My Lentil Mushroom Stew is an easy one-pot, vegan stew that can be enjoyed by the whole family. It’s a warming, hearty dish loaded with lentils, mushrooms and veggies. Serve with a side of crusty bread for sopping up all the juices and you have the perfect mid week dinner.
Taste wise, this vegan mushroom lentil stew is smoky and slightly sweet.
Deliciously seasoned with fresh thyme, bay leaves and a touch of smoked paprika. Made with wholesome ingredients, this lentil mushroom stew makes the perfect weeknight dinner.
Soups and stews feature heavily in my family meal plans over the colder winter months and any lentil based soup is a winner.
Lentil soups are one of my favorite dishes to make and I often have this Lentil Mushroom Stew, Moroccan Carrot & Red Lentil Soup, Lebanese Lentil Soup and Lentil Sweet Potato Stew Recipe on repeat.
If you like lentil you also might like them in my Lentil Salad or this Red Lentil Curry.
Why You Will Love this Soup
- This soup is vegan, gluten-free and protein packed. It offers you a good dose of vitamins from the carrots, spinach, spices and the lentils.
- I love that this soup freezes so well. Make a big batch of it and save half for later. Portion it out so you can pull it out when you need an easy lunch option.
Recipe Ingredients
You will love this easy recipe and the simple ingredients it uses for the marinade ingredients. It is one of my favorite recipes!
- Mushrooms: I have used white mushroom in this vegan mushroom stew recipe, you can use any variety of mushroom.
- Lentils: I like to use red or green lentils in this stew, however this is a versatile dish and you can use any dry lentil that you enjoy eating.
- Garlic:Fresh garlic flavors the stew and adds great depth of flavor to the sauce.
- Tomato Sauce: I add 2 cups of tomato sauce to the stew. If you don’t have tomato sauce you could substitute with canned chopped tomatoes.
- Vegetables: I have added sweet onion, carrots and some chopped yellow potatoes to my stew. However, this is where you can get really creative and add in the veggies that you and your family enjoy eating. I have added green beans, peas and red bell peppers in the past with great success. Sweet potato could also be a great substitute for yellow potatoes for a low carb lentil stew.
- Dried Oregano: Dried oregano is one of my favorite herbs as it adds great flavor to any dish that you add it to. It is one of the few herbs that tastes just as good dried as it does fresh.
- Smoked Paprika: Smoked paprika is a great tasting spice and adds a lovely depth of smoky flavor to the stew.
How to Make this Stew
Step 1. Prepare and Sauté Vegetables: Sauté the carrots in some olive oil then once they become slightly golden, add the onion and garlic.
Continue to cook until the onion becomes translucent. Now add the sliced mushrooms and cook until tender.
Step 2. Add Remaining Ingredients: Add the dry lentils, chopped potato, tomato sauce, smoked paprika, dried oregano, bay leaves, fresh thyme and vegetable broth to the pan and give everything a good stir to mix through.
Step 3. Simmer: Finally season the stew with salt and black pepper and cover the pot with a lid.
Place the pot on the stove, over a medium heat and allow the stew to simmer for 40-45 minutes or until the potatoes and lentils are tender.
Step 4. Serve: Check the seasoning and serve the stew warm with a side of fresh bread.
Ways to Modify this Soup + Recipe Tips
- Seasoning: Take time to properly season the stew. Lentils and mushrooms both absorb a lot of flavor while they are cooking. The proper amount of seasoning will make all the difference to the finished dish.
- Leave the Stew to sit Overnight: As with most soups and stews, this dish will taste even better the next day when the fresh herbs and spices have had a change to meld together.
- Lentils Absorb Flavor: Lentils are versatile and absorb all the flavors that you cook them with. So pack your stew with fresh herbs and spices, like I have done here, and you really elevate the flavors in the the finished dish.
- Add Some Beans: Try adding some beans to the mix, they will work great with the other ingredients in this stew.
- Add Different Veggies: This is a really versatile stew so add the mix of veggies that you are your family enjoy eating and make the dish your own. Here are some suggestions, but this list is by no means exhaustive: green beans; peas; bell peppers; cauliflower; broccoli; squash; zucchini; sweet potato; kale; spinach.
Storage Tips
- Once cooled, leftover stew can be placed in an airtight container and stored in the fridge for 2-3 days. When you are ready to enjoy, reheat the stew to piping hot and serve immediately.
- To freeze simply allow the stew to cool, before placing in an airtight container and storing in the freezer for up to 2 months. Ready to pull out and warm up on those busy days we all have through the week.
Recipe Tip: allow the soup to cool to room temperature, then put it in an airtight container, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to eat it let the soup thaw in the fridge overnight. Then when you are ready to eat it, warm it up on the stove over low heat until it is warmed through.
More Lentil Soup Recipes
Vegetarian
Moroccan Carrot Red Lentil Soup
Mediterranean
Lemon Lentil Soup Recipe
Mediterranean
Lebanese Lentil Soup
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Lentil Mushroom Stew
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1/2 sweet onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 4 cups white mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup dry lentils, {I like red or green}
- 2 cups yellow potatoes, chopped
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/2 tablespoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander , {optional}
- parsley, for garnish
- Feta cheese, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add the onion and carrots and continue to saute for 4-5 minutes.
- Add sliced mushrooms and cook until tender.
- Add dry lentils, chopped potato, tomato sauce, vegetable broth, salt, black pepper, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, coriander.
- Simmer covered, over medium heat for 40-45 minutes or until both potatoes and lentils are tender.
- Garnish with fresh parsley, feta cheese and pita.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Yummy! I made this one winter day and the flavors are amazing. It was so delicious and the umami from the mushrooms added so much depth. This is on my repeat list now.
I am so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the feedback. The mushrooms do add a lot of flavor.
@Julia, can it be done in a slow cooker or pressure cooker?
I haven’t tried but I would think in the slow cooker would work. I would cover and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours, until the lentils are creamy and tender and have absorbed most of the broth.