This simple recipe for Paleo-friendly Smoky Root Vegetable Chili Stew takes just a few minutes to prep, cooks low and slow in the oven for hours, and delivers delicious, rich, healthy comfort food goodness.
This recipe happens to be Paleo-friendly, and bean-free. But, if you like legumes, by all means add a can or two of drained, rinsed beans to your liking.
Just as you can switch out the vegetables, feel free to use different meat as well. I used a bone-in pork shoulder roast 1) because it is super affordable, so I can buy a really high quality heritage pork, 2) I toss the bones in with the stew as it is cooking to add more flavor. You can use beef, pork, or even bone-in chicken if you like. Want to make this a vegan/vegetarian stew? Skip the meat and bump up the veggies, add beans, and/or serve over quinoa or rice.
More good news about this awesome recipe, that is likely to become a regular in your house, (Stew Saturday?) is that you can make this recipe in the slow cooker as well. Just toss everything together into the slow cooker and let it cook on low for 8-10 hours.
Wait, and there is still more good news: This recipe makes a TON of stew, depending on the level of hunger, 8-10servings. This is always a good thing in my house because this means that lunches are covered for several days with the leftovers. Stews and chili always seem to taste even better the next day, right?
Smoky Root Vegetable Chili Stew
Makes 8-10 servings
2 tsp healthy oil/fat of your choice
3 lb pork shoulder roast, or roast of your choice, cut into approximately 2″ cubes.
1 jar Mesa de Vida Smoky Latin inspired healthy cooking sauce
2-4 tb chipotle paste, such as Olo, or 2-4 minced chipotle peppers to taste
About 8 cups of vegetables – carrots, turnips, rutabaga, radish, parsnips, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, etc, cut into approximately 2″ cubes. Toss in any other vegetables you like, I often add diced zucchini and mushrooms.
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
Optional : 3-4 extra cloves of chopped fresh garlic (our cooking sauce has lots of garlic, but we like it garlicky, so for a recipe this large I like to add extra)
Optional: Salt to taste (our cooking sauce is low in sodium so YOU get to control the level of salt
Toppings to taste: fresh cilantro, sliced fresh radishes, avocado
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat, when hot add oil, swirl to coat. Add the cubed meat, and any trimmed bones, to the pan (in batches if you’re using a small pan) and brown on all sides. When browned transfer to a large baking dish or casserole.
Add the remaining ingredients (except for the toppings) and stir well to combine. Cover tightly with foil. Bake for about 3 hours, until the meat is succulent and tender.
Serve topped with toppings of your choice and enjoy!
*You can make this in the slow cooker as well, just pop everything into your slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
Like this recipe? Try another low, slow oven or slow cooker favorite, like our North African tagine!