Dairy-Free Nova Scotian Hodge Podge

When new potatoes, carrots, and beans show up at the farmer’s market – it’s time to make Hodge Podge! Hodge Podge is an east coast staple in the early summer. I spent 10 years living in Cape Breton and enjoyed this dish every year!
It’s made with simple, local ingredients, and a few pantry staples that you probably already have on hand.

It’s basically like a creamy, vegetable stew, or chowder. Traditionally, it’s made with butter and cream. However, the kids and I are dairy-free, so I came up with a dairy-free version.

Dairy-free Nova Scotian Hodge Podge is a simple and delicious meal to throw together on a summer’s evening. We simply paired it with some local, gluten-free sausage cooked up on the BBQ. 

What Is Hodge Podge?

I had never heard of Hodge Podge until I moved to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

I quickly learned that it is a staple dish there, when all the early summer vegetables become available. When the beans are tender-crisp, and the new potatoes and carrots are small and tender.

Here is a list of traditional dishes you’ll find in Nova Scotia, including Hodge Podge.

Hodge Podge just means a mixture. In this case, a mixture of vegetables. It is basically a creamy vegetable stew, or chowder.

The traditional hodge podge ingredients are new potatoes, carrots, green beans, and peas, but you can certainly add whatever you’d like! I will sometimes throw in some kale and swiss chard.

I basically raid my garden and add whatever I have an abundance of.

When I first discovered Hodge Podge, I was vegetarian, and this was a delicious and filling meal for me! While I am no longer vegetarian, we try to avoid dairy, so I came up with a dairy-free version of this delicious Nova Scotian dish.

Since there is no meat in the hodge podge, this would be suitable for vegans as well!

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Hodge Podge Ingredients

12 (ish) new potatoes

One bunch new carrots

1 quart green beans

1 can full fat coconut milk

1 Tbsp tapioca starch

1 tsp garlic powder

Salt & pepper to taste

Green onion for garnish

Hodge Podge Directions

Scrub, then halve or quarter new potatoes (depending on size)

Wash, peel & slice carrots

Snap off the stem ends and snap the beans in half. 

Add all ingredients to a steamer pot (putting water in the lower pot).

Cover and bring water to a boil, and steam for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, pour out the water from the lower pot and dump the veggies into the pot. 

Add coconut milk, tapioca starch, salt, pepper, and garlic.

Stir to combine, then put the lid on and let it simmer on low for 5 minutes – enough to thicken the cream sauce. 

Garnish with green onions, and serve with your protein of choice – ideally something yummy on the BBQ! 

Printable Recipe Card for Dairy-Free Nova Scotian Hodge Podge

I hope you enjoyed this simple, dairy-free Nova Scotian Hodge Podge recipe! If you made it and loved it, let us know in the comments below. 🙂

Want to save this recipe for later? Pin it to your favourite, dairy-free board on Pinterest!