Vegetable Lentil Stew
This recipe for lentil stew is a simple and delicious plant based dinner idea that even picky eaters will enjoy (my son is proof).
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Lentil Stew
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Beef stew is often on our meal plan during the fall and winter months, but I’m always looking for new ways to add more plant-based protein and Meatless Monday Meals into our diets.
As it turns out, beef stew is one of the easier recipes to turn into a meatless option. Swap the beef for lentils and you have an easy lentil stew.
The funny thing is, I originally wanted this to be a lentil soup recipe, but I added too many lentils in my experiment and it thickened the whole thing up into a stew.
I thought it was a failure and it wasn’t something to post on the blog at first, but when my husband and picky seven year old gave me the thumbs up, I changed my mind.
What lentils go in stew?
There are a few varieties of lentils:
- brown lentils
- green lentils
- red lentils
- yellow lentils
- black lentils
- french lentils
For this recipe, I used red lentils. The reason? It was what I had one hand.
Red lentils mush easily and provide a thickening aspect to a recipe. So it was perfect for turning a bowl of soup into a stew, even if it was unintentional.
Are lentils healthy?
The health benefits of lentils are numerous.
They’re a source of protein, high in fiber, and a great source of complex carbohydrates.
What this means is that a serving of lentils will keep you satisfied (full) for a long time.
In addition to that, they’re also a good source of iron, which is a mineral that a lot of women lack.
Container Counts
As per popular request, I am now updating all recipes to include container counts from Ultimate Portion Fix and 21 Day Fix.
The full recipe: 8 greens, 16 yellows, 6 tsps.
Per serving: 1 green, 2 yellow, 3/4 tsps.
If following the vegan plan the lentils count as protein. The counts for vegan would be 1.5 Yellow and 1/3 Red Per serving or 12 Yellows and 3 Red for the full recipe.
How to make lentil stew vegan
This recipe is not vegan, I used beef broth.
However, if you would like to make a vegan stew you can swap the beef broth with vegetable stock and deepen the flavor with soy sauce or a vegan Worcestershire sauce (Worcestershire usually has anchovies, but I have found that the Safeway Select brand doesn’t).
How long does lentil stew last?
Lentil stew is a great dinner idea for an easy meal prep recipe as it lasts for 3-4 days in the fridge.
Store it in a glass meal prep container for easy storage and reheat purposes.
How to Make Red Lentil Stew
The cool thing about this recipe is that you don’t need to add any thickeners to give it that hearty stew feel. When the lentils break down they thicken the stew themselves.
I’m all about using fewer ingredients.
How many calories are in lentil stew?
The full nutritional information for this vegetable lentil stew is at the bottom of the recipe card but for 1/8th of this whole recipe, the caloric content is 271 calories.
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Vegetable Lentil Stew
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tbsps avocado oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 4 carrots peeled and cut into half moons
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup green beans
- 1 cup red wine
- 4 russet potatoes peeled and diced
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 cup peas
- 1 6oz can tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 1 cup red lentils
- 1-2 tbsps Worcestershire sauce
- sea salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a medium to large stock pot, heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Saute until onion is translucent (about 3-4 minutes).
- Add the garlic and stir until fragrant (about a minute) then add the green beans.
- Next, add the red wine and let it simmer until reduced by half.
- Add the rest of the ingredients, cover and turn the heat down to medium-low. Simmer for 40-45 minutes or until lentils are cooked and stew is thickened. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
