The Perfect Stew to Make With All Your Leftover Veggies

If you’ve been following our Veggie Madness Tournament, you may be wondering: What happens to all the vegetables that don’t make the cut? They’re adding flavor to our Sideline Stew, a delicious and healthy recipe we learned from Natalia Groat, M.S., R.D., C.D., a clinical dietitian at Harborview Medical Center.

The recipe is a great way to use up all those leftover veggies before they spoil. It’s healthy, easy to make and can be customized to your specific tastes or dietary restrictions. Is comfort stew a thing? Because it should be. We imagine eating this on a rainy day while snuggling on the couch with a blanket, watching a good TV show.

Sideline Stew

Serves eight. Prep time: 15 minutes. Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes.

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onions or thinly sliced leeks
• 1 cup thinly sliced celery
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper
• 3 cans (14.5 ounces each) vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) tomatoes with chilies with juice
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 8 cups mixed fresh or frozen vegetables such as carrots, corn, green beans, lima beans, peas, potatoes or zucchini—or any other veggies you want. Cut large vegetables into smaller pieces.

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions or leeks, celery, Italian seasoning and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes.

Add broth, tomatoes with chilies and their juice, tomato paste, and 3 cups of water to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

Add vegetables to pot and return to a simmer. Cook uncovered until vegetables are tender, about 20-25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Let cool before serving.