Description
This hearty Vegan Mushroom Stew is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring baby Bella mushrooms, yellow potatoes, red lentils, and aromatic herbs simmered in a rich tomato-based broth with balsamic vinegar and soy sauce. Perfect for a nutritious and satisfying meal, this stew can be served on its own or alongside mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup sliced carrot
- 1 cup sliced celery
- 16 oz. baby Bella mushrooms, halved
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 16 oz. baby yellow potatoes, halved
Herbs and Spices
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
- 2 bay leaves
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Other Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 cup uncooked split red lentils
- 1 (14.5 oz.) can tomato sauce
- 3 cups vegetable broth
Instructions
- Heat oil and sauté aromatics: Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, sliced carrot, and sliced celery along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes until vegetables are softened.
- Add mushrooms and herbs: Add halved baby Bella mushrooms, thinly sliced garlic, dried thyme, oregano, sage, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes until mushrooms release their moisture and soften.
- Add flour to thicken: Stir in 2 tablespoons flour to evenly coat the vegetables. Cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute to cook off the raw flour taste.
- Deglaze the pot: Stir in 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar and 2 tablespoons soy sauce to deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom to deepen the stew’s flavor.
- Add remaining ingredients: Add halved baby yellow potatoes, uncooked split red lentils, tomato sauce, vegetable broth, and bay leaves along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Stir to combine all ingredients well.
- Simmer the stew: Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to prevent lentils from sticking to the bottom.
- Cook until tender: Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender and lentils are fully cooked. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve and garnish: Remove bay leaves. Garnish stew with fresh parsley if desired. Serve warm, optionally alongside mashed potatoes for a complete meal. Enjoy your hearty vegan mushroom stew!
Notes
- Salt is crucial in this recipe to help potatoes break down correctly despite the acidity from tomato sauce and balsamic vinegar. Add salt moderately throughout cooking for best results.
- Feel free to swap vegetables such as adding frozen peas, green beans, or canned chickpeas while maintaining the same quantities.
- Customize flavors by adding spices like cumin, paprika, ground ginger, or cinnamon for a different twist.
- For a spicy kick, stir in red pepper flakes either during cooking or as a garnish per serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
