Squash-age Harvest Vegetable Stew

This hearty gluten free Squash-age Harvest Vegetable Stew marries the flavors of the season with some smoky Polska kielbasa, in one filling & veggie-packed fall comfort food. 

Today’s Squash-age Harvest Vegetable Stew recipe features acorn squash, Polska kielbasa, chickpeas, and veggies, all swimming in a savory base of satisfying autumn flavor. Chase away some of the chill of the season by simmering a pot of this savory stew on your stove on a cool fall afternoon.

These colder fall days and early dark evenings give you the perfect excuse to enjoy a comforting batch of stew, so why not mix things up with this squash and harvest veggie variation? Just look at all of these pretty fall colors — and the acorn squash provides a different twist and a pop of sweetness among your usual stew vegetables.

Squash-age Harvest Vegetable Stew

Ingredients

14 oz smoked sausage or Polska kielbasa, halved lengthwise and sliced into half moons
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 medium acorn squash, peeled and cut into 1-1.5 inch cubes
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped small
1 Tbsp minced garlic (about 6 cloves)
8 oz baby bella mushrooms, roughly chopped
32 oz chicken broth
2 cups water
1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 can green beans, drained
6 oz tomato paste
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
8 oz fresh spinach

Directions

Chop and peel your squash (see Note).

Slice the sausage, then brown it in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat for five minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the sausage is cooking, chop your onion, peel and chop the carrot, and chop your garlic.

Move the browned sausage to a separate bowl and reserve for later.

Add olive oil to the same pot. Stir in the onion and saute for three minutes, then add in the squash, carrots, and garlic. Continue to saute over medium heat for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the veggies are cooking, chop your mushrooms and drain the beans.

After sauteing the squash and carrots, stir in the mushrooms and saute for another five minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the broth, water, tomato paste, chickpeas, green beans, browned sausage, and spices, then bring the soup to a boil.

Reduce heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 20 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Stir in the spinach a handful at a time until wilted, and serve.

Note: Instead of peeling the squash, I am lazy and just chop it into slices, then slice the peel off each piece and cut the squash into chunks.

Squash and Sausage Stew is full of autumn flavor

And what do you get when you add squash + sausage? SQUASH-age, of course. No? Maybe that’s just me — but, whatever you call it, this veggie stew with squash and sausage is simply filling, smoky-sweet, and super satisfying. This big pot of stew serves eight with its hearty mix of protein and veggies, and goes really nicely with some crusty bread to sop it up.

Squash-age harvest vegetable stew is naturally gluten free. 

Squash-age Harvest Vegetable Stew, printable recipe

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