And soup season continues! It might not be snowing here, but the fact that it’s been 80 degrees outside doesn’t stop me from craving big pots of stewy vegetables. Plus I just love having the leftovers around for lunch all week. They get better on the second day, and even better on the third day.
This stew has pretty much all of my favorites: hearty butternut squash, quinoa & kale. It all gets simmered in a stewy tomato broth. It’s a pretty simple recipe that you should spice up as much as you like. I used cumin, coriander & smoked paprika, but (as I type this), I’m thinking about how delicious it would be in a curry-spice direction. I’ll keep you posted when I give that a go…
I’m excited to partner once again with Crate & Barrel. They have so many kitchen staples that I use all the time – this classic French oven, my go-to vegetable peeler, not to mention these bowls, and how cute are those wooden spoons?
If you love soup as much as I do, make this stew, and then try this many-veggie soup & this spiralized veggie minestrone!
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon red chile flakes
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth
- ½ cup dry quinoa
- 2 to 3 cups chopped kale
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and a few pinches of salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 4 minutes.
- Add the butternut squash, another pinch of salt, and stir. Let the butternut squash cook for a few minutes, then stir in the garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika, and red pepper flakes. Add the white wine vinegar and stir to deglaze the bottom of the pan. Add the tomatoes, broth, and quinoa. Cover and simmer until the butternut squash is tender and the quinoa is cooked through, about 40 minutes. Halfway through the cooking time, I like to taste and adjust seasonings. Add additional spices if you like.
- When the soup is nearly done, stir in the kale and cook about 5 minutes more, or until the kale is wilted. Taste and adjust seasonings again.
This post is in partnership with Crate & Barrel.
Products used in this post: Le Creuset Signature 5.5qt Round French Oven, 18th Street Bowls, Suits Napkins, OXO Good Grips Swivel Peeler, Shesham Wood Spoon, Shesham Wood Straining Spoon
This sounds like a great mid-week dinner! I’ve pinned the recipe and will be trying it asap. As I’m not veggie, some leftover shredded chicken sounds like a great inclusion… ooh, or frying some hunks of chorizo in alongside the onions…
Anyway, what’s the reason for the white wine vinegar deglaze? I’ve never seen it in a recipe. How does it affect the taste?
Hi Rebecca, thanks! You can’t really taste the vinegar at the end, but it adds a balanced & bright flavor.
Can you use lemon juice or orange juice instead? Thx
I personally wouldn’t on this one…
Did you make the curried version? Wonder what it would be like w coconut milk?
Love it! I’m seriously obsessed with this recipe already sent it to all my friends. Only thing it gets a little too think at the end so I needed a little more broth to have it more soupy. Otherwise sooo yummy!
Very delicious recipe!
I made this soup tonight. Wow! It was delicious. I didn’t make any changes other than adding in 1 extra cup of broth. I really liked the chunks of butternut squash in the soup. It’s a hearty, healthy soup. Thank you for sharing. We will definitely have this again.
Hi Daisy, I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed it!
Yum! This looks perfect for my 0 degree (celsius) day tomorrow!
Where do yo live Kristin? Yesterday we (Buffalo, NY) had a -25 to -30 wind chill all day. This stew will warm things up. 🙂
Wow! That’s cold! I live in Gothenburg, Sweden. Since it’s on the coast, it’s rare that it gets that cold 🙂
Yum I love the combo of spice and the veggies. Those bowls are super cute. Love anything with a low profile for photos! Thanks for sharing
This looks so good!
Yummy! this soup looks so delicious and healthy! Where do you live? It’s 80 degrees here too. I’ve been waiting for it to get cold again to make soup, but maybe I should just make soup regardless of the weather, ha!
Ha, Austin TX 🙂
Great recipe! Thanks for sharing!
nastyadrama.ru
Hey this looks great i grow butternut squash in my garden, you can see some photos at http://www.swashmanor.com … I enjoyed your site, seems i am always looking at, cooking, or eating food of some sort! I just love food and cooking, i collect old cook books. Mostly southern, i own http://howtocooksouthern.com/ I try to focus on Southern Cooking, food history and Etc…. Wes :)>
Mmm this looks delicious and so healthy!
OMG I think I’m going to do this today for lunch!! Looks insane <3
https://aspoonfulofnature.wordpress.com/
Love this! Looks really tasty!
Love the colours in this! A good sign of how healthy it is methinks 🙂
My family lives on leftovers so the fact that this gets better next day is perfect! Our weather is starting to approach fall in the southern hem and this is perfect for those chilly nights!
This stew looks just perfect! It has been absolutely freezing here this past week (and in fact yesterday was below -30 degrees Celsius with windchill!!) so warm, comforting meals like this are exactly what I’m craving.
yikes! Sending warm thoughts…
I made this last night and it was delicious!
