Hearty Vegetarian Lentil Stew

6 Servings
45 min

This vegetarian recipe with lentils and mushrooms is the perfect hearty dish to warm you up on a cold night!


Easy To Make & So Delicious

Vegetarian lentil stew is a signature winter dish, and for a good reason. This delicious and filling stew over mashed potatoes is the perfect dish to warm you up on a cold night. Not to mention, it’s a breeze to make and good for you too!


This gluten-free and vegetarian recipe comes together in less than an hour and feeds the whole family! Enjoy this savory dish on the next rainy day where you’re craving something hearty and unique.


The Mashed Potatoes

Of course, you can’t have a good stew without potatoes! My Creamy Mashed Potato recipe pairs perfectly with this lentil mushroom stew. This mashed potato recipe has two secret ingredients that make the potatoes extra decadent.


First, I use vegetable broth to boil the potatoes. While water is often the go to, using vegetable broth gives the potatoes a deeper flavor profile. This means that less seasoning and dairy products are needed in the end!


The second secret ingredient is cottage cheese! While often sour cream, or Greek yogurt as a healthier alternative, are used to give the potatoes their signature creaminess, I like to use cottage cheese. Unlike sour cream or yogurt which has more of a tangy flavor, cottage cheese is naturally more sweet. I found this compliments the potatoes nicely!


The final result is perfectly whipped, creamy potatoes! The mashed potatoes provide the perfect base for the stew. But you can also use sweet potatoes or polenta! There are plenty of options when it comes to versatility of serving this stew.

This savory stew over creamy mashed potatoes is the perfect easy dish to make on a busy weeknight!

The Base of the Stew


Now for the mushroom lentil stew. The rich flavor of this stew comes from the base. Start, by adding olive oil to a large pot. Then add one diced shallot and sweat it over medium heat for about five minutes. Next, add three cloves of minced garlic. After the garlic has cooked down for two minutes, add the sliced mushrooms. Next, the key to making delicious mushrooms is soy sauce! If you’re gluten-free (like me) you can use coconut aminos or tamari. Either option will work to yield flavorful mushrooms.


After the mushrooms have cooked down, season with dried thyme, black pepper and just a pinch of salt. Because soy sauce is naturally salty, go easy on the salt for this recipe. The next step is optional but if you want to create a richer base, you can add two tablespoons of red wine. You can skip this step if you would like though.


Then, stir in the tomato paste and water. The tomato paste helps thicken the stew and deepens the flavor profile. Finally, add the vegetable broth.


The Lentils


This stew is loaded with plant based protein thanks to the red lentils. Lentils are a great source of protein and fiber! They come together in less than 15 minutes and keep you full throughout the day. Before we dive into adding the lentils to the stew, I have one suggestion for you: soak them overnight.


Soaking the lentils overnight makes them easier to digest. It also cuts down on the cooking time by 5-7 minutes. Just soak the lentils in cold water for 12 hours before adding them to the stew and you’ll be good to go!


When you add the lentils, turn the heat up so that the mixture is boiling. Once the lentils have been added and the stew is boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover. If you soaked the lentils overnight, then you’ll only need to cook them covered for eight minutes. However, if you didn’t soak the lentils, then cook them for the full 15 minutes.


After the allotted time, remove from the heat and serve over mashed potatoes! Garnish with a thyme sprigs, bay leaves, or sage. Finally, ENJOY!

Loaded with lentils and mushrooms, it doesn’t get much better than this stew!

Health Benefits of this Hearty Stew


This vegetarian stew is loaded with great health benefits! Just a few include…


  • Lentils: This is a great source of fiber, potassium, and is great for heart health!
  • Mushrooms: These low calorie vegetables are a great source of protein and antioxidants.
  • Potatoes: Did you know that potatoes can help improve blood sugar?


The health benefits of this vegetarian lentil stew are just a happy bonus on top of a delicious dish!

Hearty Vegetarian Lentil Stew


Course: RecipesDifficulty: EasyServings

6

servingsPrep time

15

minutesCooking time

30

minutes

This delicious vegetarian stew comes together in less than a hour and feeds the whole family!

Ingredients
  • For the Mashed Potatoes
  • For the Lentil Stew
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil

  • 1 shallot, minced

  • 3 cloves of garlic, thinly diced

  • 2 cups of cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced

  • 2 teaspoons of coconut aminos

  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme

  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 6 oz. can of tomato paste

  • 2 tablespoons water

  • 2 1/2 cups of vegetable broth

  • 3/4 cup red lentils, rinsed and drained

  • Sage leaves for garnish

Directions
  • For the Mashed Potatoes
  • Follow the instructions for my Creamy Mashed Potato recipe
  • For the Lentil Stew
  • Add the olive oil and minced shallot to a large saucepan
  • Sweat the shallot over medium-high heat for five minutes, then add the garlic
  • Then, add the sliced mushrooms and coconut aminos
  • Add the dried thyme seasoning, black pepper, and salt
  • Cook the mushrooms over medium heat for five minutes before stirring in the tomato paste and water
  • Next, add the vegetable broth and red lentils
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover for 15 minutes
  • After 15 minutes, remove from heat
  • Serve the vegetarian lentil stew over mashed potatoes
  • Garnish with sage and enjoy


Notes


  • Refrigerate up to four days
Hearty Vegetarian Lentil Stew
Recipe details
  • 6  Servings
  • Prep time: 15 Minutes Cook time: 30 Minutes Total time: 45 min
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Ingredients
For the Lentil Stew
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil 
  • 1 shallot, minced 
  • 3 cloves of garlic, thinly diced 
  • 2 cups of cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced 
  • 2 teaspoons of coconut aminos
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme 
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper 
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt 
  • 1 6 oz. can of tomato paste 
  • 2 tablespoons water 
  • 2 1/2 cups of vegetable broth 
  • 3/4 cup red lentils, rinsed and drained 
  • Sage leaves for garnish
Arianna Litrenta
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