Colder weather calls for hearty meals, and this easy one pot vegetable stew is perfect for an easy dinner that everyone will love! It comes together in about 45 minutes and is loaded with root vegetables and lentils which make this vegetarian stew super filling!
You Will Love This
- Vegan lentil stew is packed with nutrients! Five veggies and lentils mean that your family is getting a full serving of vitamins, fiber, and plant-based protein—all the good stuff they need to maintain a balanced diet in the cold weather months.
- Have I mentioned that it’s vegan?! This stew is an especially great option if you’re just trying to cut back on meat and dairy, or if you’re new to preparing vegan meals for your family. The umami flavor, starchy vegetables, and protein-rich lentils mean no one will miss the meat in this meal.
- It’s so easy! Some simple chopping is all the prep this veg stew requires, and it all comes together in one pot! Lentils are the one dried bean that doesn’t need to be soaked overnight, so dinner is ready in under an hour!
- If you loved this vegetable stew recipe, be sure to check out my Creamy Vegan White Bean Stew, my Simple One Pot Chickpea Stew, or my Creamy Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Onion, Carrot, Celery - The classic mirepoix (chopped onion, carrot, and celery) is what gives this veggie stew such a delicious flavor base. To save time, see if your local grocery store offers a pre-chopped mirepoix.
- Baby Bella Mushrooms - I prefer the flavor and texture of baby Bella mushrooms, but feel free to use your favorites!
- Fresh Garlic - Freshly sliced garlic will give this stew the best flavor, but if you don't have any on hand, you can sub ½ a teaspoon or so of garlic powder in its place.
- Dried Herbs - My favorite combo is dried thyme, dried oregano, and dried sage. You could also use dried rosemary, dried parsley, or even dried basil. Italian seasoning is another great substitute.
- Flour - Stick with all-purpose flour for the best flavor and texture in this stew. But if you want to keep it gluten free, you can skip the flour which result in a thinner consistency. Or dissolve two tablespoons of corn starch in two tablespoons cold water to create a slurry. Add the slurry to the pot while everything is simmering and it will thicken up beautifully!
- Balsamic Vinegar & Soy Sauce - The combination of balsamic vinegar and soy sauce in this stew is what gives it the classic flavor of beef stew without the meat! If you aren't a big fan of balsamic vinegar flavor, try adding just half initially and then adding more as needed. As the vinegar simmers in the stew it will loose some of it's acidity as well and actually sweeten the dish slightly (similar to how a balsamic glaze made from simmered balsamic vinegar ends up being slightly sweet) which balances out the acidity of the tomatoes well. You could also just replace the vinegar with red wine if you prefer.
- Baby Yellow Potatoes - Baby yellow potatoes will work best in this dish because they have thin skins and they cook quickly. If you're using another type of potato, make sure to dice them into bite-sized pieces and consider adding them along with the onion, celery, and carrot so that they cook through by the time the lentils are cooked.
- Red Lentils - I like to use red lentils for this veggie stew as they cook quickly and they're so tender. If you are using brown or green lentils, you will want to cook them fully or almost fully before adding them to the stew.
- Tomato Sauce - Canned tomato sauce adds such a delicious depth of flavor to this dish. A great substitute for tomato sauce is equal parts tomato paste and water.
- Veggie Broth - If you aren't worried about this stew being vegan you can substitute chicken broth or beef broth in place of the veggie broth.
- Bay Leaves - I love to use dried bay leaves to add another layer of delicious aromatic flavor whenever I'm simmering a soup or stew for a while.
Instructions
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally for 8 minutes.
Add mushrooms, garlic, thyme, rosemary, oregano, sage, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper.
Cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes.
Add flour and stir to evenly coat everything.
Cook, stirring frequently for 1 minute.
Stir in balsamic vinegar and soy sauce to deglaze pan, scraping the yummy bits off the bottom.
Add potatoes, lentils, tomato sauce, broth, and bay leaves, along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper.
Bring to a simmer over medium high heat, stirring occasionally so that the lentils don't stick to the pan, but don't bring to a boil.
Turn heat to low and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh parsley, serve with mashed potatoes, and enjoy!