I have plenty left for a few mere days. Perfect lunch meal 😉
I’m so glad you liked it! (and now have plenty of lunches 🙂
What a hearty meal! I think I going to try it tonight, maybe add a bit of chicken sausages. Thank you for sharing!
We’d be happy to send some snow your way! This stew looks like a perfect meal as we hunker down for yet another snow storm on the East Coast…
Ha, it’s ok, I’ll be alright 🙂
This looks so good and I love the pretty colors.
Amazing! I’m so glad I doubled it!!!
thanks Joan!
I so WANTED to double it but only had enough for written recipe. So so amazing, thank you.
This looks amazing especially when snow is coming down outside! I love the combination of butternut and kale! So delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Alyssa
cupcakesandsequins.blogspot.com
Lovely! I love both kale and quinoa, and I’ve never tried them with butternut squash before. The stew sounds incredible, and I can’t wait to try it.
gosh your photo’s are just amazing! thank you so much for sharing!
Delicious! I made this for lunch today and it hit the spot. I’m a big fan of vinegar in slow cooked sauces because as you say it brightens the dish, but I’ve also noticed it adds a balanced sweetness the longer it simmers. Thanks for a terrific winter stew!
So glad you liked it! You’re right – I love how the vinegar adds a bit of sweetness…
I’m making this right now and on instruction 2 it says to add the water. I assume this should be add the veggie broth instead?
Thanks!
yes – oops! (I made it with water instead of broth the first time)
80 degrees? Oh now you’re just showing off! Man. I can’t wait to feel what that feels like again! This soup is wonderful and looks perfect for a weeknight meal.
Ha, I know , it’s been especially warm for Feb 🙂
Just made this and it is so yummy! I used sweet potato in place of the squash because it is what I had on hand. Thank you for the yummy recipe 🙂
yay, so glad you liked it and that you were able to use what you had on hand!
A warm meal for a freeeezing night! Thanks 🙂
It seems like soup season will never end here on the Northeast. But, I don’t mind. I truly love a 2nd day or 3rd day bowl of stew. Happy Tuesday, Jeanine 🙂
I just made this but reduced the veggie stock to make it more of a quinoa dish vs. a soup (my vegetarian husband isn’t big on tomato-y soups). I also changed up the spices a bit as I didn’t have coriander. It turned out delicious! I’m going to serve it with some spiced up greek yogurt. Thanks for the recipe! (PS: Its “feels like” 1 degree in Chicago right now….) ; )
Ooh, sounds delicious with spiced yogurt. Glad you liked it – hope you’re staying warm 🙂
This sounds like such a delicious stew! I live in Canada and it feels like the ice age here lately (-20 right now!), so meals like this are so, so perfect. Also – your cookware and dishes are so lovely. It looks like a prop shop in your beautiful photos!
aah, so cold – hope you’re keeping warm! Thanks – I love C&B’s kitchenware too 🙂
Thanks for this recipe! I tried it last night since its extremely cold here in NYC and love it! I didn’t have the diced tomato, only fresh ones.. so I lost out on some of the extra tomato flavoring, but it’s still awesome. Since mine was a bit more on the squashy side, I also added some cloves for a more cohesive flavor. Threw in some carrots and mushrooms for extra texture. I love the idea of maybe pieces of chorizo too. But this was great!
Hi Deezy! Glad you liked it – ooh, I bet it would be good with mushrooms! Happy you were able to adapt using what you had on hand 🙂
We used extra garlic and extra butternut squash so it was thicker, this was great! Thanks for sharing. I’ve been eating the leftovers and looking forward to eating the rest!
So glad you liked it – and thanks for the feedback about the garlic!
I actually used extra garlic too and chopped instead of minced, and threw in some fresh basil I was growing indoors, it was a nice addition to this already-nice recipe, thanks!
So glad you liked it Matt – I’m jealous you have basil growing :).
This looks so delicious! – I’m a big fan of the bowls too! Very aesthetic 🙂
https://iamchefblog.com
This looks so perfect for the weather we are having right now!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
Made this delicious dish last week & it lasted me 2 lunches after that (which I heated up topped with melted cheese!)
Lovely! x
yay, so glad you liked it!
Made this last night and used spinach since we didn’t have any kale and put a few garbanzo beans in. Absolutely delicious! Thank you for amazing recipes as always!
so glad you liked it!
This is delicious, I used extra garlic and loved it ! Thank you for sharing 🙂
of course – glad you liked it!!
I also can’t get enough of the big pots of stewy vegetables – the flavors in yours are making me so hungry (and it’s nearly 1am!). I also love the modern bowl you served them in too!
