Eggplant Potato Stew Recipe

This thick and hearty Potato Stew recipe features tender potatoes, delicious aromatics, and also some chewy eggplants for a wholesome dinner meal. It's incredibly easy to make and can be ready in just under an hour, making this is the ultimate vegan stew.

This potato stew is the perfect recipe to have in your cooking arsenal, since it's simple to prepare and uses readily available ingredients. It's perfect for days when you come home hungry, but there's not much food in your fridge. I'm sure my ultimate eggplant potato stew recipe will come to the rescue that day!

What's best is that it's enjoyed by kids and adults alike and is incredible simple to make. You only need a handful of pantry staples to give a delicious, flavorful, and comforting stew every single time. 

And even though it's a potato stew, it also features chewy eggplants making it one of my best vegan eggplant recipes!

Serve with crusty bread on the side for a healthy weeknight dinner! I’ve made this recipe many times and know how to achieve the perfect balance of flavors and textures. Plus, I've used a simple ingredient that's my secret to the most flavorful stew ever, and I'll share it with you in this post. 

Whether you're cooking for your family or hosting a dinner party, this potato stew is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Read on to learn exactly how to make this delicious potato stew today! 

Jump to:

• What is a Potato Stew?
• Why This Is The Best Potato Stew Recipe
• Ingredients
• How to Make Potato Stew Step by Step
• Tips For Making the Best Potato Stew Every Single Time
• Serving Suggestions
• Recipe Variations for Potato Stew
• Frequently Asked Questions
• How to Make Potato Stew Ahead of Time?
• How to Store Leftover Potato Stew
• Similar Recipes
• Recipe

What is a Potato Stew?

Potato stew is a dish made by cooking potatoes and other vegetables, such as carrots, onions, and garlic, in a flavorful broth until the vegetables are soft and tender. The dish can be seasoned with herbs and spices and often includes protein, such as beef, chicken, or sausage.

What's good about this dish is that it's a filling and nutritious meal that's easy to prepare and can be customized to suit any taste preference. It's also versatile and can be made vegan or vegetarian by using vegetable broth and omitting any meat. The potatoes and vegetables provide a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, making them a healthy choice for any meal.

My potato stew recipe features a secret ingredient combination that truly takes it to the next level and adds an amazing flavor to the overall dish. Want to know what the secret to the tastiest potato stew is?

It's the addition of Tamari and ginger powder. This mixture penetrates the vegetables and takes them to another level. It's super simple, but the results are incredible. I'm sure you're going to love it!

Why This Is The Best Potato Stew Recipe

• Choice of vegetables: Eggplant and potatoes are the ultimate buddies. Whether it's a stew or casserole, these two are foolproof choices for any dish. 
• Quick and easy: This vegan stew is made with just 8 ingredients not counting salt and black pepper, and is ready to be enjoyed in under an hour. Even if you're a beginner you can make this super easily at home!
• Versatile. For this vegan potato recipe, you'll only need 4 basic vegetables, but you can certainly experiment and add other veggies too like celery, mushrooms, or tomatoes. It's also the perfect recipe to customize with different herbs and spices!
• Affordable: This Potato Stew recipe is cost-effective as it requires inexpensive yet fresh ingredients that are most likely already present in your kitchen. It’s comforting, filling and perfect for those days when you’re on a tight budget.

Ingredients

Here's an overview of the specific ingredients for this recipe. For the exact ingredients and measurements, please scroll to the recipe card below.

Potatoes: You'll be needing some potatoes for this recipe. They will provide the starchy base for the dish and make it filling. You can use either red or yellow potatoes for it.

Eggplant: We'll also need some eggplant to make this recipe; when roasted, it will give a meaty texture and depth of flavor to the dish. In vegan recipes, eggplant acts as a wonderful substitute for meat. Plus, eggplant is very rich in anthocyanin, a type of pigment with antioxidant properties that are good at protecting cells against damage from harmful free radicals.

Salt: You'll need to season the dish with salt; it will enhance the flavor of all the other ingredients and make them taste more vibrant.

Extra virgin olive oil: You'll need some extra virgin olive oil to cook and dress the dish. It will add healthy fats and fruity aroma to the dish. You can alternatively use any other neutral oil you have on hand.

Cold water or vegetable broth: We'll also need some cold water or vegetable broth to cook the dish; it will create a flavorful broth and keep the dish moist.

Onion: You'll be needing some onion to flavor the dish. It will add sweetness and fragrance to the dish. You can use either white or yellow onion for it.

Carrot: We also need some carrot to add color and sweetness to the dish.It will complement the onion and potato well.

Flavor Enhancers:

Soy sauce or tamari: We'll also need some soy sauce or tamari. It will add depth of umami flavor and saltiness to the dish. Tamari is similar to soy sauce in that they are both made with fermented soybeans, but tamari is usually gluten-free and has a richer flavor. You can use soy sauce if you like, but you will love the taste of tamari and ginger! Also, feel free to use sodium-reduced tamari.

Herbs de Provence: You'll need to sprinkle some herbs de Provence on the dish. It will add complexity of herb flavor and earthy aroma to the dish. If you don't have those, substitute with Italian seasoning, dried thyme, or dried oregano. 

