For many Canadians, there's nothing more comforting on a cold and blustery day than coming home to a warm bowl of stew. Everyone has a favourite recipe, but don't get stuck in a rut: stew may be a classic, but you can still kick it up a notch with exciting new ingredients and flavours. Try one of our stew recipes below for a unique take on a winter tradition.
Beef stew recipes
 
1. Filipino Beef Stew
This well-known Filipino stew, called kaldereta, is made all over the archipelago, often with beef (especially in Manila) but usually with goat. It's characteristic of the hybrid Spanish-Filipino style of cooking, a result of more than 400 years of Spanish rule and trade. As with all Filipino dishes, serve this stew with rice.
 
2. Hearty Beef and Onion Stew with Celery Root
The generous amount of onions, equal in weight to the meat and fried until golden, and the sweet spices (coriander seed and allspice) give this stew an unusual and attractive sweetness.
 
3. Autumn Beef Stew
The rich, dark flavours of autumn fill this heady stew. Serve it with mashed or boiled potatoes.
 
4. Red wine beef stew
This traditional European-style stew is wonderful served over egg noodles, spaetzle (small German-Swiss dumplings) or potatoes.
 
5. Greek-Style Beef and Onion Stew
In this stew, an equal weight of unbrowned onions and beef melt together to form a sweetly fragrant sauce enriched by the traditional Greek egg and lemon mixture. Serve it with rice or crusty bread, and a side of blanched greens doused with fragrant extra-virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.
 
6. Swiss Jugged Beef Stew
This classic Swiss German dish (rindpfeffer) is perfect for cold-weather entertaining or a family dinner. The weeklong marinating in red wine and spices results in a rich flavour reminiscent of game, and the same cooking method is excellent for venison, moose or hare.
 
7. Gardiane de Boeuf
Like most stews, it's better if it's made the day before serving. Your biggest job will be slicing the onions. If you use a food processor, you'll be able to assemble this dish in 15 minutes flat -- not much kitchen time for a rustic stew that never fails to elicit oohs and aahs.
 
Chicken stew recipes
 
8. Poblano Chicken Stew
Poblano peppers, with their distinct rich flavour and slight heat, are – thankfully – getting easier to find in Canada.
 
9. Slow Cooker Classic Chicken Stew
Add a tossed green salad to this creamy stew for a complete and delicious meal.
 
Pork stew recipes
 
10. Pork and Squash Stew
The more marbled pork from the shoulder melts its flavour into squash in this Philippine-inspired stew.
 
11. 30 Minute Cuban Pork Stew
Simmering less tender cuts of meat for long periods makes a succulent stew but here we use a tender cut for a quick meal.
 
12. Thai Pork Stew with Parsnips
In Thailand, this type of sweet pork stew often includes hard-cooked eggs and bamboo shoots. Here we bring it home with our own northern root vegetable, parsnips. If fish sauce is unavailable, you can use light soy sauce.
 
13. Quick Pork Stew
This flavourful stew cooks in less than 10 minutes because we use tender, quick-cooking pork tenderloin. Serve with peas, carrots and mashed or boiled potatoes or buttered noodles for a special weeknight supper.
 
Vegetarian stew recipes
 
14. Hot and Smoky Black Bean Stew
If you're in a rush, you can use canned black beans (drained and rinsed) in this Mediterranean-style stew. But freshly cooked beans have a much better texture and taste. Serve with brown rice or whole grain bread to make a protein-rich meal.
 
15. Lima Bean and Sweet Potato Stew with Cornmeal Dumplings
This southwest-inspired stew combines native ingredients of the Americas into a rich and flavourful dish.
 
16. Savoy Cabbage Stew with Rye Bread Dumplings
Irresistible bread dumplings top a flavourful cabbage and root vegetable stew.
 
17. Chinese Vegetarian Stew with Daikon
Like many Chinese stews, this one has a delicious and richly flavoured yet thin sauce. If you wish, thicken it slightly at the end of cooking by stirring in 2 tsp/10 mL cornstarch dissolved in a little water, then boil for 1 minute. Serve with rice or noodles.
 
18. Red Lentil Stew with Cauliflower and Potatoes
Pepper prices start going up drastically after the harvest season is over, so try using jarred roasted peppers. Look for brands that are made with just peppers, salt and water, with no added vinegar or sugar (some might include citric acid for preservation; it generally doesn't affect the flavour).
 
19. Red Lentil and Vegetable Stew
Based on a traditional Turkish soup, this delectable vegetable stew is made especially flavourful with the various garnishes: shredded fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced lemon and paprika olive oil.
 
20. Chickpea and Pepper Stew with Preserved Lemon
To make the preserved lemons called for in this tangy North African stew, you can buy them in Middle Eastern and other specialty shops. Serve with Bulgur Pilaf (see recipe link at bottom of page) or whole wheat couscous.
 
21. Mushroom Ragu
This dish is fabulous with polenta, which often accompanies hearty stews in northern Italy. This vegetarian ragú is as rich and satisfying as any meat stew. Use dried porcini (cèpe) mushrooms for fullest flavour, but other dried mushrooms are also good; double the weight if you are using dried shiitake mushrooms.
 
22. Chickpea and Onion Stew
A little bit of sausage adds a lot of flavour to this stew. Of course, vegetarians can leave it out and still have a tasty meal. If you aren't worried about a little extra healthy fat, drizzle individual servings with some fragrant olive oil.
 
Veal, lamb and fish stew recipes
 
23. Veal Meatball and Vegetable Stew
This soupy stew holds back on the fat and calories while delivering lots of vegetables and full flavour.
 
24. Lamb Stew with Diced Fennel and Vegetables
This fragrant lamb stew is thick with autumn vegetables.
 
25. Veal Stew with Turnips and Autumn Mushrooms
Veal, particularly the succulent milk-fed veal, is especially good in this light stew with its rich autumn flavours.
 
26. Armenian-Style Ground Lamb Stew
Well-spiced ground lamb, as in this Armenian-inspired dish, makes a wonderful change of pace. Serve it over rice, bulgur, couscous or pasta.
 
27. Simple Southern Italian-Style Fish Stew
Delicious seafood stews with thin soup-like broths are made all around the northern shore of the Mediterranean. Many, like this one, have very simple seasonings and rely on fresh seafood for their good flavour. Various combinations of fish and seafood can be used, but it's always best to include a couple of contrasting fish colours and flavours, and shellfish add richness to the broth.