This was sooo delicious. I actually used coconut milk instead of vegetable broth and it was divine. Can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow. Thanks so much for the great recipe.
p.s. where did you get those beautiful bowls?
Crate & Barrel, here’s the link: http://bit.ly/17IFI5O
Saw the picture of this beautifully colored stew on Crate and Barrel’s Instagram freed and immediately needed on find the recipe…so glad I looked because what I found was a wonderful food blog {loveandlemons} and now cannot wait to try all of the recipes!
This was the first recipe I decided to make. the stew came out great!! Followed the recipe exactly, next time may try a few new spices. Thank you for teaming up with C&B, if not I would’ve never found your amazing site!
Hi Tiana,
Welcome! I’m so glad you liked the recipe 🙂
Thanks for such a great, simple recipe with BIG flavors. The flavors were well balanced and we enjoyed every bite. I used organic precut squash, which made for quick prep. This was definitely an easy soup we’ll make over and over again in our cold Colorado winters!
Cannot wait to try this! There’s nothing I love better than a big burly stew!
I just made this today and it is awesome! Great favors. Thanks for sharing.
Looks delicious, I’ll be making this next week, thank you 🙂
This is fast becoming my favourite butternut squash recipe. Really easy to make, great instructions and just beautiful.
Looking forward to trying more of your recipes. 😉
Hi Carla, I’m so glad! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
I’ve tried a few iterations of butternut-kale-quinoa… I usually improvise, but resisted here (aside from subbing the onion with shallots and some leftover red onion and white wine for deglazing… same thing-ish). This is a perfect recipe! The spice ratio is relish. So savory. Brothy and filling. Beautifully balanced and textural. I will try the vinegar next time, as it probably adds a touch more tang and I’m sure it’s even better. Thanks for a great go-to!!
I’ve tried a few iterations of butternut-kale-quinoa… I usually improvise, but resisted here (aside from subbing the onion with shallots and some leftover red onion and white wine for deglazing… same thing-ish). This is a perfect recipe! The spice ratio is relish. So savory. Brothy and filling. Beautifully balanced and textural. I will try the vinegar next time, as it probably adds a touch more tang and I’m sure it’s even better. Thanks for a great go-to!!
Hi Jocelyn – I’m so glad! Thanks for the great feedback 🙂
*I meant “delish” not “relish!” But I do RELISH this dish!!! (arghh, spell check)
HA 🙂
Yhis looks amazzing! How many people would this recipe feed? Also, would Kabocha squash work instead of butternut? Thanks!
Yep, Kabocha squash should work great – this serves about 4 although you could double it to serve more and then save/freeze the leftovers.
Great! Thanks so much. Can’t wait to make this for dinner tonight.
Thanks for this delicious and healthy recipe! It was perfect for everyone from my vegan teenager to may youngest, a picky eater. It’s the most delicious soup we have ever had!
Hi Michelle, I’m so glad! I love winning over picky eaters, so great to hear 🙂
Made this for dinner last night. It was a huge hit! So hearty and flavorful, yet light and gentle at the same time. 🙂
This has to be one of the best receipes we’ve ever made. Its so hearty and flavoursome!
I just made this for dinner and OMG it was soooo delicious! The acidity of the vinegar blends in so well with all the spices! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
How many servings does this recipe make? Can’t wait to try it, it looks beautiful and nutritious! Thank you 🙂
Hi Whitney – about 4. You can easily double everything to make a larger batch, it keeps well.
This soup is PERFECTLY spiced. I made this for a dinner party – to give it a little more substance, I made parmesan cheese croutons and topped the soup with a sprinkle of parmesan shavings and the croutons. Everyone loved it!
I have also been freezing it. Pro tip: I wait for the soup to cool before adding the kale so that the kale doesn’t lose its color from being frozen/re-heated.
so glad you liked it! Thanks for the tip!
This was AHMAZING!!! I made this tonight and ate 2 bowls! So gooooood! The smokey flavor from the paprika was a nice touch and the kale took it to the next level!! Thank you so much for this recipe!! I will make this again!
HA – thanks, I’m so glad you enjoyed this one 🙂
This was EXCELLENT. Thank you for sharing!!!
I am snowed in right now, but craving a hearty soup/stew, so had to make a couple adjustments for what I had on hand…bag of frozen butternut squash, quinoa/brown rice blend (minus the spice packet), fire roasted tomatoes. I had everything else and it tastes AMAZING! Perfect for a cold snowy weekend!
Hi Dani – sending warm thoughts your way! I’m glad you loved this and were able to adjust!
I just made this and it’s really good and flavorful. It didn’t take very long to get everything cut up and in the pot.
