Vegetarian Lentil Stew (Print Version)

A nourishing stew with tender lentils, vibrant vegetables, and aromatic herbs for ultimate plant-based comfort.

# What You'll Need:

→ Legumes

01 - 1½ cups dried brown or green lentils, rinsed
02 - 4 cups vegetable broth

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 1 large onion, diced
05 - 2 medium carrots, sliced
06 - 2 celery stalks, diced
07 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
08 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
10 - 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
11 - 2 cups chopped spinach or kale

→ Spices & Seasonings

12 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
13 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
15 - 1 bay leaf
16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Optional Garnish

17 - Fresh parsley, chopped
18 - Lemon wedges

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, and bell pepper. Sauté for 5–7 minutes until vegetables soften.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add potatoes, lentils, diced tomatoes with juice, cumin, smoked paprika, thyme, bay leaf, and vegetable broth. Stir thoroughly to combine.
04 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils and potatoes are tender.
05 - Remove bay leaf. Stir in spinach or kale and cook for 2–3 minutes until wilted.
06 - Season with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust consistency with extra broth or water if desired.
07 - Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The texture sits perfectly between a soup and stew, substantial enough for dinner but still wonderfully spoonable when you need something gentle on a tired day.
  • You can prep most ingredients ahead of time, making this my go to for those evenings when cooking feels like too much but takeout feels like giving up.
02 -
  • Adding salt too early can make lentils tough and slow to soften, a frustrating lesson I learned after an extra hour of hungry waiting.
  • The stew actually tastes better the next day when the flavors have had time to meld, which is why I often make a double batch deliberately for leftovers.
03 -
  • If you have an immersion blender, try partially blending just a portion of the stew to create a thicker texture while maintaining chunks of vegetables and whole lentils.
  • A squeeze of fresh lemon juice just before serving cuts through the richness and makes all the flavors sing in harmony, an addition I discovered by accident when a lemon rolled off my counter into the pot.
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