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Our 18 Best Winter Stew Recipes

Fight off the deep chill of winter with a helping of this season's coziest comfort food.
Braised oxtail ragu.

(Photo: Yvonne Duivenvoorden)

Winter's foggy greyness, blustery snowstorms and icy rains are nothing a steaming bowl of stew can't handle. From slowly braised chicken, to Moroccan-style vegetable stew and stout-braised beef stew recipes, the only question is: which bowl will you choose? Find inspiration for a hearty and satisfying meal below.

Sake Beef Stew

Try our modern, Japanese-inspired take on traditional beef bourguignon. Kick it up with sake and a grab bag dried mushrooms—rich, hearty and powerful flavours. Get the sake beef stew recipe.

Nutty Chicken Stew With Squash

Creamy butternut squash, chunky tomatoes and pieces of juicy chicken make this dish a comforting (and easy) meal for weeknights this winter. Get the recipe for nutty chicken stew with squash.

Nutty chicken and butternut squash stew; made with skinless, boneless chicken thighs; onion; ginger; garlic; canned diced tomatoes; butternut squash; zucchini; peanut butter; green onion and peanuts for a post on an easy, healthy nutty chicken and butternut squash stew recipe(Photo: Roberto Caruso)

Braised Oxtail Ragu

Yes it’s the tail, and is it ever delicious. Intensely rich and tasty, it makes a brilliant stew that freezes well too. Get our braised oxtail ragu recipe.

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Braised oxtail ragu; made with oxtail; onions; carrots; celery; garlic; salt; port; beef broth; rosemary; horseradish and chives; in a cast-iron skillet on a wood cutting board next to a black bowl full of chives and herb scissors for a post on braising recipes and an easy braised oxtail ragu recipe(Photo: Robert Caruso)

Braised Chicken And Tomato Stew

What is braising? A classic method of cooking less-tender cuts of meat and vegetables, braising starts with a pan-sear so the food gains colour and flavour. It’s then cooked gently, covered, in barely bubbling liquid until exceedingly tender. Get the recipe for braised chicken and tomato stew.

Braised chicken and tomato stew in a le creuset skillet, made with skinless, boneless chicken thighs; fish sauce; sugar; soy sauce; balsamic vinegar; shallots; canned whole tomatoes; and green onions for a post on braising and the best braised chicken tomato stew recipe(Photo: Roberto Caruso)

Hearty Gumbo

Try out a creative, cajun-spiced spin on this classic stew. Get this hearty gumbo recipe.

A bowl of stew with tomatoes, mushrooms and beans.(Photo: Erik Putz; Food styling by Ashley Denton; Prop styling by Madeleine Johari)

Joy of Cooking's Guyanese Pepperpot

This richly spiced dish is traditionally served on Christmas morning in Guyana. From the 2019 edition of the culinary classic. Get Joy of Cooking's Guyanese Pepperpot recipe.

Joy of Cooking's Guyanese Pepperpot on a marble table with a hand holding bread

Peanut Stew

This soup is believed to have originated in Mali and spread across western Africa with the proliferation of peanut farming by colonizers in the 16th century. It's traditionally spicy, made with local vegetables, sometimes with meat and always with ground peanuts. Peanut butter speeds up the process here. Serve over warm rice or couscous, or with fufu, a dough-like side dish made from cassava. Get our peanut stew recipe.

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A bird's eye view of a table with a dish of peanut stew and various ingredientsPhotography by Christie Vuong; Food Styling by Sage Dakota; Prop Styling by Madeleine Johari; Round French Oven, lecreuset.ca

Nigerian Stewed Black-Eyed Peas and Plantains (Ewa Riro and Dodo)

This dish of stewed beans (ewa riro) is cookbook author Joe Yonan's favourite order at African restaurants. Serve with fried ripe plantains (dodo) and rice. Get this Nigerian stewed black-eyed peas and plantains recipe.

Nigerian Stewed Black-Eyed Peas in a bowlPhotography credit: Aubrie Pick © 2020.

Stout-Braised Beef Stew

There are two tricks for a tender stew. First, buy meat with generous marbling (tiny bits of fat between the muscle fibres). Second, cook it over low heat for several hours. Get our stout-braised beef stew recipe.

Stout-braised beef stew, oat risotto and Emerald Isle greens on a table with a green dutch oven and pint of Guinness(Photo: Sian Richards)

Slow Cooker Moroccan Vegetable Stew

Hearty, warming and easy. It takes just 15 minutes to prep, then you pop it in the slow-cooker before heading to work and voilá! Ready by the time you’re home. Get this slow cooker Moroccan vegetable stew recipe.

A bowl of stew with squash, sweet potatoes and chickpeas.Photo, John Cullen.

Moroccan Lentil Stew Recipe

Enjoy a taste of Morocco at dinner tonight with a stew that pairs dynamic spices with healthy legumes to create a high-protein meal. Get this Moroccan lentil stew recipe.

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A bowl of stew with lentils topped with nuts and parsley.Photo, Roberto Caruso.

Hearty Bison Stew

Made with bison or stewing beef, it all comes together with chunky vegetables, spices and tomato. It’s a hearty winter meal you’ll want to dig into right away. Get this hearty bison stew recipe.

A bowl of stew with beef, carrots and peas.Photo, Angus Fergusson.

Sweet-And-Sour Curry Vegetable Stew

This hearty stew gets a hint of tanginess from balsamic vinegar. Although it’s substantial enough to enjoy it on its own, you can also add meat or fish. Get the recipe for sweet-and-sour curry vegetable stew.

A bowl of stew with cauliflower, lentils and veggies.Photo, Michael Graydon.

Italian-Seafood Stew

A flavourful, tomato-based seafood medley of shrimp, mussels and lobster. Get the recipe for Italian seafood stew.

A bowl of stew with shrimp, mussels and lobster.Photo, Roberto Caruso.

Chicken And Bean Stew

Packed with carrots, chicken, navy beans and spinach this is a hearty—and healthy—bowl of comfort food. Get our chicken and bean stew recipe.

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Chicken and beans stew mixed with carrots and spinach in a bowl.(Photography: Erik Putz. Food styling: Ashley Denton. Prop styling: Rayna Schwartz.)

Puttanesca Fish Stew

This is the second part of a two-for-one dinner recipe, which uses the leftovers from yesterday's baked puttanesca tilapia for a fresh fish stew. Get our puttanesca fish stew recipe.

Puttanesca fish stew made with tilapia; fennel; canned tomatoes; carrots; and clam juice in a white plate on a fish-printed plate next to a slice of baguette for a post on an easy Puttanesca fish stew recipe(Photo: Erik Putz)

Roasted Chicken And Romano Bean Stew

Take a break from the mid-week hustle with a hearty chicken stew you can sit down to in just over a half-hour. Get our roasted chicken and Romano bean stew recipe.

Roasted chicken and romano bean stew in a stainless steel skillet; made with chicken drumsticks or bone-in chicken thighs; garlic; celery; onion; mushrooms; tomato paste; chicken broth; canned Romano beans for a post on an easy weeknight Roasted chicken and romano bean stew recipe(Photo: Erik Putz)

Tomato-Fennel Fish Stew

This healthy, hearty dinner makes excellent use of tilapia or another white fish and is ready in a flash. Get our tomato-fennel fish stew recipe.

Tomato-Fennel Fish Stew made with tilapia, haddock or another white fish and canned tomatoes, carrots, fennel and clam juice for a post on an easy, fast Tomato-Fennel Fish Stew recipe for weeknights(Photo: John Cullen)

How to make Moroccan lentil stew

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