name suggests, the stew will take you to a distant country ranch where you can find solitude. It is a one-pot recipe that can be done within 30 minutes and offers a satisfying meal that is heavy and wholesome. The five main ingredients of this recipe are ground beef, baked beans, sliced sausages, parmesan cheese, and last but not least, the barbecue sauce. You can also add chorizos or hotdogs if you like which can add more dynamic to the meaty taste.

  • Kielbasa Cabbage Stew

If you are looking for something light and warm, the Kielbasa Cabbage Stew is the best thing you can have which mainly includes shredded cabbage, potatoes, garlic, spices, and Polish sausages. All of these ingredients together form a light and warm stew that offers a perfect blend of protein and carbs. This wholesome stew is perfect whether have it for breakfast or dinner.

  • Red Flannel Stew

Just like its name suggests, this stew comes with a bright red color which comes from beef and beet. The broth is cooked in simmer to create that rich consistency and savory taste. It is recommended to use corned beef which is already salty enough and you would not need to add much salt to it. The root veggies are good for the soup which can absorb more salt. You can also immerse the corned beef in the water for 12 hours to adjust the saltiness.

  • Traditional Lamb Stew

If you are mood for a classic meat and potatoes recipe, the traditional lamb stew is the best for you which can be easily made from simple ingredients. Look for lamb shoulders to make this recipe which gets very tender when cooked for long. The stew also includes carrots and onions that offer a sweet caramelized taste. By adding parsley, chives, and thyme you can create this amazing aroma that will tantalize your heart when you have it.

  • South Okra Bean Stew

Vegetarian stews can be very tasty as well and the South Okra Bean Stew is the greatest example of that. This is a rich and thick soup which you can greatly enjoy with bread and even with rice which reduces its soggy texture. While okra has a bad reputation for being a slimy veggie, adding it with tomatoes and their citrusy flavors makes the texture weird and enjoyable. You can make a pot full of this stew and then reheat it whenever you want.

  • Pork and Hominy Stew

This stew belongs in the region of southwestern U.S. where it is called posole or pozole. It is a Nahuatl word for “foam” as the Hominy used in the stew looks like corn. However, it is bigger in size and comes with a chewier texture. The rich and savory taste comes from the pork meat and radish. Garnish it with a little bit of avocado, cilantro, and lime which adds that beautiful tangy punch to it.  This stew will definitely improve your heat on a cold night in the winter.

  • Moroccan Vegetable Stew

A lot of people might think that vegetable stews are bland because they do not have meat in them. However, this vegetarian soup can envelop everyone even omnivores. The Moroccan Vegetable Stew comes with a mixture of chickpeas, creamy potatoes, sweet butternut squash, tomatoes, and zucchini. You can serve this bad boy with pita bread and a dollop of yogurt which makes it complete.

  • Creamy Chicken & Broccoli Stew

This recipe is so simple and delicious that it can blow your mind when the first time you try it. The recipe requires fleshy chicken thighs which are cooked with Italian dressing and white wine. While you can use breast pieces if you want, the thighs offer a richer taste that helps to develop the texture. The stew is served with mashed potatoes; making it one wholesome meal consisting of all the nutrients. The cream and mush along with veggies like carrots and broccoli makes the dish colorful, creamy, and delicious at the same. Children love such stews that look good and taste even better.

  • Skillet Chicken Stew

Not everyone has a lot of time to spend in the kitchen but that should not stop you from having delicious stews. This stew can be easily cooked within a few minutes and it offers an amazing experience even with a few simple ingredients. It follows a special technique where the meat is drenched in flour before adding it to the soup which makes the broth thick and rich. It is a cozy buttery one-pan meal that you can enjoy at any time of the day. You can also add ketch to offer a dash of tanginess.

  • Squash and Lentil Lamb Stew

It is a mixture of vegetarian and non-vegetarian stew that is perfect for the omnivores around the world. This exotic dish is fun and exciting to eat and comes with a thick texture which makes it a heavy meal. Like just the name suggests the stew is a combination of sweet squash, savory lamb, lentils, and green spinach which makes it extremely nutritious and healthy for the body. The sauce comes with a blend of peanut butter, coconut milk, hoisin sauce, and many other ingredients which offer more diversity to the pallet. The stew is so tasty and healthy that you might dig for it every night.

  • Mainly Mushroom Beef Carbonnade

Carbonnade is a famous beef stew that is cooked in beer and this dish comes with the classic twist which makes it even more captivating. By adding a ton of portobello mushrooms, you can easily enhance the meaty texture in the stew while improving the protein content with both, veg protein and animal protein. The stew remains in a good consistency as the mushroom soaks up the excess water. Do not feel sorry to add more mushrooms to the stew as it is the main ingredient here.

