I made this vegetable stew on a day when I wanted to empty the freezer and found some roasted vegetables from last autumn. It wasn't planned, but it turned out to be a good, simple, and filling dish. I used what I had: onion, potato, roasted peppers, eggplant, and zucchini. Nothing complicated, just chopped vegetables, a little oil, and some herbs at the end.
Quick info
Total time: 45-50 minutes
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 35-40 minutes
Servings: 2-3
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: vegetarian main dish, fasting or side dish
Ingredients
1 red onion
1 potato
3 roasted peppers (I used frozen, already roasted)
1 roasted eggplant (also from the freezer)
1 zucchini
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons tomato juice
1 teaspoon Baza Mirodenia (Fuchs) or other similar vegetable spice mix
1 bay leaf
a bunch of fresh parsley
4 cloves of garlic
Preparation method
1. Clean and wash the onion, then slice it julienne. Sauté the onion in a small pot with a tablespoon of oil and a little water, just enough to prevent it from sticking. Stir occasionally and let it soften.
2. Peel the potato, wash it, and cut it into suitable cubes. Add it over the sautéed onion. Add a splash of water if needed, so the liquid doesn’t evaporate completely. Cook over medium heat until the potato is almost cooked, about halfway.
3. Cut the roasted eggplant (thawed from the freezer) and zucchini into rounds. Add them over the potatoes. Gently stir and let them boil together for another 10 minutes. The vegetables don’t need to be fully cooked, just starting to soften.
4. Cut the roasted peppers into strips. Add them to the pot along with the tomato juice, bay leaf, and the remaining oil. Let everything simmer over medium heat for another 10 minutes. If it reduces too much, add a tablespoon of water.
5. After 10 minutes, add a teaspoon of Baza Mirodenia (or other vegetable seasoning). Turn off the heat.
6. Clean the garlic and chop it finely. Chop the parsley. Add both over the hot stew, stir, and cover to let the flavors meld.
7. Serve either warm or cold. I also served a salad of roasted peppers alongside the stew.
Why I make this recipe often
It’s one of the quick ways to use the roasted vegetables I have in the freezer. It doesn’t require special ingredients and can be easily adapted with what’s in the fridge. It fits any meal and doesn’t require too much attention while cooking.
Tips and variations
Tips
Don’t let the vegetables boil too long, or they will break apart.
If using fresh vegetables, roast the peppers and eggplant first.
Don’t skip the step with garlic and herbs added at the end; they give a fresh taste.
Substitutions
Baza Mirodenia can be replaced with salt, pepper, a bit of thyme, or dried basil.
If you don’t have zucchini, you can add more eggplant or vice versa.
Tomato juice can be replaced with fresh tomatoes grated.
Variations
You can add sliced carrots at the beginning, along with the onion and potato.
A splash of hot pepper if you want something spicier.
For a fasting version, don’t change anything – the recipe is already fasting.
Serving ideas
It can be eaten plain, with bread.
It’s also good as a side dish with meat or fish.
Pickles or a simple summer salad go well with it.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use raw vegetables instead of roasted?
Yes, but they need to be roasted separately in the oven before adding them to the stew. Eggplant and peppers taste better roasted.
2. Can I substitute the potato with something else?
The potato can be omitted or replaced with additional zucchini, but the final texture will be less creamy.
3. If I don’t have Baza Mirodenia, is it okay to just use salt and pepper?
Yes, that works very well too; you can also add a bit of thyme or paprika.
4. Can I freeze the stew after it’s done?
It can be frozen, but after thawing, the vegetables become softer. It’s better fresh or kept in the fridge.
5. Can it be made without oil?
You can reduce the oil or omit it, but the taste will be slightly different, and the texture will be drier.
Nutritional values
Approximately, for one serving (out of 3):
Calories: 170-220 kcal
Protein: 4-5 g
Carbohydrates: 25-30 g
Fats: 7-10 g
Fiber: 6-8 g
The values depend on the size of the vegetables and how much oil you use. It’s a low-fat recipe and quite rich in fiber and carbohydrates from the vegetables.
