Easy Vegetable Stew Recipe
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 1/2 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!
Vegetarian Family Favorites
Did you love this recipe?
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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
- 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/4 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.
Absolutely beautiful, I didn’t put potatoes in mine and I added a few extra veg and served with celeriac mash , perfect
Excellent recipe, thank you!! I made it exactly according to your directions, and it was fantastic! This has been moved to my “Definitely Make Again” Pinterest board❤️
I’m so glad that you’ve enjoyed this stew, Jen! I am honored that this recipe has made your make again Pinterest board!! 🙂 Thanks for leaving a review – I really appreciate it!
Very easy recipe, came together quickly and perfect thick stew consistency. Too sweet, though.
Oh my gosh what a hit! This is the best stew out there in the vegan world. The flavor is amazing. I used marinara because I didn’t have tomato sauce……and I had to cook way longer than the 15 minutes that was indicated, but it came out perfect. I will be using this recipe forever!!!
Great recipe, hubby loved it! Can I freeze it as a good portion leftover.
Thanks
This looks yummy. I want to prepare this for my son & dil for supper. They do not use flour and I’m new to vegan cooking. May I use potato starch instead of flour for thickening and how much would you recommend using? I also have arrowroot and tapioca starch
I am not super familiar with potato starch, arrowroot, or tapioca starch. But I do think that they can be used as a substitute! This article talks more about corn starch and arrowroot as substitutes: https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/how-to-thicken-sauce/
This stew is fantastic. I’ll be making it again, has really good flavor. Thanks for sharing.
Is there any way to exclude the ads when printing the recipe? Yikes.
Yes! Close any ads that you see on the screen then hit the print button. If the footer ad comes up, x out of that and hit print! If you’re still seeing ads or if they’re interfering with the recipe then check your print settings. Hope that helps! Also – you can click on the options button and remove anything that you don’t want to print; images, notes, nutrition facts, etc. and change the size of the font.
Did add some incriedients in different order like, potatoes in the start (have difficulties reading) also added mushrooms in the wery end. i made so small pieces, i dont like the texture but love the flavor!
Also added like 1,5 cups of honey mead part in the broth water (using a cube) and turned out so good, have to cook longer tho so alcohol has time to evaporate and cook off.
(Had an idea from coq au vin)
Can you substitute the red lentils for green or French lentils? I have so many of those, but no red! Just wondering if it will change the flavor or texture too much. This recipe sounds so good, I really want to try it!
Hi Nikki! The flavor and texture will be the same with whatever lentils you use, just keep in mind that the cook time for green and brown lentils is much longer than split red lentils. If you’re using other lentils, I’d recommend cooking them all the way or almost all the way before adding them to the stew. Otherwise your veggies will be overcooked while you are still waiting for the lentils to finish. Hope that helps! Can’t wait to hear what you think if you try it!
I followed this pretty much exactly and it was crazy delicious! My new favorite.
Can you use canned lentils?
Sure! Canned lentils would work well in this recipe!
Delicious! I didn’t have celery on hand so I subbed in frozen peas, and used red wine instead of vinegar.
Actually made this in my slow cooker! I just added all the ingredients (except flour) to the slow cooker and set it on low for 8 hours.
Will definitely be making this again, thanks for the recipe!
This was fabulous. I added a splash of Chianti and served over mashed potatoes!
I like this recipe. It took longer than expected because I like to clean my mushrooms and remove the stems. I also peeled the skin off my potatoes, cut them in quarters, and boiled them for 20 minutes before adding them to the stew so they could be very tender. I’d recommend boiling the potatoes and carrots if you want a more tender savory vegetable. I didn’t have soy sauce so I used liquid aminos and I didn’t have tomato sauce so I used crushed tomatoes. I also didn’t use celery because I’m allergic so I used the green part of the leeks and a fresh sage leaf. My lentils sprouted during the process but I’m glad because sprouted lentils are much easier on the digestive system. Overall I’d definitely make this again. Thank you for sharing.
Oh and for those who don’t like all purpose flour you can definitely use spelt flour for this recipe.
I love this recipe. This recipe page however, is the absolute worst website I’ve ever encountered. Scrolling to try to get to the actual recipe makes me want to scream.
Just click the “jump to recipe” button at the top of any post. Problem solved!! However, there is a TON of valuable info in the body of the post itself that you’re missing out on if you just jump to the recipe!! I include ingredient substitutions, detailed instructions with pictures, tips and tricks, and make ahead and storage instructions. I don’t spend all that time writing the post for no reason. I write it to help you make the best dish possible every single time!!