There are different types of stew recipes widely popular among foodies. This article discusses the most famous stew varieties that will surely satisfy your taste buds.
1. Rojões
The northern regions of Portugal are known for their rustic pork stews, like this one. A wide variety of meats are used in the marinade, including boneless pork, which is normally marinated for many hours in a mixture of white wine, garlic, bay leaves, and cumin.
The marinade is then used to cook the meat for a long period of time. Even though Rojoes started off modestly, it has grown to be a treasured Portuguese classic throughout the country. Rice, potatoes, or country bread are common side dishes for this dish.
2. Pinskbet
Meat stew made with various veggies and shrimp paste is known as Pinakbet in the Philippines. Originally from Ilocos, it now occurs in a wide range of regional and seasonal variants throughout the world. In the majority of cases, it is made out of pork and vegetables such as bitter melon and squash, as well as sweet potatoes.
Pinakbet’s primary ingredient is the pungent shrimp paste, which lends the meal its distinctive flavor even if the other ingredients are tinkered with. As a hearty and nutritious main meal, this colorful and flexible stew is served with steaming rice.
3. Mechado
Beef chunks are often swapped with pork in the Filipino fusion meal Mechado. The tomato sauce is a key ingredient in the dish’s tasty combination. The meal is thought to have originated in Spain because tomato sauce is not a popular element in Filipino cuisine.
It can also include potatoes, bell peppers, carrots, and peas in addition to the beef. To enhance the flavor, soy sauce or fish sauce are frequently used as seasonings. Pork fat is traditionally used in the meal, which is traditionally cooked using cheap beef slices injected with pork fat strips. Mecha (as in “candle wick”) is the name of the dish’s strips.
4. Pares
The Filipino word “pares” refers to a dish made comprised of beef stew, beef broth, and white rice. Slowly simmered beef chunks are the star of the show in a fragrant stock that is enriched by the addition of garlic and star anise, as well as other spices and condiments.
Pares is one of the most popular beef meals in the country because of its thick, rich, and somewhat sweet sauce. In Spanish, “pares” means “paired” and refers to the habit of serving this hearty stew with rice and beef stock as a customary accompaniment.
5. Dinuguan
Philippine delicacy dinuguan is a stew of various animal internal parts with blood, vinegar, garlic and fiery chilli peppers in which the meat is cooked. There are a number of regional variations of this meal that employ chicken or beef as well as a variety of herbs and spices.
This substantial stew can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and is typically served with rice or rice cakes.
6. Puchero
In Spain, puchero is a substantial stew made with a variety of meat, rice, noodles, and vegetables, including chickpeas, cabbage, and potatoes. Puccero, the name of the meal, refers to the large clay pots in which the stew was originally cooked.
Puchero is traditionally eaten over a few days, with a new side dish served each time. During the cooler months of the year, this hearty stew is a popular choice.
7. Stifado
Greek Stifado (one-pot stew) is a hearty dish that’s perfect for chilly weather. Large amounts of onions, tomatoes, wine or vinegar, and sometimes garlic are necessary components, but the exact proportions vary from region to region and recipe to cook.
According to the location, the stew can be enriched with meats such as goat or wild hare or beef or snails and tripe or octopus. The addition of mushrooms or spices like cinnamon, cloves, and allspice is preferred by some. A possible Levantine influence can be seen in the use of certain spices, yet the name of the dish is clearly Italian, coming from the term “Stufato,” which means stewed.
8. Fzelék
Hungarian fzelék is a thick vegetable stew. While other vegetables can be used, the most common ones include peas, spinach, lentils, spuds, potatoes, and cabbage, along with onion, butter or lard, flour, milk, or sour cream to thicken the sauce.
Fzelék is thought to have been made in Hungary as far back as the 16th century. On weekdays, it’s typically eaten on its own; on special occasions, it’s often offered alongside meat.
9. Blanquette De Veau
Traditional and bourgeois, yet simple and savory, this is the quintessential home-cooked supper – bourgeois and simple, yet flavorful. Veal stew made with no browning of the meat or butter (frequently with mushrooms and onions) is known as blanquette de veau.
En blanquette, the ingredients are boiled in white stock or water with a variety of seasonings to produce a rich and creamy white sauce. From a 1739 version of Les Dons de Comus, a reference is made to the long history of blanquette de veau.
10. Saag Paneer
Curry made with diced paneer cheese and fresh leafy greens, also known as saag, is known as Indian saag paneer in India. It’s made with mashed greens like mustard, fenugreek, spinach, bathua, or collards, spiced with a variety of herbs and peppers.
When it comes to Indian cuisine, the saag mixture originated in Punjab, and paneer version is only one of numerous dishes that use this aromatic stew as the base. It goes well with roti or naan and can be served as a little side dish or as a filling main dish.
11. Gamjatang
Pork ribs and potatoes are the main ingredients in Gamjatang, which is a Korean stew made with bean paste, chilli powder, and garlic boiled in the pot. Sesame leaves are often sprinkled on top of the dish and served with a bowl of rice.
