Description
This hearty and flavorful vegan mushroom stew is packed with tender baby Bella mushrooms, vibrant vegetables, and protein-rich red lentils. Slow-simmered with aromatic herbs, tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce, it creates a deeply savory and comforting dish perfect for any season. Serve warm, garnished with fresh parsley and alongside mashed potatoes for a satisfying plant-based meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup sliced carrot
- 1 cup sliced celery
- 16 oz. baby Bella mushrooms, halved
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 16 oz. baby yellow potatoes, halved
- 1 cup uncooked split red lentils
- 1 (14.5 oz.) can tomato sauce
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 2 bay leaves
- Kosher salt
- Fresh cracked pepper
Herbs & Spices
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
Additional Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
Instructions
- Heat the oil and sauté the base vegetables: Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, sliced carrot, and celery along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
- Add mushrooms and aromatics: Stir in the halved baby Bella mushrooms, thinly sliced garlic, dried thyme, oregano, sage, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes until mushrooms release their moisture and soften.
- Incorporate the flour: Sprinkle in the flour and stir well to evenly coat the vegetables. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste and help thicken the stew later.
- Deglaze the pot: Pour in the balsamic vinegar and soy sauce, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to lift any flavorful browned bits. This adds depth to the stew.
- Add remaining ingredients and bring to simmer: Add the halved baby yellow potatoes, uncooked red lentils, tomato sauce, vegetable broth, and bay leaves. Season with a few pinches of salt and pepper. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to prevent lentils from sticking.
- Simmer the stew until tender: Reduce the heat to low and let the stew simmer gently for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender and lentils cooked through. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve and garnish: Remove bay leaves before serving. Garnish the stew with fresh parsley and serve warm with mashed potatoes or your preferred side.
Notes
- Salt is essential to this recipe; add it moderately and consistently to help the potatoes cook properly in the acidic base.
- Customize the stew by swapping or adding vegetables like frozen peas, green beans, or canned chickpeas while keeping similar proportions.
- Enhance flavor by adding spices such as cumin, paprika, ground ginger, or cinnamon for a unique twist.
- For a spicy kick, add red pepper flakes either during cooking or as a garnish for each serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 230 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
