In an upright blender, combine the sun dried tomatoes and non-dairy cream. Blend on high until completely smooth. Set this aside.
Heat a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil from the jar of sun dried tomatoes and swirl it around.
Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pot and stir. Sauté until all of the vegetables are quite soft, about 10 full minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
To the pot, add the garlic, nutritional yeast, thyme, dried oregano, chili, paprika, and bay leaves. Sauté this mixture until very fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir. Cook for another full minute.
Add the potatoes, zucchini, and corn to the pot and stir. Season again with salt and pepper. Pour in a bit of the vegetable stock and scrape up any brown bits at the bottom of the pot. Pour in the remaining vegetable stock as well as the sun dried tomato "cream," and stir. Place the lid on top of the pot, slightly askew.
Bring the stew to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer the stew until potatoes are very tender, about 20 minutes.
Once potatoes are tender, add the broccoli, cauliflower, and green beans. Give the stew another season with salt and pepper. Continue to simmer, partially covered, until the broccoli/cauliflower florets and green beans are tender, about 10-12 minutes.
Stir in the coconut aminos and baby spinach. Once the baby spinach is wilted, check the stew for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Finish the soup with the chopped basil and extra black pepper if you like.
Equipment
Blender
Recipe Notes
In terms of unsweetened, dairy-free cream, I like unsweetened plain one by nutpods OR the unsweetened Better Half product by Califia.
You can use Tamari or any other soy sauce instead of coconut aminos.
I like to cut the broccoli and cauliflower florets nice and small so that they cook quickly.
This stew keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To freeze, skip the baby spinach and basil before portioning. Add both fresh when reheating. The broccoli and green beans may not look quite as vibrant after thawing but the flavor holds up!
Sun dried tomatoes get blended with non-dairy cream to make a deeply savory, velvety broth that is the base of this stew. Loaded with chopped vegetables, fragrant spices, and wilted spinach, it is indulgent and nourishing at the same time. A big pot that keeps well all week.