Storage and reheating
The stew keeps well in the fridge, in a covered container, for 2-3 days. It can be reheated over low heat in a pot or in the microwave. It loses some texture if frozen and then reheated, but if necessary, it can be kept in the freezer for up to 2 months. It tastes best on the first and second day.
Quick info
Total time: 45-50 minutes
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 35-40 minutes
Servings: 2-3
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: vegetarian main dish, fasting or side dish
Ingredients
1 red onion
1 potato
3 roasted peppers (I used frozen, already roasted)
1 roasted eggplant (also from the freezer)
1 zucchini
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons tomato juice
1 teaspoon Baza Mirodenia (Fuchs) or other similar vegetable spice mix
1 bay leaf
a bunch of fresh parsley
4 cloves of garlic
Preparation method
1. Clean and wash the onion, then slice it julienne. Sauté the onion in a small pot with a tablespoon of oil and a little water, just enough to prevent it from sticking. Stir occasionally and let it soften.
2. Peel the potato, wash it, and cut it into suitable cubes. Add it over the sautéed onion. Add a splash of water if needed, so the liquid doesn’t evaporate completely. Cook over medium heat until the potato is almost cooked, about halfway.
3. Cut the roasted eggplant (thawed from the freezer) and zucchini into rounds. Add them over the potatoes. Gently stir and let them boil together for another 10 minutes. The vegetables don’t need to be fully cooked, just starting to soften.
4. Cut the roasted peppers into strips. Add them to the pot along with the tomato juice, bay leaf, and the remaining oil. Let everything simmer over medium heat for another 10 minutes. If it reduces too much, add a tablespoon of water.
5. After 10 minutes, add a teaspoon of Baza Mirodenia (or other vegetable seasoning). Turn off the heat.
6. Clean the garlic and chop it finely. Chop the parsley. Add both over the hot stew, stir, and cover to let the flavors meld.
7. Serve either warm or cold. I also served a salad of roasted peppers alongside the stew.
Why I make this recipe often
It’s one of the quick ways to use the roasted vegetables I have in the freezer. It doesn’t require special ingredients and can be easily adapted with what’s in the fridge. It fits any meal and doesn’t require too much attention while cooking.
Tips and variations
Tips
Don’t let the vegetables boil too long, or they will break apart.
If using fresh vegetables, roast the peppers and eggplant first.
Don’t skip the step with garlic and herbs added at the end; they give a fresh taste.
Substitutions
Baza Mirodenia can be replaced with salt, pepper, a bit of thyme, or dried basil.
If you don’t have zucchini, you can add more eggplant or vice versa.
Tomato juice can be replaced with fresh tomatoes grated.
Variations
You can add sliced carrots at the beginning, along with the onion and potato.
A splash of hot pepper if you want something spicier.
For a fasting version, don’t change anything – the recipe is already fasting.
Serving ideas
It can be eaten plain, with bread.
It’s also good as a side dish with meat or fish.
Pickles or a simple summer salad go well with it.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use raw vegetables instead of roasted?
Yes, but they need to be roasted separately in the oven before adding them to the stew. Eggplant and peppers taste better roasted.
2. Can I substitute the potato with something else?
The potato can be omitted or replaced with additional zucchini, but the final texture will be less creamy.
3. If I don’t have Baza Mirodenia, is it okay to just use salt and pepper?
Yes, that works very well too; you can also add a bit of thyme or paprika.
4. Can I freeze the stew after it’s done?
It can be frozen, but after thawing, the vegetables become softer. It’s better fresh or kept in the fridge.
5. Can it be made without oil?
You can reduce the oil or omit it, but the taste will be slightly different, and the texture will be drier.
Nutritional values
Approximately, for one serving (out of 3):
Calories: 170-220 kcal
Protein: 4-5 g
Carbohydrates: 25-30 g
Fats: 7-10 g
Fiber: 6-8 g
The values depend on the size of the vegetables and how much oil you use. It’s a low-fat recipe and quite rich in fiber and carbohydrates from the vegetables.
Storage and reheating
The stew keeps well in the fridge, in a covered container, for 2-3 days. It can be reheated over low heat in a pot or in the microwave. It loses some texture if frozen and then reheated, but if necessary, it can be kept in the freezer for up to 2 months. It tastes best on the first and second day.