Vegetable stew with dumplings is a cozy meal packed with tender veggies, rich savory flavors, and pillowy dumplings that soak up every bit of goodness. It’s easy to make and incredibly satisfying. Plus, with simple pantry ingredients, you can whip this up in about 35 minutes.
This super versatile vegan soup or stew is the same kind of soothing magic that makes Simple Red Lentil Soup or Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup a go-to when you’re in the mood for something comforting. In this case you get soft, pillowy dough in a warm soup and steamed until fluffy and tender, like little cozy clouds.
If you’re feeling even a tiny bit intimidated by the idea of making dumplings like they belong in the “Only If You’re on a Cooking Show” category, take a deep breath and let me reassure you: these are the easiest, coziest little puffs you’ll ever make.
No fancy folding, no dough rolling, no need to channel your inner grandmother (unless she’s into plant-based comfort food, in which case—yay, Nana). These dumplings come together in minutes, and you just drop ’em right into the stew. If you can stir, you can make dumplings.
The dumplings are tender on the inside, slightly doughy in the best way, and they drink up just enough flavor to make every bite warm-you-from-the-inside-out delicious.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's an easy meal for cozy nights.
- Easy to make with minimal cleanup!
- This cozy soup uses pantry staples, no hard-to-find items.
- It is versatile, so add your favorite veggies, beans, or plant-based proteins.
Ingredients
Don't let the quantity of ingredients scare you off. This soup comes together fast and easy.
Ingredients for the soup.
Ingredients for the dumplings.
Cannellini Beans - Sub with any white bean you want, like butter beans or chickpeas.
Carrots and Celery - Carrots and celery make a solid flavor base for this soup, so I rarely mess with them. But the green beans are totally swappable. Try potatoes (sweet potatoes are chef’s kiss), mushrooms, parsnips, or whatever hearty veg you’ve got hanging out in the crisper. Just use the same volume so you have the same broth-to-veggies ratio.
Veggie Broth - I highly recommend using Better Than Bouillon Veggie Base or No Chicken Base - it adds way more flavor than boxed broth. Just mix about 2 tablespoons of the paste with 6 cups of water.
See the recipe card for quantities and a full list of ingredients.
Variations
- Stir in some cubed tofu, seitan, or tempeh for extra plant-based protein.
- Mix in nutritional yeast or dry herbs like parsley in the dumpling's dry ingredients.
- Feel free to toss in veggie substitutions like mushrooms, sweet potatoes, zucchini, or parsnips to mix things up, but don’t overcrowd the pot. The dumplings need room to puff, so make sure there’s plenty of broth to keep things steamy, fluffy, and soupy.
- Swap the flour for a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
How To Make Vegan Soup with Dumplings
Here's what to do in pictures. See the recipe card for details.
Step 1: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery for 5–7 minutes.
Step 2: Sprinkle in thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Stir and let the spices cook for about 30 seconds to wake up their flavor.
Step 3: Push the veggies to the sides and make a little well in the center of the pot. Add the tomato paste and let it sizzle for a minute while stirring. Then mix it with the veggies.
Step 4: Pour in the vegetable broth, cannellini beans, green beans, soy sauce, and bay leaves. Bring it to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10–15 minutes until the veggies are tender.
Step 5: While the stew simmers, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Cut in the vegan butter with a fork until combined. Stir in ½ cup oat milk to form a thick, sticky batter. Add a splash more if it’s too dry.
Step 6: Gather dry bits with your hands, but don’t overmix. Keep it rustic! Let it sit until the soup is ready.
Step 7: Scoop about two tablespoons of dough per dumpling (ping-pong ball size) and gently drop them into the simmering stew. No need to submerge them.
Step 8: Cover the pot and simmer for 10–15 minutes, until the dumplings puff up and are cooked through. Larger dumplings may take a few extra minutes. Cut one open if desired - it should be fluffy inside with no raw dough in the middle.
Step 9: Once the dumplings are done, stir in the frozen peas and let them heat through for 1–2 minutes. Add fresh parsley and serve this soup hot.