Traditionally, construction workers in the Incheon area would prepare gamjatang all day so that they could eat it at the end of the day after they were done working. Cold soju was frequently served alongside the dish. Today, gamjatang is a well-known Korean hangover remedy that has made its way around the globe to places like Europe, the United States of America, and Southeast Asia.
12. Mocotó
In Brazil, mocotó is a traditional stew cooked from cow’s femurs, beans, and other vegetables. The Kimbundu word mbokotó is the origin of the dish’s name. The stew, which was originally made by slaves from scraps of meat that the landowners had thrown out, is filling and cheap.
Brazil’s southern and northeastern regions are home to the most mocotó. Mocotó, a traditional Portuguese winter stew, is a fantastic way to stay warm in the chilly mountains of Portugal, despite Brazil’s primary concern with the weather being how to stay cool.
13. Pot-Au-Feu
In a nutshell, this cuisine is a boiling beef and vegetable stew. Although at first appearance, it can appear to be a straightforward process, it is not. Known as “pot on fire,” pot-au-feu is a traditional French winter dish.
When it was first created, it was cooked over an open fire with scavenged materials, including cheap chunks of beef and root vegetables like potatoes, onions and carrots. As a result, a hearty stew was created to aid those in need get through the winter.
14. Ghiveci
The thick vegetable stew ghiveci is a classic Romanian favorite. Due to the availability of ingredients, this dish is frequently separated into two seasonal varieties: the heavy winter version and the lighter summer version. It is prepared all year round.
Root vegetables, including carrots, celery, cauliflower, and cabbage, are commonly used in the winter form, whereas zucchini, eggplant, and bell peppers are commonly used in the summer version. Although tomato paste, garlic, and onions must be included, the rest of the ingredients are flexible and can be changed to suit personal tastes, seasonal availability, and other considerations.
15. Wat
It is the Ethiopian national cuisine, a spicy stew cooked with berbere (a spice blend usually consisting of very strong chili peppers, garlic, and ginger as well as herbs such as rosemary and basil), all of which are offered in Ethiopian markets.
You can make this recipe using any kind of meat or fish, as well as veggies or lentils. Due to religious concerns, pork is never utilized. Everything is used in the wats in Ethiopia, from tiny cuts to organs, either fresh or dried, because there is no waste in the country.
16. Čobanac
Slavonia and Baranja, in Croatia’s easternmost region, are home to the traditional meat stew obanac. Slow cooking all of the ingredients for several hours over an open fire in a large copper pot is the traditional method for preparing this dish.
Wild game and veal are common ingredients in this hearty stew. It’s also made with lots of onions and an unusual mixture of sweet and hot ground paprika, which gives it its very rich and brilliant color.
17. Tikka Masala
The marinated, tandoor-cooked chicken in a spiced tomato-cream sauce known as “chicken tikka masala” is a British take on an Indian classic. To this day, there are conflicting accounts of how the dish got its start: some say Bangladeshi chef Ali Ahmed Aslam of Glasgow, Scotland, added his tomato-cream soup to chicken tikka to appease an unhappy customer, while others say it’s an adaptation of Indian butter chicken or butter tikka to British tastes.
Nowadays, chicken tikka masala is regarded as the national cuisine of the United Kingdom, and Foreign Secretary Robin Cook called the dish an emblem of modern multiculturalism in 2001.
18. Escudella
It’s called Escudella with the Carn d’olla because it includes pasta with vegetables and a variety of meats, including chicken or lamb, prosciutto, pork, and botiffara sausage.
Garlic, parsley, thyme, saffron, salt, and pepper are commonly used to flavor the soup. Since its robust, rustic flavors are renowned for warming anyone who consumes them, this soup is frequently made during colder months or around Christmas. The broth and pasta are initially devoured, followed by the meat and veggies.
19. Shahi Paneer
Shahi paneer is a cheese stew made with paneer cheese, onions, almond paste, and a rich, spicy tomato-cream sauce that has its origins in Indian Moghul cuisine. There are many different types of flatbread available in the Indian market to go with this dish.
Often referred to as “Royal Paneer,” this dish is often served as a vegetarian main meal on special events and holidays. Coriander leaves are a frequent garnish for shahi paneer, which is a filling, hearty dish.
20. Marmitako
Marmitako, a stew cooked with tuna, potatoes, tomatoes, chilies, onions, and other Basque ingredients, is a fine example of the cuisine of the Basque Country. The Basque term marmita, meaning saucepan or casserole, is the source of the dish’s name.
After adding the suffix –ko, it can be rendered as “from the pot” in its most literal sense. On fishing boats off of the coast of Spain, marmitako was invented, and while tuna is the most genuine option, today, there are several variations on the dish, depending on what sort of fish is utilized.
21. Sancocho
A traditional Colombian chicken stew, sancocho is often served as a post-party dish or as a hearty Sunday dinner. It can also be cooked with fish, plantains, beef, or pork. In its original form, it was made solely from hens from the El Valle region. With the addition of potatoes, maize, and plantains, it becomes a filling stew.
To accompany this dish, a side of white rice, a spicy sauce, and slices of avocado are customarily included. You can feed an entire family with just one pot, thanks to the thick broth’s ability to be prepared in only a few hours. Fresh coriander, onions, and lime juice can be added to the top of the meal to improve the flavor.
