Delicious Winter Stews You'll Want to Make This Weekend

When you want something hot and hearty, a soul-warming dish to take away the chill, stews fit the bill. An anytime alternative to soup, stews can be created from recipes as elaborate or as simple as you feel like tackling. Some recipes are straightforward and traditional, others full of global inspirations. And whether you use the Instant Pot, slow cooker, or good ol' stovetop, these options will have you warmed up — literally and figuratively — with plenty for leftovers.

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Hot Italian sausage is the featured protein here, though cannellini beans definitely up the ante in this classic comfort-food dish. A special touch is the finishing off with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Recipe: Pampered Chef

Related: Best Sausage Recipes to Try This Fall

Vegetable stews need not be boring. Simply whip up this richly spiced meal that's "not your everyday vegetable stew." It features cauliflower, sweet potatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, parsnip, Japanese eggplant, and more – plus an array of spices including cinnamon, turmeric, coriander, ground ginger, and cumin.

Recipe: May I Have That Recipe?

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The creator of The Cozy Cook blog is committed to sharing "simple, flavorful and budget-friendly recipes" for family and friends — and beef stew is a tried-and-true favorite of the genre. The utterly traditional approach here features Yukon gold potatoes, carrots, and peas, with a depth of flavor thanks to a good red wine (though substitutes are offered for an alcohol-free version). Serve with a warm baguette or over mashed potatoes.

Recipe: The Cozy Cook

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Tired of Chinese takeout? This ambitious recipe uses braised meat complemented by an array of spices, from ginger to star anise, and 2 pounds of daikon radish.

Recipe: The Woks of Life

Related: Takeout Meals Made Cheaper at Home

Ree Drummond's recipe may have pork shoulder at its core, but tomatillos, three kinds of peppers, and a host of vegetables and spices keep this dish from being just another straightforward take on pork. And it freezes particularly well — if you have any left over. 

Recipe: Food Network

Related: Freezer-Friendly Meals That Will Always Taste Fresh

Fast and filling are the bywords of this recipe that gets a hearty meal on the table in less than 30 minutes. Chicken breast, black beans, corn, and more combine for that proverbial something for everyone.

Recipe: Lemon/Blossoms

Made on the stovetop or in the slow cooker, this veg-and-meat recipe features pork shoulder, an affordable cut of meat, for a meal that's tasty and thrifty.

Recipe: Spend With Pennies

Related: How to Feed a Crowd 15 Ways With a Cheap Cut of Pork

Cod fillets and shrimp are featured in this hearty dish with tomatoes, potatoes, and bell peppers. From the "Instant Flat Belly Cookbook" by Patricia Gilroy, the dish is low-carb, low-fat, and low-sodium, but rich in flavor.

Recipe: Instant Pot Recipes

This vegan and gluten-free recipe uses quite a few vegetables, from onions, celery, and carrots to potatoes, red lentils, and broccoli. The recipe invites adding even more with collards, kale, or spinach.

Recipe: Vancouver with Love

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Think of a rainy Irish evening and a steaming serving of Irish stew. Ah, comfort. Create your own pub — and family — favorite with a dish traditionally made with lamb, onions and potatoes, but personalized with countless additions that could include carrots, parsnips, turnips, peas, or celery. This version includes bacon and bacon fat and, as with many stews, you can make it ahead and serve the next day so the flavors truly meld.

Recipe: The Spruce Eats

Extra virgin olive oil, six garlic cloves, a hefty can of peeled tomatoes, and a pound of mushrooms — white or cremini — are the signs that this recipe has its roots in the heart of the Mediterranean region. An easy prep yields a hearty, rustic meal ideal for a chilly night in. (Keep your slow cooker bubbling with these recipes too.)

Recipe: The Mediterranean Dish

Take a virtual trip to the Greek Isles with this hearty waterfront tradition. The recipe allows you to make it your own by your choice of main ingredients. You can "try snapper, striped bass, clams, mussels, and shelled, deveined shrimp in any combination."

Recipe: Williams Sonoma

For those who rather their chili feature ground beef (count me in), this recipe is retro gold, a quick stovetop version designed to be "just like mom used to make with ground beef, beans, and a simple homemade blend of chili seasonings." Suggested toppings range from shredded cheddar cheese to sour cream to sliced green onions. Tradition indeed. (Keep these Regional Chili Recipes in mind, too.) 

Recipe: The Wholesome Dish

This stew is "teeming with tender chunks of veal braised in a rich, creamy sauce studded with mushrooms and potatoes. Pure yum," says its creator. She adds a squeeze of anchovy paste for "a little extra umami."

Recipe: What Should I Make For…

As a fan of chili but not of ground turkey (so dull!), this recipe grabbed my attention. With its Dutch oven/stovetop prep and simple ingredients including stewed tomatoes, red kidney beans, green pepper, and onion, it might be time to give ground turkey another try.

Recipe: Food.

We'll let the creator of this version of one of our favorite cold-weather dishes describe the dish where slow-cooked beef becomes "fall-apart tender smothered in a creamy Stroganoff sauce with buttery garlic mushrooms." She adds that it's "made with economical stewing beef yet tastes like a million dollars!" We are in. And for those who like options, the recipe is offered in versions tailored for the stove, slow cooker, or Instant Pot.

