Soups and stews often get a bad rap as far as quick-fix meals are concerned, as the thought has been that they take hours of slow-simmering to achieve the fullest flavor. But with the help a few foolproof methods and go-to ingredients, it's surely possible to turn out simple, ready-to-eat dishes in a flash.

Food Network Kitchen transformed the traditional slow-and-low tagine, a classic Moroccan stew, into a weeknight-friendly staple in its recipe for Shortcut Moroccan Vegetable Tagine with Couscous. In place of meat, which may take hours to break down, this fuss-free supper lets vibrant vegetables, like tomatoes and butternut squash, shine, as they can become deliciously tender in mere minutes. Much like classic recipes, this one also boasts a mix of bold, warm spices — cinnamon and cumin — plus a bit of harissa for heat as well as chickpeas and chewy raisins for texture. For added freshness, sprinkle fragrant cilantro atop the tagine before serving, and round out the meal with fluffy couscous.

Meatless Monday, an international movement, encourages people everywhere to cut meat one day a week for personal and planetary health. Browse more meat-free recipes.

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Vegetarian Soup Recipes