As much as I enjoy more elaborate plant-based meals, sometimes a simple stew is all you need. This curried zucchini stew with lemon is made with only 9 ingredients and comes together in 1-pot. It's weeknight-friendly, plant-based, and great for meal prep.

White bowl with rice an a yellow zucchini stew garnished with cilantro.

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Key ingredients and substitutions
Step-by-step instructions
Storage and meal prep tips
Serving tips
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The recipe

I'm a firm believer that stews aren't just for the fall and winter months. This lemony zucchini stew is great for rainy summer days or anytime you're craving something zesty.

It's also extremely budget-friendly as it's made with pantry staples like canned chickpeas, coconut milk, and vegetable broth.

Key ingredients and substitutions

Ingredients for a zucchini stew with descriptive labels.

Zucchini: You'll need 3 medium to large zucchini for this stew. Perfect if you have an abundance of zucchini in the garden or if, like me, you're an absolute zucchini lover.
Lemon: It's the one element that takes this recipe to the next level. Unlike in other recipes, we're not only using the juice of the lemon, we're using the entire flesh. It's much more intense and pairs beautifully with the curry powder.
Curry powder: This spice blend adds a ton of flavor while keeping the ingredient list super simple. The best part is that it's readily available at any grocery store.
Coconut milk: It's key for extra creaminess and slightly thickens the sauce. Don't replace it with light coconut milk, which is much thinner and won't provide the same rich consistency.
Vegetable both: I like my stews extra saucy. Adding vegetable broth is a great way to double the amount of sauce while boosting the flavor. I simply dissolve vegetable broth powder in water to keep it simple and affordable.
Chickpeas (garbanzo beans): As a plant-based protein source. I like canned chickpeas since they require no extra preparation. You can replace them with canned white beans (e.g., cannellini beans).
Jasmine rice: In my opinion, the absolute best side dish for curries and stews. It's a little stickier than basmati rice and clings perfectly to the sauce.

Step-by-step instructions

Three bowls with diced zucchini, minced onion, and chopped lemon flesh.

STEP 1: Cut the veggies. Slice the zucchini lengthwise in 4, then cut them into bite-sized pieces. Finely chop the onion. Peel the lemon by running a paring knife along the rind. Then, finely chop the flesh with a chef's knife and remove the seeds.

Black Dutch oven with sautéed onion and lemon in curry powder.

STEP 2: Make the base. Heat a large pot with a generous amount of olive oil. I love a good cast-iron pot for even heat distribution which is great for simmering. Sauté the onion until soft. Add in the lemon flesh and curry powder. Frying the spices before adding the veggies releases all their aroma.

Cooked zucchini, onions, and curry spices in a Dutch oven.

STEP 3: Sauté the zucchini. Add the sliced zucchini pieces to the pot. Sauté for 10 minutes over medium heat until soft.

Pot with cooked jasmine rice on a white marble board.

STEP 4: Cook the rice. In the meantime, cook the jasmine rice according to package directions.

Dutch oven with zucchini pieces floating in coconut milk.

Step 5: Simmer. Add the coconut milk and vegetable broth to the pot. Let it simmer uncovered and infuse with flavors for another 15 minutes.

Yellow zucchini stew with chickpeas in a black Dutch oven.

Step 6: Add in the chickpeas. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Add them to the pot and give it a good stir.

Storage and meal prep tips

Meal prep: Store the finished stew in a large airtight container. Alternatively, divide the rice and stew into 4 separate meal prep containers. Allow to cool completely before refrigerating.
Storage: Store leftover zucchini stew or your meal-prepped containers in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Serving tips

Serve the zucchini stew with fresh basil or cilantro.
Instead of rice, you can serve the stew with crusty bread. It's perfect to soak up all the sauce.
This stew also pairs really well with quinoa. Make sure to cook it in vegetable broth for extra flavor.
Serve it with a thinly sliced, raw fennel salad on the side.