Creamy Lentil Mushroom Stew
This Lentil Mushroom Stew is an easy recipe that is also rich in flavor. Made with hearty lentils, umami-packed mushrooms and creamy goodness from the tahini mixed in. Vegan, gluten-free, and made with wholesome ingredients. It’s the perfect weeknight dinner!
One-Pot Lentil Mushroom Stew
Still feeling random those random chills as spring is starting to peek through. Whenever that chill sets in it just makes me go back to cozy soups and stews. This particular stew is hearty thanks to the lentils, but also packed with a lot of umami-flavor thanks to the mushrooms, tahini and miso mixed in. And you can enjoy this as a main dish for dinner, meal prep this for easy lunches throughout the week or just enjoy as a simple appetizer. This recipe is naturally vegetarian and vegan friendly, nut-free and gluten-free.
Can you put raw lentils straight into a stew?
Lentils are straight up magic in my opinion. They do not take much time to cook, so that means, yes, they can be added to a stew dry. You will need to make sure you add in enough liquid to the stew to make sure that the lentils cook appropriately and that it comes out to your desired consistency. If using cooked lentils, you can always add your lentils in at the end of cooking and use less liquid for your creamy broth.
What makes lentil stew healthy?
Lentils on their own are nutrient packed! But they can often times be even more nutritious with the addition of other ingredients in stews like this. Overall, this stew is loaded with some fun ingredients that can absolutely enhance your nutrient intake.
Nutritious Ingredients In This Stew
- Lentils: Good source of minerals like iron, plant protein especially the amino acid lysine, and folate.
- Tahini: Provides healthy fats, copper and selenium
- Mushrooms: Contain antioxidants like choline, selenium and even Vitamin C
- Spinach: Provides some iron, calcium and magnesium a nutrient critical for energy metabolism
- Parsley: For just a small amount provides a great amount of Vitamin A, C and K
How to make this stew
This soup comes together very easily. Start by bringing a large pot to medium heat and add in your mushrooms. The key here is to let them sit for a bit undisturbed. As they cook down, add in your onions and sauté until softened. Add in garlic and cook until fragrant.
You should see brown bits sticking to the bottom of your pan. At this point add in your white wine vinegar to deglaze your pan and add in lentils, thyme, rosemary and soy sauce.
Once mixed, pour in vegetable broth and throw in your bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let it cook for 20 minutes covered. Remove bay leaves and stir in your tahini. Remove a portion of the remaining broth into a bowl and add miso paste. Mix well to remove lumps and set aside.
Cook lentils until tender for an additional 5 to 10 minutes then stir in your miso mix. Stir in spinach and parsley allowing them to wilt from the heat of the stew then serve.
Tips for making this stew
- To really help the texture of the mushrooms in this dish, I do recommend cooking your mushrooms first to help release more liquid and start to caramelize. What helps the most is to spread your mushrooms out over the bottom of your pot and allow them to cook undisturbed. Don’t touch them for a minute or two to help them caramelize better on both sides without becoming a soupy mess.
- This dish cooks up quickly. If you want to save even more time, you can soak your lentils for a few hours before making this dish. You will need a cup less broth when cooking, but it will cut the cook time in half.
- Using tahini makes this dish nut-free, but if you are allergic to sesame seeds you can replace it with 1/2 cup coconut milk or creamy oat milk.
- Highly recommend not altering the mushrooms and miso in this dish as they are big sources of umami flavor. Umami is that savory flavor that makes dishes taste rich and hearty.
What do you eat with lentil stew?
This lentil dish almost reminds me of the way my mom makes a Latin inspired lentil soup. It’s thick and goes so well with rice, so would recommend enjoying this with some white Jasmine rice. You can also serve over creamy mashed potatoes as well.
More lentil recipes
Creamy Lentil Mushroom Stew
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Lentil Mushroom Stew is an easy recipe that is also rich in flavor. Made with hearty lentils, umami-packed mushrooms and creamy goodness from the tahini mixed in. Vegan, gluten-free, and made with wholesome ingredients, the perfect weeknight dinner!
Ingredients
- 2 cups baby bella mushrooms, slices (use the amount you like)
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
- 5 garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 cup dry small brown lentils or French lentils, rinsed and picked over
- 1 tsp dry thyme
- 1/2 tsp dry rosemary
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 4 cups vegetable broth or more as desired
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1 tsp miso paste (optional, but recommended)
- 2 cups spinach
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, add in mushrooms and allow to sit untouched for two minutes.
- Give the mushrooms a good stir and then add in your onions with a generous pinch of salt. Sauté and allow to cook down until onions have softened.
- Add in garlic and sauté until fragrant.
- Make sure most of the liquid from the mushrooms has cooked off, and once dry add in your white wine vinegar and deglaze your pan.
- Add in lentils, thyme, rosemary, and soy sauce and stir well to coat.
- Pour in your vegetable broth reserving extra to pour in as desired.
- Next, add in your bay leaves and bring your pot to a boil then a low simmer for 20 minutes covered.
- At the 20 minute mark, add in your tahini and give a good stir. Cover again and simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes or until lentils are tender.
- Remove bay leaf and remove a little of the broth into a bowl. Whisk your miso paste into it until well combined and then pour it back into your soup.
- Mix well and serve as desired. Feel free to add some fresh parsley or spinach at the end if desired.
Notes
To cook your mushrooms well, spread them out over the bottom of your pot and allow them to cook undisturbed. Don’t touch them for a minute or two to help them caramelize better on both sides without becoming a soupy mess.
This dish cooks up quickly. If you want to save even more time, you can soak your lentils for a few hours before making this dish. You will need a cup less broth when cooking, but it will cut the cook time in half.
Using tahini makes this dish nut-free, but if you are allergic to sesame seeds you can replace it with 1/2 cup coconut milk or creamy oat milk.
Did You Try This Recipe?
Then let me know what you thought in the comments below! Share your creations by tagging me on Instagram with the hashtag #plantbasedrdeats
★ Catherine
I liked this recipe. Very comforting!
So glad! Thank you for trying this. 🙂
Fantastic! This dish is absolutely wonderful- my family isn’t big on stews typically and this blew everyone away. Used a few extra cloves of garlic otherwise made 100% as recommended.
I had three recipes – this one, a lentil stew with sweet potatoes, and mushroom and wild rice stew. So, I decided to combine them. I made this recipe, but just added diced carrot and celery with the onion, and I used fresh rosemary and thyme. It came out delicious!
So glad you enjoyed it Diane. The combo sounds super yum! 🙂
I made this meal the other day and it was great. I was very surprised as I wasn’t sure if I would like it, but it was very tasty with a depth of flavour. I will make it again!
So glad you made this Lucy! Thank you so much!:)