Pepper: We'll also need some pepper to season the dish. It will give a spicy kick and balance the saltiness of the dish.

Fresh cilantro or parsley: Last but not least, you'll need some fresh cilantro or parsley to garnish the dish. It will add brightness and freshness to the dish.

How to Make Potato Stew Step by Step

Making this nourishing potato stew recipe at home is super easy and will give you great results every single time. Here's how to make it step by step:

1. Prep the eggplant. Place the eggplant in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt. Stir and let it sit for 10 minutes to remove any bitterness. Don’t rinse.

2. Mix the tamari and ginger. In a small bowl, dilute the ginger powder in tamari or soy sauce.

3. Saute the vegetables. Drizzle olive oil in a large non-stick skillet or Dutch oven over and heat over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Then add the carrot and sauté for another 5 minutes.

4. Finish cooking. Add the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time. Stir in the eggplant, cold water, tamari mixture, herbes de Provence, and black pepper.
5. Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.

5. Serve the stew. Serve immediately with a sprinkling of fresh cilantro leaves or parsley.

Your delicious Potato Stew is ready to be served.

Tips For Making the Best Potato Stew Every Single Time

Choosing the right eggplant: For this eggplant potato stew recipe choose the medium size eggplant that is firm but not hard. Its skin should be bright purple without wrinkles and with no or very few brown spots. Blemishes like this indicate that the eggplant is old and when you work with the eggplant you might have to cut them out. Plus. make sure the stem of the eggplant is green and free of mold.

Cut the potatoes uniformly: Make sure to cut the potatoes into uniform sizes to ensure even cooking. This will also help to prevent some pieces from becoming mushy while others are still undercooked.

Use fresh herbs: Fresh herbs will add a bright, aromatic flavor to the stew. Add them towards the end of cooking so that they don't lose their flavor or color.

Serve with crusty bread: The stew pairs perfectly with a crusty or artisan bread to sop up all the delicious sauce. Slice the bread and toast it in the oven while the stew is cooking for an even better experience.

Serving Suggestions

1. Serve the potato stew with a side of warm crusty bread to soak up the flavorful broth. You can also sprinkle some fresh herbs on top for added freshness.
2. If you serve it as a main meal, make sure to complement it with a colorful vegetable salad like Asian Beet Salad or Broccoli Mushroom Salad.
3. For a more substantial meal, serve the potato stew over a bed of cooked rice or quinoa. The grains will add texture and bulk to the dish.
4. And if you want to add some protein consider some beans like this Cannellini Bean Salad or White Bean Stew. They're both great choices. You can even have it with some lentils!
5. A dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt can be a delicious addition to the potato stew, providing a creamy, tangy contrast to the savory flavors of the dish.
6. For a fun twist on traditional potato stew, serve it in a baked potato bowl. Simply cut a baked potato in half and scoop out the flesh, leaving a sturdy shell. Fill the shell with the potato stew and garnish with a sprinkle of cheese or herbs.

Recipe Variations for Potato Stew

Spicy: For a spicy variation, add a diced jalapeño or red pepper flakes to the stew. This will give the dish an extra kick and add a depth of flavor that is perfect for those who love a bit of heat in their meals. Alternatively, you can also add spices like cumin, turmeric, coriander, and smoked paprika.

Creamy: For a creamier consistency, add a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt to the stew while it’s still simmering. This will add a rich, tangy flavor that complements the potatoes well.

Tomato based: You can also add some canned tomatoes and/or tomato paste to the potato stew if you want to make this dish tomato-based. 

Meaty: For a meaty variation, add diced beef or pork to the stew. This will add a rich flavor and protein to the dish, making it perfect for a cozy winter meal.

Herb-infused: For an herb-infused variation, add in some fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary, and sage. This will add a fragrant and savory flavor to the stew. You can also add delicious greens like spinach or kale to it

Veggies: You can also add other veggies you can. Consider adding some zucchinis, red peppers, frozen peas, parsnips, mushrooms, or any other veggie you like to the stew. You can also experiment with aromatics like garlic cloves. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Make Potato Stew Ahead of Time?

Certain steps of this eggplant potato stew recipe can be done ahead of time. This will significantly speed up the cooking process.

First, you can chop the onion and carrot and then keep them refrigerated for 7 to 10 days.

To go even further, you can also sauté the onion and carrot in advance and then refrigerate in the airtight container for up to 7 days.

You can do the same thing with the potatoes, however, make sure they're covered with water and store them in a fridge for no longer than 24 hours.

How to Store Leftover Potato Stew

Leftover potato stew should be stored in an airtight container and it will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in a microwave for 30 to 40 seconds or until warm.

What's best is that you can also freeze it. Distribute the stew among the freezer-friendly zipper bags leaving ¼- to ½- inch of space to allow for expansion in the freezer. Lay the bags flat in the freezer where they'll keep for 3 months.

To thaw, leave the eggplant potato stew to defrost in the refrigerator overnight and then simmer in a pot for a few minutes. If you're short on time, you can throw a bag with a veg stew in a pot of hot water, defrost it there and then reheat it on the stovetop.

If you make this recipe, please leave me a comment below and rate it. I always appreciate the feedback. Also, you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

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