Tips
- Salt is a very important ingredient in this recipe! You'll notice that I mention adding a couple pinches of salt and pepper throughout the recipe instructions. Please make sure that you are salting this stew moderately/liberally! The salt is going to help the potatoes to break down and cook in the acidic stew base with tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce. Acid can prevent potatoes from breaking down and cooking properly, and salt is the best way to counteract this!
- Feel free to switch up the veggies! You can dress up this vegan mushroom stew by swapping the veggies for your favorites. I love frozen peas, frozen green beans, or canned chickpeas. Just make sure you keep the proportions the same and it'll turn out delicious!
- You can also switch up the flavors of this stew very easily by adding cumin, paprika, or even a pinch of ground ginger or cinnamon!
- To add a little kick to this veggie stew, try adding red pepper flakes right to the pot or add a little pinch to each individual serving.
Make Ahead, Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
- Make Ahead: This vegetable stew recipe is the perfect make ahead dish because the flavors just get better with time!
- Storage: Store leftover stew in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freezing: This vegan stew can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating: Reheat leftovers in a saucepan over medium heat. You may need to add a splash of broth to loosen up the stew as it will thicken as it cools. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until heated through. Season to taste with salt and enjoy!
FAQ
I try not to think of foods as good or bad. However, this vegetarian stew is loaded with fresh veggies and made with real, whole ingredients which means that you can feel good about feeding it to your family!
Stew might seem a bit complicated, but it's actually one of the easiest meals to throw together! My vegetable stew recipes come together all in one pot in about 45 minutes and there are no fancy cooking skills required! If you can chop veggies and stir, you can make veggie stew!
No! As I mentioned, all the ingredients cook together in one pot! The veggies are added raw and cooked in a flavorful broth of tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and herbs for a delicious weeknight dinner your family will love!
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Vegan Mushroom Stew
Colder weather calls for hearty meals, and this easy one pot vegetable stew is perfect for an easy dinner that everyone will love! It comes together in about 45 minutes and is loaded with root vegetables and lentils which make this vegetarian stew super filling!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup sliced carrot
- 1 cup sliced celery
- 16 oz. baby Bella mushrooms, halved
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- 2 tablespoons flour
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 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
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add onion, carrot, and celery along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper.
- Cook, stirring occasionally for 8 minutes.
- Add mushrooms, garlic, thyme, oregano, sage, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper.
- Cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes.
- Add flour and stir to evenly coat everything. Cook, stirring frequently for 1 minute.
- Stir in balsamic vinegar and soy sauce to deglaze the pan, scraping the yummy bits off the bottom.
- Add potatoes, lentils, tomato sauce, broth, and bay leaves, along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper.
- Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally so that the lentils don't stick to the pan.
- Turn heat to low and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Garnish with fresh parsley, serve with mashed potatoes, and enjoy!
Notes
- Salt is a very important ingredient in this recipe! You'll notice that I mention adding a couple pinches of salt and pepper throughout the recipe instructions. Please make sure that you are salting this stew moderately/liberally! The salt is going to help the potatoes to break down and cook in the acidic stew base with tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce. Acid can prevent potatoes from breaking down and cooking properly, and salt is the best way to counteract this!
- Feel free to switch up the veggies! You can dress up this vegan mushroom stew by swapping the veggies for your favorites. I love frozen peas, frozen green beans, or canned chickpeas. Just make sure you keep the proportions the same and it'll turn out delicious!
- You can also switch up the flavors of this stew very easily by adding cumin, paprika, or even a pinch of ground ginger or cinnamon!
- To add a little kick to this veggie stew, try adding red pepper flakes right to the pot or add a little pinch to each individual serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 355
- Sugar: 9.7 g
- Sodium: 650.1 mg
- Fat: 9.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 57.3 g
- Fiber: 8.5 g
- Protein: 13.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: vegetarian stew, vegetable stew recipe, lentil stew
Kathy
Mine got a little mushy because o had to cook it so long but it tastes good. I'm adding peas at the end too.
Lisa
I can't wait to try this. Do you think this could be prepared in a crockpot on low? I'm working long hours right now (tax season) and don't have a lot of time when I get home. Would you make any changes if it was made in a crockpot?