  • Cabbage Roll Stew

Cabbage rolls are favorites to everyone and when they come in stew form, it can blow your mind. The flavorful results can be achieved within a few minutes and by using simple ingredients only. You can use ground beef or you can swap it with 1/2 pound of Italian sausage which can taste even better by amplifying the flavors. You can enjoy the essence of the cabbage roll by serving the stew with white rice or even brown rice if you like.

  • Slow-Cooked Stuffed Pepper Stew

It is a classic and popular recipe that turned into a stew over time. You do not have to stuff the pepper with rice but you can simply add all the ingredients and put it into a slow cooker to make the thing more dynamic with flavors. Half a cup of this stew can offer you up to 327 calories which is really great as a single meal option.

  • Italian Shredded Pork Stew

The main element of a stew is the broth or the soup that contains the nutrients of all the ingredients added to it. This classic Italian dish offers the most delicious soup with ingredients like vegetables, pork, and beans. Try to collect pork shoulders which get really tender when cooked well and slow cooking makes it shreddable. It also becomes a little fatty and offers a greasy and shiny effect which looks good and tastes even better. But if you don’t want it to be that way, you can soak up the fat with bread or skim it based on your health needs.

  • Pasta and Lentil Stew

This stew is made from a fine combination of ditalini pasta, lentils, and smoked sausages which creates a rich and thick texture and offers a hearty dose of warmth on cold days in the winter. Ditalini is a special type of pasta that comes with a very short tube-like structure which makes it perfect for making stews. It can easily fit with a spoon and you can enjoy the pasta, meat, and lentils with each bite or spoonful of stew. It is a one-pot meal and does not require any exotic materials to cook. Make sure to add Romano cheese and ground pepper to churn out the Italian taste.

  • Tuscan Portobello Stew

It is a popular Tuscany dish that received much attention all around the world. This is a vegan stew that consists of the main ingredients of vegetables and beans. It tastes amazing and you would not find any non-vegetarian complaining about it since it tastes so good. It is recommended to use fresh green kale but you can also opt for your favorite leafy greens such as Spinach. The stew is gluten-free and everyone can enjoy the soup, even the health and fitness freaks. The stew can taste better along with a crusty bread with offers a blend of sogginess and crunch.

  • Turkey Biscuit Stew

Turkey is famous for many reasons and other than cats, the country is well revered for its food that embraces their cultures. The Turkey Biscuit Stew is a part of their tradition and this unique stew is quite rare. Just as the title denotes, baked biscuits are added over the stew to create a flaky topping that tastes good with every bite. If you make the stew from prior, you can just add the biscuits and bake it to perfection. A single serving of this stew can offer up to 345 calories.

  • Slow-Cooked Meatball Stew

Meatballs are everyone’s favorite due to their robust taste. However, it is not a very common ingredient for stews. But you can still use the frozen meatballs for something hot and warm. Eating meatballs from a beefy tangy tomato soup can offer you a heavenly feeling on a chilly winter night. It is recommended to use small meatballs so that you can have a bowl full of them.

  • Weekday Beef Stew

This is a very easy meal to make and its special title is given due to its simple ingredients and fast method of cooking which can be done on any of the weekdays without shopping for ingredients. Refrigerated beef roast goes pretty well with this stew which is already cooked and can be shredded quickly. The stew also consists of carrots, potatoes, and a rich texture that tastes the best a puff pastry.

  • Squash & Chicken Stew

Well, it might sound like an unusual combination but it definitely tastes better than it sounds. It comes with a rich and hearty flavor and consists of a lot of nutritious values which make it highly recommended for everyone. You can garnish it with cooked couscous and chopped parsley which offers that unique appearance and taste. The butternut squash is a preferable choice here which tastes sweet and good in a savory stew with all the other ingredients. Half a cup serving of this stew can offer up to 384 calories.

  • Spicy Seafood Stew

Do you like seafood? Do you want to spice up things so that your tongue can be happy? Well, the spicy seafood stew is the best option for you which is healthy, tasty, and involves everything that you love. The soup base for this stew recipe is made with slow-cooking cayenne pepper and jarred pasta sauce in order to create that heat that feels comforting on winter days. It is pretty easy to make and takes only 15 to 20 minutes to get done with the recipe. Make sure to add the shrimp scallops and other ingredients at the end to not overcook the seafood which creates a chewy and rubbery texture.

