Chumbutala (Italian Vegetable Stew)

This Italian vegetable stew is one of my favorite ways to celebrate the abundance of summer produce. It's a hearty, satisfying vegan meal that's incredibly forgiving—you can easily customize it with whatever vegetables you have on hand, making it as practical as it is delicious.

In our original Recipes from Home binder, this recipe was titled Chumbutala. My best guess is that the name was typed phonetically, simply the way it sounded when spoken in Italian. As I researched the dish, I discovered that the correct spelling is Ciambotta, a rustic Southern Italian vegetable stew that has been enjoyed for generations.

Growing up, I don't remember my mom ever following a written recipe. Like so many family cooks, she prepared this dish from memory, adding a little of this and a little of that until it tasted just right. It wasn't until my sister took the time to write it down for our family binder that the recipe finally found its way onto paper. Whether my mom learned it during her childhood or from my dad's family, it became one of those comforting meals that always brought everyone to the table.

I hope this recipe finds a place in your kitchen the way it has in ours. Enjoy.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. olive oil

4 Beyond Meat Italian Sausage, sliced into rounds

4 green peppers, sliced

2 zucchini, sliced

4 potatoes, parboiled and sliced

24 oz. tomato sauce

Fresh basil

Directions

1.     Start by placing the potatoes into a large pot with cold water and a pinch of salt.  Cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and continue to par-boil for 5-10 minutes or until the tip of a knife goes in with only a sight resistance.  Drain, cool, and slice into rounds.

2.    Sautee sausage in oil following package directions. Remove from pan.

3.    In same pan, sauté sliced potatoes and peppers until tender. Remove from pan and combine with “meat”.

4.    To the pan, combine tomato sauce, basil, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 20 minutes and then add sausage, peppers, and potato mixture. Stir to combine. Cook over low heat for additional 10 minutes.

5.    Serve with crusty garlic bread.