Jenn's Vegetable Stew Recipe

Ingredients

• 3carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• 3 mediumpotatoes, washed and quartered
• 1onion, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2frozen boneless, skinless turkey tenderloins
• 75 g (½ cup)frozen green peas or green beans, or a mixture of both
• 80 g (½ cup)frozen corn
• 22.5 ml (1½ tbsp)olive oil
• ½ tspdried oregano
• ¼ tsphot pepper flakes (optional)
• ½ tspsalt
• 198 g (7 oz)no-salt-added spaghetti sauce
• 240 ml (1 cup)water

Instructions

1. 1

   Load the slow cooker

   Place the ingredients in the slow cooker in the order listed, then mix them slightly.

2. 2

   Cook until tender

   Cook on high for 7 hours or on low for 10 to 11 hours.

3. 3

   Serve with bread

   Serve with crusty bread, ideally wholemeal or multigrain.

What is Jenn’s vegetable stew?

This is a simple American-style slow-cooker stew suited to camping or an easy meal at home. It combines familiar vegetables and turkey with a tomato sauce, rather than relying on a long list of seasonings.

The method is built around convenience: layer the ingredients, give them a light mix and cook until the vegetables and turkey are done. The recipe does not specify a regional origin beyond its association with RV and camping meals.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 438 calories, 36g protein, 52g carbs, 11g fat.

Potatoes, carrots, corn and the sauce contribute most of the carbohydrates; olive oil supplies most of the added fat, while turkey provides most of the protein. Serve a bowl with a modest portion of wholemeal or multigrain bread to keep the meal satisfying without letting the bread dominate the plate.

The vegetables and sauce

Root vegetables: carrots and potatoes give the stew its hearty base. Cutting the potatoes into quarters and the carrots into chunks helps them hold their shape during the long cooking time.

Tomato base: spaghetti sauce supplies the main savoury, tomato flavour, while water loosens it into a stew. No-salt-added sauce lets the measured salt remain the recipe’s main added seasoning.

Adding the turkey

Frozen tenderloins: the recipe directs you to add them frozen, along with the other ingredients. Keep them in the listed order and follow the specified slow-cooker setting and cooking time.

Doneness: check that the turkey is fully cooked through before serving; a food thermometer inserted into the thickest part should read 74°C. If it has not reached that temperature, continue cooking and check again.

Using the slow cooker

Layering: add everything in the order given, then mix only slightly. The recipe does not call for browning the turkey or vegetables first.

Timing: cook on high for 7 hours or low for 10 to 11 hours. Although the supplied total time is listed as 15 minutes, the stated slow-cooker time is much longer, so plan for the full cooking period.

Vegetables and seasoning

Frozen additions: peas, green beans or a mixture can be used, and frozen corn adds another sweet vegetable. The recipe puts them into the cooker with the other ingredients rather than adding them at the end.

Heat: hot pepper flakes are optional, so leave them out for a milder pot or use the specified amount for a gentle kick. Oregano gives the tomato sauce a familiar savoury note.

What to serve alongside

Crusty bread is the suggested accompaniment, with wholemeal or multigrain bread as the preferred option. It is useful for soaking up the tomato-rich cooking liquid.

For a more balanced plate, serve a moderate piece of bread alongside a generous bowl of stew. The recipe already includes several vegetables, so extra bread is best treated as an accompaniment rather than the main part of the meal.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the carrots and potatoes into similarly sized pieces so they cook at a similar pace.
• Use either peas, green beans or a mixture, as the recipe allows.
• Keep the hot pepper flakes separate if you want to adjust the heat at the table.
• Check the thickest part of the turkey for doneness before serving.
• Serve the stew with crusty wholemeal or multigrain bread as suggested.

Variations

• Choose green beans: use the frozen beans in place of peas, or combine both.
• Make it spicier: add the optional hot pepper flakes for a little heat.
• Use a different tomato sauce: choose another no-salt-added spaghetti sauce to change the seasoning profile.
• Go meat-free: omit the turkey for a vegetarian version, as suggested in the recipe description.
• Make it vegan: omit the turkey and check that the spaghetti sauce is vegan.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Uneven chunks: large differences in size can leave some pieces undercooked; cut the vegetables into fairly consistent pieces.
• Rushing the cook: the listed cooking time is several hours, not 15 minutes; allow 7 hours on high or 10 to 11 hours on low.
• Skipping the doneness check: do not serve turkey that is not cooked through; check its thickest part with a thermometer.
• Adding extra salt automatically: the recipe already includes salt, and the sauce is specified as no-salt-added; taste before seasoning further.
• Overmixing: the method says to mix slightly after layering; avoid turning the contents into a mash.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within 2 hours of cooking and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat thoroughly until steaming hot, either in a saucepan or in the microwave, stirring to heat evenly.

Frequently asked questions