5 Super Easy Stovetop Stews for 2

These healthy recipes will warm you all year long.

By

Susan Marque

 
Published January 29, 2026
Scott Suchman (Prop and food stylist: Lisa Cherkasky)

Remember those fragrant stews that made the whole house feel cozy while they simmered on the stove? Here are some modern twists on those simple hearty meals that are likely healthier than Grandma’s and easier to put together. All of these were developed in a two-quart pot, so you don’t need anything fancy. Make sure your knife is sharp so slicing up the ingredients is a breeze. Then enjoy a filling bowl of flavor-filled stew that will warm you up, no matter the weather.

While these recipes serve two with generous portions, you can always increase portions for larger crowds.

Garlicky Greens Stew

Fast, simple, and filling, this stew for 2 can use up whatever green veggies you might have lingering in your fridge.

4 large cloves garlic, chopped

3 cups dark leafy greens (like kale & collards), chopped

2 ribs celery, peeled and sliced

Approximately 7 ounces of tofu, crumbled

1 cups broccoli, chopped or use frozen florets.

1 tablespoon olive oil

Black pepper and tamari to taste

Smoky paprika to sprinkle on when serving

Place the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute. Add the celery and tofu and sprinkle with tamari and black pepper. Stir in the greens. Add water that doesn’t quite cover the greens. Stir in the broccoli. Place a lid on the pot and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve with a sprinkle of smoky paprika.

Tempeh (or Turkey) Stew with Coconut Milk

Make this recipe your own by adjusting the seasonings to your liking. It’s versatile, economical, filling, and a little different than the average stew.

Serves 2-4

1 package (8 ounces) tempeh, cut into pieces or crumbled (can replace tempeh for ½ lb. ground turkey)

1 carrot, sliced

1-2 ribs of celery, chopped

1/2 onion, diced

1-2 stalks lemon grass

2 medium-small potatoes, washed with eyes removed, cut into chunks

1/2 cup parsley

1 teaspoon chopped ginger

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon cayenne or 1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 cup coconut milk

3 teaspoons olive oil/or coconut oil

Tamari to taste

Place the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrot pieces and stir for a minute. Add the potatoes, tempeh, ginger, turmeric and coconut milk. Sprinkle with tamari. If the lemon grass is long, cut it in half and add to the pot. Add water to just cover the ingredients and bring to a boil. Add the parsley. Simmer for 20-30 minutes with the lid on. Add in either the cayenne or cumin to taste. Remove the lemongrass pieces before serving.

Fennel & Sweet Potato Beef Stew

This miso based stew takes time to cook but the prep and cleanup are minimal, making it an ultra-easy beef stew.

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small red onion, diced

1 bulb fennel, chopped

1 medium-large sweet potato, chopped

1/2 pound of stew meat cut into chunks

1 large (or two small) bay leaves

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 teaspoons dark miso paste

A sprinkle of black pepper

Sauté the garlic and onion in the olive oil over medium heat, until translucent. Add the chunks of stew meat and brown on each side. Add the fennel and sweet potato pieces and cover with water. Add the bay leaves. Mix the dark miso paste with about a quarter to a half cup of water to dissolve it, and then add that to the pot. Mix in the parsley and sprinkle with pepper. Place a lid on the pot. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to keep a simmer going. Simmer for up to 2 hours. Remove the bay leaves before serving.

White Fish Stew

This simple and quick fish stew for two has a lovely sweet and savory combination that is satisfying without being heavy.

1/2 pound orange roughy (or white fish of your choice), cut into chunks

1/2 onion

3 parsnips, peeled and sliced

1 heaping teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons mirin

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 lemon’s worth of juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Place the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion for a minute. Add the thyme and stir. Add the parsnip pieces and fish. Add the mirin with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to a simmer (with lid on) for 15-20 minutes. Turn the heat down and add the lemon juice.

Cauliflower & Chickpea Stew

You could blend this stew or keep it chunky. If you want to feel like a kid again, add some alphabet noodles or macaroni when you add the water.

1 15-ounce can cooked chickpeas, drained

1 large carrot, chopped

1 large rib celery, chopped

1/2 large onion, diced

1/2 medium cauliflower, broken or cut into smaller pieces

1/2 cup parsley (or any dark leafy green), chopped

3 teaspoons white miso paste dissolved in water

3 teaspoons olive oil

Put the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for a minute. Add the carrot, celery, cauliflower, parsley and chickpeas to the pot and barely cover with water. Bring to a boil with the lid on and then turn the heat to low to simmer. Let it cook for 15-20 minutes. Stir the tender cauliflower in to break it up and add the dissolved miso.

Susan Marque is a Los Angeles-based writer and actor whose work appears in the Los Angeles Times, Healthline, Apartment Therapy, Vitacost and AARP’s digital properties, among others. She holds an MFA from The New School. Find her at susanmarque.com.