  • Great Northern Bean Stew

The great northern bean stew is great indeed which can be easily cooked within an hour. Instead of pork meat, the dish involves pork sausages which help to reduce the time for the recipe. All the flavors come together pretty quickly. If you use hot Italian sausages, they can offer you a spicy spoonful bite that sends out warmth throughout your body. A single serving of this stew can offer up to 274 calories. Make sure to add minced fresh parsley and hot pepper sauce with dried thyme to create that rich aroma of food.

  • Turkey Cabbage Stew

Ground beef has preference over many countries but have you tried ground turkey? It can offer an amazing taste for stews where the lean meat is combined with chopped cabbages, tomatoes, and a handful of spices. The Turkey Cabbage Stew is easy to make and can be made from left-over vegetables. It can be easily stored in the freezer and can be reheated with a bit of water. It is the perfect meal in the chilly weather which can be cooked within 30 minutes and comes with a lot of nutritional value.

  • Pressure-cooked Beef Stew

The slow-cooking method is definitely recommended in cases where you want to create a rich flavorful broth. However, utilizing a pressure cooker can fasten the process and you can get the recipe done within 48 to 50 minutes. The pressure cooker helps to turn the boneless beef into a chunk of tender meat loins which can be easily shredded and offers a great texture with each bite. You can add a bit of cornstarch to make the broth thicker and richer. Make sure to keep it flavorful with dried thyme and bay leaves. Diced potatoes and carrots are the main veggies but you can also add others.

  • Black-Eyed Pea Sausage Stew

Have you ever tried black-eyed peas? Well, it can turn into a great weeknight dinner when you add sausages with it and turn it into a tasty stew recipe. The dense creamy beans are combined with sweet corn and smoked sausages which help to create an amazing soup base that is thick and delicious. This comforting meal can be made within 30 minutes only. The stew recipe also includes Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, hot pepper sauce, garlic powder, and beef broth to create that mouthful of flavors with each spoon.

  • Venison Stew

Most people know venison as deer meat but technically it is related to any kind of wild meat such as elks, antelopes, and wild boar. You do not necessarily need to become a hunter to make this stew as you can simply ask your butcher to provide such meat. Find high-protein meat along with potatoes, white onion, garlic, and carrots for the main base. Create more flavors by adding Worcestershire sauce, oregano, and bay leaves which offer the taste and the aroma. You can serve this dish with homemade bread or Brussels sprouts.

  • Brunswick Stew

Though there are many conventions, a lot of people believe that this stew has been originated from the areas of Georgia and Virginia. But both versions have a major difference in meat as the Georgia versions use pork but the version in Virginia involves chicken. You can also use beef if you like as the meat is served as a catalyst of flavors. If you serve the dish in the traditional way, make sure to add sides for ribs along with potato salad, baked beans, and coleslaw.

  • Lentil Pepperoni Stew

Lentil Pepperoni in a thick protein-based stew that comes with a lot of health benefits and can offer you a warm meal on a winter night that keeps the heat on. Nicely seasoned with spices like cayenne pepper, dried oregano, rubbed sage, and many others; this stew offers a flavorful burst in the mouth. Other than pepperoni, the stew is also comprised of many veggies like carrots, celery ribs, tomatoes, etc that offer that fresh taste and crunch along with seasoned lentils. Half a cup serving of this nice stew can offer you up to 261 calories.

  • Apple Chicken Stew

This stew is perfect for the fall days when the leaves are falling and you can feel a sense of nostalgia in mind. It is best to eat in the season when apples are freshly harvested from the orchards. The stew consists of a fruity punch which is mainly done with the cubes of fresh apple as well as apple cider vinegar in the broth. It is recommended to use boneless chicken for this dish along with carrots and potatoes to create a dynamic flavor. A single cup serving of this stew can offer up to 284 calories.

  • Jamaican-Style Beef Stew

Jamaican foods are popular for their rich regional flavors that can tantalize your taste buds. Your whole home will be captivated by the smell of this beef stew when you make it in the kitchen in your home. It is recommended to use top sirloin beef for the recipe which offers a more rich and meaty flavor. Such meat can easily become tender. Along with carrots, green onions, and celery, the dish becomes healthier. The main ingredients that create that saucy flavor are barbecue sauce, steak sauce, and hot pepper sauce. Therefore, consider it on the spicier side of the scale.

The aforementioned stew recipes are healthy, tasty, and easy to make. You can easily try any of them at home and gift yourself the best stew to enjoy this winter.