Hi Debbie – I’m so glad it was delicious (and not too difficult!)
hi,
can I addchicken breast to this anyway? I would love to add chicken wondering how I can properly incorporate it?
looks amazing BTW can wait to try.
Hi Taylor, I don’t really cook chicken so I’m not sure what step to incorporate it…
Made a double batch. Loved it!
So good. I would not change a thing in this recipe. Perfect balance of flavors!
Hi Lisa, so glad you liked it!
I made this last night. What a great stew! Thanks!
Can I through all of this into my crockpot??
I had some organic squash and kale that I needed to use up so I searched; what I found is a lot of recipes with sausage. This did not look particularly great but I tried it. I used fresh tomatoes from My CSA instead of canned diced tomatoes. As well as kale, leek (instead of onions), garlic and squash. I also used chicken broth and ground up the coriander because on hand I only had whole coriander. I believe this is the most delicious soup I have ever made. Thank you for the recipe!
I’m glad you liked it!
Delicious and simple (and I’m not vegan). I doubled the recipe. Thanks!
I’m looking forward to making this in a few hours so you might not even see this question in time, but is there another kind of vinegar one could sub for the white wine? I read it as white vinegar when I was at the store. :/ I probably have all sorts of other types of vinegar, just not white wine vinegar….
Thanks! Love your site and the cookbook!
Hi Breanne – red wine vinegar or even balsamic would work! Hope you enjoy 🙂
Thanks! It was delicious! And leftovers for the rest of the week = win!
I’m so glad!
How many calories is in this stew? Thanks
Does anyone know the yield for the recipe? Serving size?
Hi Angela, it makes 4 meal-sized bowls (sorry I don’t know the exact measurement in cups)
Hi Angela !
Just made this on a cold, raw New England night! Was a great way to start off the New Year in a healthy way!
Thanks for all you do for my healthy family cooking!
This looks delish! where’d you get that pretty towel?
Crate & Barrel!
Finally got around to making this and it’s very tasty! Really easy to make too. I used a little adobo sauce instead of the smoked paprika and coriander then added a little shredded sharp white cheddar on top =) I think next time I’ll serve with some rustic bread and earth balance spread on the side…yum!
Hi Lynn, I’m so glad you liked it! I love your idea of using adobo sauce – YUM!
This was yum. Me and my fussy 6 year old love it. Thanks.
Yay, I’m so happy to here it was kid approved!
Has anyone tried this in a crock pot?
I have made this both ways, on the stove and in the crock pot. Both worked out wonderfully, however I did have to keep adding liquids throughout the day with the crock pot though as I was at an all day event and the quinoa kept soaking up the liquid. It was a huge hit though! I waited to add the kale until right before serving if I remember right.
This is so helpful – thanks for reporting your feedback!
This is SO delicious! I used a big fresh tomato instead of canned diced (it’s what I had on hand), and it worked out perfectly.
Thanks!
Just made this for the first time. Eating it as I write this 🙂 It is FANTASTIC! I am so glad I doubled it 🙂 The bonus is that it’s as pretty as it is tasty 🙂 Thanks for the excellent recipe 🙂
Hi, I’m just wondering what size your servings are? I work where I am scaling recipes up for 50 or more and want serving sizes to be about 2 cups, which I don’t think yours are?????
Hi Elizabeth – maybe 1 1/2 cups? It’s a hearty stew, and it serves 4 for us. I didn’t measure the cups at the end, but I’d say the serving size is less than 2 cups.
I used your recipe to get ideas for seasoning a simple squash soup I was making to use my CSA box. Your seasonings were great! Thanks for sharing your culinary talents.
Making this right now! Iam so excited as all these ingrediants are my fav! Ill post back on how it turns out 😉
Delicious!
I followed the recipe and it was a success.
I’ll do it again for sure.
Thank you so much
Love, love, love! I did, though, just discover what peeling butternut squash can do to fingers… wear gloves.. 🙂
Looking forward to trying this – now. I’ve never cooked buttrernut squash before > Could you possibly just confirm whether or not (hopefully No but I assume the answer if Yes!) I need to peel it first, before dicing and cooking it?)
Thanks and Ta
best wishes – Eve
It sound delicious and easiy-ish
Hi Eve,
For this stew, I peel the butternut squash before cubing it.
Hope you enjoy it!
I know this is an ‘old’ recipe but made it just now. It was so awesomely good. I added baby carrots because there was a bag that needed to be used. We ate it with a poached egg on top. My husband loved it! Thank you.
Our whole family love this recipe particularly my young kids. I sometimes add chicken and it works really well. Always topped with Parmesan. A brilliant recipe that is a staple in our house! Thanks for sharing.
That was meant to be 5 stars by the way!
thanks Rachel! I’m so happy to hear that it’s become a staple recipe for your family!