Fireside Vegan Hearty Stew (Printable)
A nourishing stew with lentils, root vegetables, and herbs, perfect for comforting meals.
# List of ingredients:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
05 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
06 - 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
07 - 1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
08 - 1 cup chopped cremini mushrooms
→ Legumes & Base
09 - 1 cup dried green or brown lentils, rinsed
10 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
11 - 4 cups vegetable broth (gluten-free if needed)
12 - 1 bay leaf
→ Seasonings & Herbs
13 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
15 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
16 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
17 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
# Steps:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes.
02 - Add minced garlic, sliced carrots, celery, and chopped mushrooms. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Stir in diced Yukon Gold potatoes, sweet potato, and rinsed lentils until evenly mixed.
04 - Pour in diced tomatoes with juices and vegetable broth. Add bay leaf, smoked paprika, dried thyme, and ground cumin. Bring the mixture to a boil.
05 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes until lentils and vegetables are tender.
06 - Remove bay leaf. Taste and season with salt and black pepper as desired.
07 - Ladle stew into bowls and garnish each serving with chopped fresh parsley.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It comes together in under an hour and tastes like you've been tending a pot all day.
- The combination of lentils and root vegetables creates a natural richness that makes you forget you're eating plant-based.
- It's forgiving enough for weeknight cooking but impressive enough to serve when friends drop by.
02 -
- Don't skip rinsing the lentils—unrinsed ones can make your broth cloudy and slightly bitter, which changes everything.
- If your stew tastes a bit flat even after seasoning, a tablespoon of tomato paste or a small splash of balsamic vinegar wakes it right up, as if you've been cooking it all along.
03 -
- Cut your vegetables roughly the same size so they cook evenly and finish at the same time.
- Taste as you go—a stew needs seasoning adjustments more than most dishes because the flavors are subtle until they're suddenly perfect.