Recipe: RecipeTin Eats

This traditional New Orleans favorite gets its traditional red/orange hue from a brown roux, tomato paste, and tomato sauce. Serve over white rice and sprinkle with basil before serving. The recipe can be switched up by substituting crawfish, lump crabmeat, or scallops instead of the shrimp.

Recipe: Just A Pinch

Take a (virtual) trip to Africa with a stovetop beef recipe that's gluten-free to boot. It features zippy ingredients including paprika, cinnamon, and (gluten-free) curry powder along with bell peppers, tomatoes, carrots, and cabbage. Coconut milk adds a creamy finish.

Recipe: Only Gluten-Free Recipes

If you — or those in your household — have dietary restrictions or preferences, this dish is dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, sugar-free, and vegan. It may take a bit of time (mostly for the washing and chopping of the vegetables) but it's not difficult.

Recipe: Making Thyme For Health

Savory spices and split peas combine to create a dish billed as "like beef stew's exotic, spicy cousin — spiked with lots of yummy spices like cumin, cinnamon, saffron, and turmeric." Dull dinners no more. (Make the most of your Instant Pot with 50 Simple, Cheap, and Delicious Instant Pot Recipes.)

Recipe: Platings & Pairings

You come in from shoveling and want to warm up (and treat yourself). Imagine steaming helpings of a creamy stew that features cream of chicken soup, milk, and sour cream. Ideal served with biscuits or dumplings, this one can be made on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot or slow cooker. 

Recipe: The Cozy Cook

Related: Delicious Dumplings from Around the World

For those who love chili in its meatier form, this recipe offers a flavorful way to go. Its creator notes it features "tender chunks of beef enveloped in a deep, spicy, and smoky sauce." It includes bacon too. 

Recipe: Once Upon a Chef with Jenn Segal

We'll give it away — the addition of a spicy-hot vegetable juice gives this recipe its distinctive kick. It's also filled with vegetables from green beans to potatoes to onions, a dish that's promised to be "even better reheated the next day."

Recipe: Southern Plate

For a "no-fuss" spin on a traditional stew — and one that's low-carb, as well — this recipe relies on boneless skinless chicken thighs "to maximize the authentic flavor." (Take advantage of chicken's budget-friendly prices with these 50 Cheap and Easy Chicken Recipes.)

Recipe: Low Carb with Jennifer

Banish any thoughts that stew can't be elegant. Ingredients such as dry white wine, fresh rosemary, and lemon zest elevate this boneless veal shoulder dish to something special. Still not convinced? Its serving suggestion is to pair it with baked polenta with Parmesan.  

Recipe: Food & Wine

If you make turkey only for the holidays, this recipe might convince you to change your ways. Featuring breast meat and an array of vegetables, it puts the beloved bird on the menu beyond Thanksgiving.

Recipe: Allrecipes

Offered as a "simple and healing recipe," this dish includes herbs said to have holistic properties. That means you not only create a tasty meal but a dish ideal for those battling a simple cold or cough.

Recipe: Easy Cooking with Molly

This recipe from a registered dietician, nutritionist, and food sensitivity specialist is "one of the most comforting, warming dishes you can make." The herbs and spices of the curry are balanced by coconut milk to create a dish that can be adjusted for those who are gluten-free.

Recipe: Erica Julson

This prize-winning, chili cook-off recipe may feature sirloin steak, but it's the secret ingredient — Italian sausage — that gives it flair. One happy reviewer suggests doubling the amount of sausage for an even heartier dish.

Recipe: Taste of Home

This creamy vegetarian stew gets a protein boost from chickpeas — and a nod for creativity for its homemade cheddar herb dumplings.

Recipe: Hello Little Home

This "hearty sweet and savory stew," sourced from a decades-old issue of Bon Appétit, has a host of not-your-everyday flavors, from pitted prunes and dried apricots to apple cider and dark beer. 

Recipe: Epicurious

The author/cook/photographer behind the blog My Korean Kitchen notes that, "Korean hot pot dish is one of the most frequently requested recipes from my readers." And the dish called "Army Stew" or "Army Base Stew" — "loaded with Kimchi, Spam, sausages, ramen noodles, and much more" — is one of the most popular hot pot dishes in Korea. 

Recipe: My Korean Kitchen

This dairy-free, gluten-free, and low-sodium recipe features traditional Middle Eastern spices, chickpeas (adding fiber), and fresh spinach. It's suggested you use boneless lamb stew meat (shoulder cut), an economical choice, or lamb shoulder chops that you debone yourself.

Recipe: Eating Well

This convenient Instant Pot meal is inspired by moqueca, a Brazilian seafood stew, and creates a true depth of flavor from the blending of tomatoes, coconut milk, and spices. White fish is used here, though other seafood can fare equally well in this preparation.

Recipe: Savory Tooth

There is something comforting about potatoes any way you fry, bake, or mash them. This recipe takes that comfort to another level, with potatoes joined by veggies such as onions, carrots, and celery — along with spices and heavy cream — for something that sounds as warming as it does slightly decadent.

Recipe: Allrecipes

What's a meal without dessert? Carry on the "stew theme" with this charmingly warm take on fruit salad. Leftovers of this are ideal to add to breakfast or brunch.

Recipe: The Spruce Eats

This family-friendly, meal-ending treat is "pretty much cooked apples and bananas in a warm cinnamon honey sauce," a welcome alternative to yet another stack of cookies.

Recipe: Super Healthy Kids

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