Kylie
I do think so! I haven't tried it myself but I don't see why not. I think 8 hours on low would be perfect. I'd just recommend adding plenty of salt so that the potatoes cook through easily. Also, after 8 hours in the crockpot the lentils will likely be overcooked so you could cook them separately and then add them at the end, or just be okay with them getting a bit soft which will actually thicken the stew up too. Can't wait to hear what you think if you give it a try!!
Julie
My husband can’t have all purpose flour. Should I sub with arrowroot powder or almond flour?
Kylie
Yes! Either of those should work well. Great question, Julie! Can't wait to hear what you think if you give it a try!
Tammy
Yum! This really satisfied my need for savory. I made it exactly as written except I used fresh herbs and served it over quinoa. My favorite stew ever! Thank you for sharing it 🙂
★★★★★
Christine
Loved this recipe and so did my husband. I followed it to a tee but I added sweet potatoes, small yellow and small red potatoes as well. I also added some Cayenne pepper. Soooooooo GOOD! I will be making this again! Thank you!
★★★★★
Mitchell Major, M.D.
This recipe is fantastic. I made a double recipe in two srew pots. One for the family with a few minor spice variations. The secomd recipe was as you directed, however I excluded all ingredients that were deleterious for my dog. I then added 3 cups of 1/2 inch squared srew meet that had been previously cooked in a pressure cooker. Additionally I included the juice from the meat. Combined the meat and vegetables and cooked
on low for 15 - 20 minutes, continuously stirring with a wood spoon. The final result was a wonderful stew that .was nutritionally well balanced that she loves.
The family stew met and exceeded expectations. cols. our go lunch or diner after coming in from the cold.
Our family and my 80 lb service dog thank and bless you.
★★★★★
Jenny
I have never had lentils, so I was a bit apprehensive. Boy am I glad I tried this recipe!!! The flavors are amazing! The texture is fulfilling - you don’t even miss the meat. As my meat & tater loving husband said “fantastic flavor!”
★★★★★
Krista
Love this recipe! The balsamic and soy sauce is a great combination -really makes the dish so flavorful and the lentils make it filling. I will be making this regularly!
★★★★★
Lori
This was delicious!!
★★★★★
Kathleen
I’ve made this five times in the last month. I love love love it. I make it just like the recipe and really love this.
★★★★★
Kylie
I am so glad to hear that, Kathleen! Thank you for leaving a review - I really appreciate it!
Ellen
What is a realistic time to expect the potatoes to be cooked? I am well past the point where the instructions say "Turn heat to low and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender". The potatoes have been cooking for almost 30 minutes and are still as hard as a rock! I saw several other comments saying it took a lot longer than the instructions for them to be done. Just looking for a time frame so I know if I should whip up an appetizer if it's going to be more like an hour than 10-15 minutes 🙂
★★★
Kylie
Add more salt! If you check the "tips" section of the post or the "notes" section of the recipe card you'll find more detailed info, but chances are good you haven't added enough salt to break down the potatoes as they simmer in this acidic broth. Hope that helps! Would love to hear what you think and your actual star review once you've made the recipe and tried it 🙂
Amanda
I am so excited to try this recipe! Do you think I could do it in my crockpot or instantpot?
Kylie
I think that you could do it in either but I haven't tried it myself so I can't say for sure how it will turn out. I'd love to hear how it goes if you give it a try
Mary
This was delicious...a new favorite. I made according to the directions except for the liberal salt, which I am limiting. Because of this, I did not add the acid until after the potatoes were cooked through, since I have had problems getting them cooked in an acidic broth. I was a little afraid of the balsamic vinegar, but it made it soooo good. Looking forward to making it again! Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
Kylie
So glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Mary. Thank you for leaving a review - I really appreciate it!
Christina
Sounds delicious! Before I make it I was wondering if you could suggest something to replace the tomato sauce? My husband is unable to eat them.
Thank you!
★★★★★
Kylie
Is he unable to have tomatoes at all? If so, I'm not sure that this is the best stew recipe for you! The tomatoes are a pretty integral part of the flavor. Perhaps search for another vegan stew recipe that doesn't include tomatoes.