Vegetable Stew | Kerala Veg Stew Recipe

Vegetable Stew recipe with step by step photos. This veg stew is easy to make, lightly spiced, delicate and fragrant stew made with a bevy of mixed vegetables, creamy coconut milk and aromatic spices. A popular stew recipe from the Kerala cuisine suitable for both vegetarians and vegans alike.

About Veg Stew Recipe

On some days when I don’t make dosa, I end up making our favorite breakfast appam and Kerala style vegetable stew.

Usually I always have carrots, beans, potatoes and peas at home. So these veggies end up being in the veg stew. When I have to make the stew, I prepare coconut milk a day before and keep in the fridge.

Sometimes to make things easy, I use canned coconut milk which is easily available in stores. Canned coconut milk works well as a substitute for homemade coconut milk. You can use your preferred brand of coconut milk as a substitute for homemade coconut milk.

Kerala vegetable stew is so easy to prepare. You just need to temper and cook the veggies. If you cannot have it with appams, then just serve the stew with steamed rice. 

I have used thin coconut milk to cook the vegetables. If you don’t have thin coconut milk, then cook the vegetables in water instead. You can also check this Potato Stew.

The veg stew is flavored with warm aromatic spices tempered in coconut oil. What you get are tender cooked vegetables in a delicate, spiced, light, fragrant stew with the flavor and taste of the coconut milk.

How to make Vegetable Stew Recipe

1. Heat coconut oil. Add the whole & crushed spices – cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and black pepper. Fry them till fragrant on low heat.

Then add the ginger, garlic, green chilies, sliced onions and curry leaves. Sauté till the onions become translucent on low to medium-low heat. Don’t brown the onions.

Instead of onions you can use shallots or pearl onions. Do not skip on the curry leaves as they give a lot of flavor to this stew.

2. Add the chopped veggies and stir to combine. Add the vegetables that you like. I have added here carrots, green peas, french beans and potatoes.

Remember not to add vegetables that become too mushy on cooking – like okra or pumpkin, eggplant etc.

3. Add thin coconut milk or water. Cover the pan with lid and cook the veggies until tender.

4. The veggies should be cooked till they are fork tender.

5. Add the thick coconut milk. Stir well and simmer for just half a minute.

6. Serve Kerala vegetable stew with Appam or steamed rice.

Expert Tips for Vegetable Stew

• You could add the vegetables you like. Cauliflower, green peas, carrot, french beans, potatoes, baby corn, bell peppers, broccoli are some nice choices.
• For some umami flavor, white button mushrooms can also be added.
• Opt to make the stew with homemade coconut milk or any good brand of canned coconut milk.
• Coconut oil is a must in the recipe, so do not skip it.
• If short of time, the veggies can be cooked in a stovetop pressure cooker or in the Instant pot adding water instead of coconut milk.
• After adding thick coconut milk, do not boil the stew as the fats in the coconut milk may split and separate.

More Kerala Recipes

• Olan recipe
• Ulli theeyal
• Kalan recipe
• Kootu curry
• Varutharacha sambar

Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more veetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter.

This Veg Stew recipe post from the archives first published on May 2014 has been republished and updated on November 2022.