Craving a meal that practically cooks itself? Welcome to your new favorite weeknight warrior: the Slow Cooker Veggie Cowboy Stew! This is the ultimate ‘dump-and-go’ recipe, where hearty potatoes, savory baked beans, and sweet corn meld together in a rich, chili-spiced broth. The secret ingredient? A touch of cocoa powder that adds an incredible depth of flavor you won’t be able to resist. Just toss everything in, walk away, and come back hours later to a bubbling pot of pure comfort. It’s a warm, satisfying hug in a bowl!
Ingredients
• For the Stew
• 2 lbs / 900 g round red or russet potatoes, cut into 1-inch / 2.5 cm pieces
• 2 15-oz / 425 g cans vegetarian baked beans, undrained
• 1 10-oz / 280 g package frozen whole kernel corn
• 1/2 cup / 120 ml vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp / 15 g chili powder
• 1/2 tsp / 1.5 g unsweetened cocoa powder
• For Topping
• 1/2 cup / 50 g shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup / 120 g sour cream
Instructions
1. In the basin of a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker, combine the potato pieces, undrained vegetarian baked beans, frozen corn, vegetable broth, chili powder, and unsweetened cocoa powder. Stir everything together to ensure the spices are evenly distributed.
2. Secure the lid and cook on the LOW setting for 8 to 9 hours or on the HIGH setting for 4 to 4.5 hours, until the potatoes are perfectly tender.
3. Ladle the hot stew into bowls. Top each serving generously with shredded cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream before serving.
Nutritional Information
• PER SERVING: 357 calories, 8 g total fat (4 g saturated fat), 20 mg cholesterol, 629 mg sodium, 60 g carbohydrates, 10 g fiber, 15 g protein.
Pro Tips
• Resist the urge to peek! Lifting the lid on your slow cooker can add 20-30 minutes to the cooking time each time you do it.
• This stew is fantastic for meal prep and tastes even better the next day. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Get creative with toppings! Try adding sliced green onions, fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice, or some crushed tortilla chips for extra crunch.
• For a spicier kick, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a finely diced jalapeño along with the other spices at the beginning.
FAQ
Q: Can I make this veggie cowboy stew vegan
A: Absolutely! The stew base is already vegan. To make the entire dish vegan, simply replace the dairy cheddar cheese and sour cream with your favorite plant-based shredded cheese and dairy-free sour cream for topping.
Q: How can I add more protein to this vegetarian stew
A: The baked beans provide a good amount of protein, but you can easily boost it. Try adding a can of rinsed and drained black beans, pinto beans, or lentils along with the other ingredients at the beginning of the cooking process.
Q: Is this slow cooker veggie stew gluten-free
A: The main ingredients are naturally gluten-free. However, you should always double-check the labels on your canned vegetarian baked beans, vegetable broth, and chili powder to ensure they are certified gluten-free and not processed with any gluten-containing ingredients.
Q: What other vegetables can I add to this stew
A: This is a very flexible recipe. Feel free to add 1-2 cups of other hearty vegetables like diced carrots, celery, or bell peppers at the beginning with the potatoes for extra flavor and nutrients.
