Because our household is both vegetarian and meat-eating, when we made Brunswick stew over the weekend, we needed to develop a vegetarian version of our Brunswick stew recipe that used the same basic ingredients as the meat stew.

Brunswick stew is rich and hearty with a very unique sweet flavor thanks to its tomato and barbecue sauce base. It makes a wonderful supper served with thick slices of sourdough bread toasted and buttered.

Brunswick stew has a very colorful and disputed history. If you're curious, here's a great article by Heidi Edidin. With this recipe, vegetarians and vegans can take part in this historical dish.

This recipe is vegetarian and vegan. For the meat version of this recipe, click here.

Vegetarian Brunswick Stew Recipe

serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons butter (or margarine for vegans)
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1 medium-sized onion
• 16 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 to 3 medium-sized potatoes
• 1 large carrot
• 1 small summer squash
• 2 cups fresh or frozen lima beans (or about 14 oz. of canned lima beans, drained)
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn (or about 14 oz. of canned corn, drained)
• 1 1/2 cups fresh okra, chopped
• 2 slices whole wheat bread
• 3/4 to 1 1/2 cups sweet tomato-based barbecue sauce, to taste (barbecue sauce recipe here)
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste

serve with toasted sourdough bread

Pre-preparation:

Before you begin, prepare your sweet tomato-based barbecue sauce (follow the link for a recipe). You will need a one-gallon stew pot for this stew.

Cooking Instructions:

1. Press the garlic cloves with the flat of the knife and then slice thin. Chop your onion and potatoes and okra. Slice the carrots, summer squash. If the fire-roasted tomatoes are not already diced, dice them, but retain the liquid from the can.

2. Melt the butter or margarine in your one-gallon stew pot over medium-low heat (low if using a gas range).

2. Sauté the onion and garlic in the pot, stirring frequently, until the onion becomes translucent.

3. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes and the liquid from their can. Then stir in the vegetable broth.

4. Add the potatoes, carrot, summer squash, lima beans, corn, and okra. Stir. Tear the whole wheat bread into small pieces and stir in.

5. Increase heat to medium or medium-high until it reaches a boil, stirring every few minutes.

6. When the potatoes are done (a fork slides into them easily), reduce heat to medium-low (low on a gas range).

7. Add the barbecue sauce and stir well. Cover and let simmer for at least an hour, stirring occasionally.

8. Season with salt and pepper if desired, and serve with toasted sour dough bread. Enjoy!