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
Mel
Wow! What a fantastic recipe! The seasoning is so vibrant and the flavors mingle perfectly. This is a new go-to for cold weather comfort! Thanks!
★★★★★
Shawna
Tried this tonight and it was delicious. Even my non vegetarian husband ate two bowls. It really hit the spot in this chilly evening.
★★★★★
PhillyCSteak
You don't need to add all of the salt. Maybe a pinch total. The soy sauce provides more than enough.
★★★★★
Lena
I find it hard to believe that one serving has just 650 MG of sodium. Was that figured with all the ingredients, including the soy sauce which is high in sodium?
This could be a very high sodium dish if low or no sodium ingredients are not used.
Kylie
The nutrition facts are based on the entire dish. While there is a lot of sodium in soy sauce, there isn't much soy sauce in this recipe. You could use low sodium soy sauce and broth to reduce the sodium content further.
Tre Jackson
I absolutely loved this recipe, it’s gonna be my main meal this week for my meal preps🙏🏾. Is the calorie count for the whole 1x prep amount or for an assumed bowl size?
★★★★★
Kylie
Great question - it's for about a bowls worth of stew. Glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Kat
I made this last night and thought it was amazing. Easy to make with tons of flavor. Subbed leeks for the celery and added some star anise. Two of my non vegan family members tried it and loved it. I really love that it’s freezer friendly too.
★★★★★
Kayla
My partner and I made this for dinner tonight and it turned out fantastic!! We will definitely be making this again!!
★★★★★
Kylie
I'm so glad that you enjoyed this stew recipe, Kayla. Thanks for leaving a review!
Stacey
Yum! The flavors in this recipe are perfectly balanced. It’s not just a cold weather stew. It’s a 104’ Texas July day and eating this is much better than 4th of July BBQ! I did add a couple of dried peppers 🌶. This is now my favorite lentil recipe! Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
Georgi w
Simple yet delicious! Definitely a new family staple meal!
★★★★★
Nat
We're not vegetarian, but trying to incorporate more plant-based meals. This was absolutely delicious, particularly with some homemade bread on a chilly, rainy evening. Didn't miss meat at all, had great depth of flavor without it. Will definitely make this again!
★★★★★
Emily
This looks delicious! If I cook it in a slow cooker instead, will it work fine?
Kylie
I think this would cook well in the slow cooker! I haven't done it before but I'd cook it until the potatoes are fork tender.
Lisa
I love this recipe!!! It's now one of my favorites. You're a genius, Kylie! Thank you for sharing your delicious recipes. 🙂
★★★★★
Kylie
I am so glad that you enjoyed this veggie stew recipe, Lisa! Thanks for leaving a review!!
Deborah
Are the lentils cooked beforehand?
Kylie
I like to cook them right in the stew! You could used pre-cooked lentils if you prefer, but the recipe is written with uncooked lentils. Great question, Deborah!
Rachel
Loved it, thanks for sharing
★★★★★
Kylie
So glad you enjoyed this easy stew recipe, Rachel. Thanks for leaving a review 🙂
Courtney R
This is soooo good and was really easy! I can’t wait until my husband tries this at work tomorrow. He’s going to love it!
★★★★★
Lily
New staple on my menus! Thank you for sharing. I love this meal, so filling and warm, since trying it out I’ve been making it regularly for our Sunday dinners. Cheers
★★★★★
Courtney
Made this for a friend who is a vegetarian and wow am I impressed! Not only was it very easy but full of flavor! I will definitely be saving this recipe. Thank you!
★★★★★
Robyn O'Neil
HOLY MOLY! I am in love with this dish. Made it exactly like you suggested and it came out perfectly. Seriously one of the best dishes I've made for my family in a long time. This will be a new staple for sure - and so healthy! Thank you so much!
★★★★★
Katelyn
Do you think this would make a good freezer meal? Looks yummy. Want to double recipe and put half in the freezer for meal prep
Kylie
Yes! This stew would freeze well for sure!
Riane Mapel
Turns out so good!!! I’m not vegan and I will have this in my recipe collection.
★★★★★
Pam
Hello looking forward.to trying your recipe but know the fresh lentils we buy in Greece won't cook in 15 minutes.What to do ???
Kylie
I would just cook them ahead of time, then add them to the stew. You can cook them all the way through or just cook them partway and then add them. Great question, Pam!
Laurie
My husband suffers from heartburn and doesn’t like tomato based recipes. This looks and sounds soooo good but could I just substitute the tomato sauce for more vegetable broth?
Kylie
Ooooooh good question! The tomato sauce really does add a lot of depth of flavor that I think would really change the dish if not used. I will say it isn't a totally tomato-based recipe as it really only has a bit of tomato and a ton of other ingredients. I would be curious if you just reduced the amount of tomato and see if he even notices that there is tomato in it! All this to say, of course, you can always adjust the ingredients as you see fit, but removing the tomato sauce is going to change the overall flavor of the dish so I can't guarantee that the results will be good.
Lizz
This was delicious! Perfect for a cold, wintery evening!
★★★★★
Marie
Hi Kylie, I haven't made this yet, because you mentioned substitutions for the spices, how much of the cumin/paprika/cinnamon crushed red pepper would you use? It sounds more warming than the other spices, as I am not a huge fan of Thyme. Thank you if you see this and reply, I really will appreciate it!
Kylie
Hi Marie! Great question! My recommendation for adding spices was adding them IN ADDITION to the dried herbs. The dried herbs are really what gives this stew its classic stew flavor, however, if you prefer to substitute with other spices, I'd recommend starting off small and adding more as needed, keeping in mind that a mixture of cumin, paprika, cinnamon, and crushed red pepper is going to give you a very different flavored stew. Also, if you're looking for those flavors specifically, this recipe might not be the best fit for you, unfortunately. But there are plenty of stew recipes out there!
Tineill
I wasn't able to get split red lentils from the store, they only had red lentils. Do you think they will be just as good to use?? And if so, do I need to do anything different??
Kylie
Red lentils are just going to take longer to cook than split red lentils. I'd check the cooking time on the red lentils and then partially cook them in a pot of water before adding them to the stew. Hope that helps!