22. Ropa Vieja
In Cuba, ropa vieja, a hearty stew cooked with beef, tomato sauce, onions, and peppers, is known as “ropa vieja.” Yellow rice and a cold lager are customarily served with the stew. Although this meal originated in Spain and was brought to Cuba and the Caribbean by the Spaniards, it is one of many Cuban foods that originated there.
For those who couldn’t cook on the Sabbath, Sephardic Jews from the Iberian Peninsula are said to have produced this substantial stew. According to a bizarre folktale, an impoverished man reportedly shredded and fried his own garments out of lack of food.
23. Rajma
In North India, rajma is a beloved vegetarian dish. Red kidney beans are simmered in a thick sauce with a variety of herbs and spices. Traditionally, this dish is cooked for special occasions and eaten with rice and bread like roti.
Red kidney bean, a traditional cuisine in North India, was really brought to the country from central Mexico and Guatemala, but the Mexican version of the dish is very different from the Indian one. Rajma, a hearty and nutrient-dense vegetarian curry, is a perennial favorite in Punjab and the rest of northern India.
24. Madrileo Stew
Known as cocido madrileo, a substantial beef and chickpea stew with mediaeval origins, one of Madrilenian cuisine’s most famous dishes is the cocido. One theory holds that this one-pot meal originated as a Manchega-style cuisine known as olla podrida, but that the name “cocido madrileo” was only given to it later in the 17th century.
25. Adafina
Adafina, a Sephardic stew based on chickpeas, vegetables, and either hard-boiled eggs or meat, such as lamb, veal, beef, or chicken, is the most widely accepted source of the dish’s origins. When the Inquisition arrived, the converted Jews of Spain, known as Marranos, were afraid of being persecuted by the Catholic priests roaming the streets of Madrid at the time in search of both Jewish and Muslim cooking.
26. Josh Rogan
Originally from Kashmir in India, the aromatic lamb curry known as rogan josh has been traced to Persian origins. The sauce is thick and spicy, thanks to Kashmiri chilies that have been deseeded.
A gravy of garlic, browned onions, ginger, yogurt, and different types of herbs and spices is commonly used to cook lamb pieces. Both the word rogan, which means clarified butter or oil, and the word josh, which means heat, go into the creation of this dish.
27. Kadhi
Indian cuisines that employ yogurt or buttermilk as a foundation and are often thickened with gram flour fall under the kadhi umbrella (besan). It’s common in India, although each region has its own particular kadhi, which varies in ingredients, added additions, and technique.
Kadhi is one of the most popular dishes in Punjab, thanks to its thick consistency and the addition of pakora fritters. There are other tamarind-based versions from Sindh and Gujarati. There are countless ways to make kadhi, but it’s always served with rice or roti bread.
28. Daube
In a substantial Provençal stew known as daube, meats like lamb or beef are braised slowly in wine with various vegetables and herbs including cinnamon, cloves, thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns until tender and flavorful. The ingredients for daube are layered, with the meat at the bottom and the spices and veggies at the top, which takes a long time to prepare.
Daubiéres, unique clay pots designed to prevent tasty cooking liquids from evaporating, are traditionally used to cook the stew. Some cooks even use a mixture of flour and water to seal the cover. As a result of its widespread appeal, daube has inspired several regional variations. It is frequently served with la macaronade, flat macaroni cooked in white wine, and mushroom sauce produced from the braising liquids.
29. Spezzatino
Spezzatino is an Italian stew made with little chunks of beef simmered in a minimal amount of broth. Beef, lamb, mutton, and pork all have a good quantity of connective tissue and cartilage, which breaks down into a rich gravy when cooked in this way.
After being dipped in flour, the meat pieces are fried until they’re golden brown and seasoned with salt and pepper. All of the ingredients are covered in a thick sauce after being simmered for an extended period of time. Spezzatino’s name comes from the Italian verb spezzettare, which means to cut into smaller pieces, and it can also be made with potatoes or tomatoes.
30. Dobrada
Portuguese food dobrada or dobradinha, which is also popular in Brazil, is a traditional dish. The dish is often made with a mixture of tripe, beans, paprika, tomato paste, garlic, carrots, and onions, although there are a few variants in the recipes.
Dobrada hails from the country’s northernmost regions. It is common to garnish the meal with parsley and mint before serving it with white rice. Over time, dobrada has become a popular dish eaten in restaurants and at home in both countries.
31. Chankonabe
Although there is no set recipe for chankonabe, the sumo wrestlers’ diet relies heavily on it since it is a high-calorie stew made with dashi, sake, chicken, or fish and vegetables like daikon and bok choy.
Rice, beer, and side dishes like fried chicken and shrimp dumplings are common accompaniments to the dish. Originally prepared by sumo wrestlers’ cooks in the late 19th century, Chankonabe has been around ever since. Sumo wrestlers are required to consume this dish as part of their weight-gain regimen, regardless of how much they enjoy it.
Final Words
And that’s a wrap on stew varieties. Try a few of these, and let us know your favorite in the comments section below.