Hearty Vegetable Stew with Fluffy Suet Dumplings

Name: Hearty Vegetable Stew with Fluffy Suet Dumplings
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 300 g Chestnut mushrooms, halved; 1 Leek, roughly chopped; 2 Large carrots, thickly sliced; 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 35 g Butter; 1 tsp dried thyme; 1 tbsp plain flour; 300 ml vegetable stock; 400 g Cream of mushroom soup; 150 g self-raising flour; 70 g Vegetable suet; 3 tbsp cold water; 1 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 20 g Parsley, chopped; 600 g Mashed potatoes, to serve

This creamy vegetable stew is packed with mushrooms, leeks, carrots, and thyme, then topped with soft, savory suet dumplings. It is a warming one-pot vegetarian dinner that feels especially comforting on cold evenings.

Servings4 Portions

Prep Time15 Mins

Cook Time40 Mins

Difficulty

Intermediate

Ingredients

Chestnut mushrooms, halved
300 g
Leek, roughly chopped
1
Large carrots, thickly sliced
2
garlic, finely chopped
2 cloves
Butter
35 g
dried thyme
1 tsp
plain flour
1 tbsp
vegetable stock
300 ml
Cream of mushroom soup
400 g
self-raising flour
150 g
Vegetable suet
70 g
cold water
3 tbsp
salt
1 tsp
black pepper
0.5 tsp
Parsley, chopped
20 g
Mashed potatoes, to serve
600 g

Step-by-Step Instructions

Melt the butter in a deep flameproof casserole or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown. Reduce the heat to medium, add the leek and carrots, and cook for 5 minutes until beginning to soften. Stir in the garlic, thyme, salt, and black pepper, then cook for another 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

Sprinkle the plain flour over the vegetables and stir well so everything is lightly coated. Gradually pour in the vegetable stock, stirring to prevent lumps, then add the cream of mushroom soup. Bring to a gentle simmer, taste and adjust the seasoning, then cook uncovered for 10 minutes while you prepare the dumplings.

For the dumplings, put the self-raising flour and salt in a bowl, then stir in the vegetable suet. Add 3 tbsp cold water and mix to form a firm but pliable dough, adding a little more water only if it feels dry. Divide into 8 pieces and roll into balls on a lightly floured surface.

Place the dumplings evenly over the simmering stew. Cover with a lid and cook gently for 15 minutes without stirring, then remove the lid and cook for 5 more minutes so the tops firm slightly. Stir the parsley into the stew around the dumplings and serve hot with mashed potatoes, if liked.