3 Vegetarian Dutch Oven Recipes

I absolutely love my Dutch oven. The simple pleasure of chucking my ingredients in one pot to bubble away while I complete other tasks certainly appeals to the lazy chef in me, and I find that the best Dutch oven recipes always produce hearty, warming, almost-rustic food that is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

The range of dishes you can cook with an Uno Casa Dutch oven is practically limitless, but these are my absolute favorite vegetarian Dutch oven recipes.

Perfect when you’re stuck for inspiration for a healthy yet hearty dish, or find yourself in a bit of a rush, these recipes are always absolutely delicious… And nobody will believe how little effort they take to prepare! 

1. Chunky Vegetarian Chili

Yield: 11 servings

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 1 medium green pepper, deseeded and chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 2 cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
• 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can whole kernel corn, drained
• 2 ½ cups water
• 1 cup long-grain rice, uncooked
• 1-2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 ½ tsp ground cumin

Method

1. Heat the canola oil in your Dutch oven, then add the green pepper, onion, and garlic and sauté until tender. 
2. Add all the other ingredients to the pot, stir well to combine, then bring to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat and settle the lid on the Dutch oven. Leave to simmer (25-30 minutes) until the rice is cooked, occasionally lifting the lid to stir and check on the ingredients.
4. If the chili is a little too thick, stir in some more water.
5. Serve immediately with warm crusty bread.

2. Spicy Rice-Stuffed Bell Peppers (vegan)

Yield: 6 stuffed peppers

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup mushrooms (your choice), diced 
• 4 cups sticky rice (I use Arborio), cooked
• 6 green bell peppers
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• Sea salt and black pepper (to taste)
• 2 large red onions, chopped
• ½ cup tomatoes, chopped
• ½ cup zucchini, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp ginger, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• 1 tsp mint, minced
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 cup tofu, pressed and crumbled
• ½ cup tomatoes, cut into wedges

Method

1. Put your tofu in a tofu press, pre-cook the sticky rice, and preheat the oven to 375’F.
2. Once the rice is ready, pop it in a medium/large-sized bowl and add all the other ingredients, excluding the green bell peppers.
3. Crumble the pressed tofu into the bowl too, and mix everything together until well combined.
4. Next, remove the stems, seeds, and flesh from the inside of the bell peppers.
5. Pour the oil on the bottom of the Dutch oven to prevent sticking.
6. Place the bell peppers inside your Dutch oven and check that there’s enough space for the lid to be placed on the pot.
7. Spoon the sticky rice mixture into the bell peppers, ensuring each pepper gets the same amount of filling.
8. Place one tomato wedge on top of each bell pepper, then put the lid on the Dutch oven.
9. Cook for 35-40 minutes. If you want the tops of your stuffed peppers to brown, remove the lid for the final 10 minutes.
10. Serve warm and garnish with fresh parsley, vegan cheese, and yogurt or sour cream.

3. Tuscan White Bean Soup (vegan)

Yield: 4 servings

Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup tinned cannellini beans
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• ½ cup carrot, diced
• ½ cup celery, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup potatoes, diced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Sea salt (to taste)
• 3 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 white onion, sliced
• 1 tsp red chili paste
• ½ tsp chili flakes
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp dried oregano

Method:

1. Drizzle olive oil into your Dutch oven and heat it on the stovetop over medium heat.
2. Put the carrot, garlic, potato, onion, and beans in the Dutch oven and cook until softened (approximately 4 minutes), stirring regularly.
3. Add a pinch of salt to the Dutch oven, followed by the tomato puree, dried herbs (excluding the chili flakes and parsley), and chili paste, cooking and stirring for approximately 2 minutes.
4. Add the vegetable stock, then cover with the lid and bring to a simmer.
5. Leave to cook for 40 minutes, occasionally stirring to prevent sticking.
6. Serve hot with a sprinkling of chili flakes and fresh parsley to garnish.

Notes

These are just three of my all-time favorite Dutch oven recipes that vegetarians can enjoy, plus two vegan-friendly meals… Even meat-eaters won’t be able to get enough! You could also use your Dutch oven for cooking a tasty vegetarian campfire pizza, yummy veggie lasagna, or even freshly baked cookies… The only limit is your imagination!