Top Tips
- If substituting any veggies, use the same volume to ensure there is enough broth to cook the dumplings.
- Don’t overmix the dough. Stir just until combined and drop gently onto the stew - no rolling, shaping, or dough drama needed.
- Dumplings need space to puff. Don’t crowd the pot. If they stick up above the broth, no worries - there is no need to submerge them. They’ll steam to perfection under the lid.
- When it’s time for the dumplings, reduce the heat. Boiling might bust them apart, so simmer gently, and minimal peeking under that lid is recommended.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve it piping hot with a crack of black pepper and a sprinkle of fresh herbs like parsley, chives, or thyme.
- Add a side of crusty bread.
- Pair with a simple green salad to lighten things up. Serve with a Classic French Salad Dressing.
- Add a fresh dollop of Easy Lemon Pistachio Gremolata over the top.
Recipe FAQS
While this soup is best fresh, you can let the stew cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The dumplings will soak up some broth overnight (they’re clingy like that), so add a splash of veggie broth when reheating to loosen things up.
The stew? Yes. The dumplings? Meh. They can get a bit mushy after thawing. If you know you’re freezing it, store the stew alone and make fresh dumplings when you’re ready to serve again.
Got a minute? I'd love for you to comment and rate Vegan Stew and Dumplings. Your feedback is invaluable—did you love it? Did you make any fun twists? Let me know how my directions worked for you so I can keep improving my recipes. Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for inspiration.
Vegetable Stew and Dumplings
Ingredients
Vegetable Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 carrots sliced; ~1 heaping cup sliced
- 2 small celery stalks chopped; ~ ¾ cups sliced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 15-ounce can canellini beans or butter beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can green beans ~1.5 cups; sub with parsnips, mushrooms, potatoes
- 1 cup frozen peas added at the end
- ¼ cup parsley chopped plus extra for garnish
Drop Dumplings
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter
- ½ cup oat milk or sub with soy, almond, or water will work too.
Instructions
For the Soup
- Cook veggies - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery for 5-7 minutes.
- Add spices - Add thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Stir well and let them cook for about 30 seconds.
- Add tomato paste - Scoot the veggies to the sides and make a little well in the center of the pot. Add the tomato paste and let it sizzle as you stir for a minute to deepen the flavor, then stir it into the veggies.
- Add liquids and beans - Mix in vegetable broth, cannelini beans, green beans, soy sauce, and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until veggies are tender. Do not add peas until after you make the dumplings.
Drop Dumplings
- Mix dry ingredients – While the soup simmers, in a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
- Cut in butter – Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in butter until well combined.
- Add liquid – Stir in ½ cup oat milk to form a soft, sticky dough—add 1–2 teaspoons more if it is too dry. Don’t overmix! You’re aiming for a thick, scoopable batter that holds its shape but still drops easily from a spoon. It won’t be perfectly smooth (and that’s the goal). Use your hands to gently pull in any stray flour, then let the dough rest until it’s time to drop it into the stew.
- Drop into soup – Drop spoonfuls of batter (about 2 tablespoons each—think ping-pong ball or heaping cookie scoop) into simmering soup. Let them simmer, covered, for 15 minutes until puffed and fluffy. Don’t crowd the pot, and no stress if they peek above the broth—they’ll steam perfectly under the lid. If your dumplings are larger, it may take longer to cook.
- Finish - Check that the dumplings are cooked by cutting one open if needed. Once they’re fluffy and fully cooked, remove the bay leaves, stir in the frozen peas and let them heat through for 1–2 minutes. Add parsley, mix well, and serve hot with extra parsley for garnish.
Regi Pearce says
I love this fresh off the stove and it is everything I want on these chili spring nights—hearty, veggie-packed, and swimming with fluffy, rustic dumplings that soak up all that savory goodness. The broth is rich and comforting (Better Than Bouillon for the win), and those pillowy dumplings? Total show-stealers. It’s the kind of meal that feels like a warm hug… in a bowl… with carbs. I could eat this on repeat all year long.