• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

ZardyPlants

  • Home
  • Vegan & Oil-free Recipes
    • Cheezes
    • Breakfasts
    • Soups
    • Salads
    • Snacks & Apps
    • Entrees
    • Dips & Sauces
    • Ingredients
    • Desserts
    • Gluten Free
  • Shop
    • Recipe Books
    • Products I Use
  • About
  • Contact
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Vegan and Oil-free Recipes
  • Free Cookbook with Signup!
  • Plant-Based Jewish Recipes
  • Shop
  • Contact
  • About
×
Home » Vegan and Oil-free Recipes

Hearty Lentil Vegetable Potato Stew

Published: Nov 14, 2019 · Modified: Aug 28, 2021 by Liz Madsen

Share with friends!

Jump to Recipe
Skip to the Recipe!

Packed with protein and flavor, my Hearty Lentil Vegetable Potato Stew will leave you warm, satisfied, and nourished. This stew has a wide variety of nutrients to help ward off winter ailments. This stew is also easy to make, freezes well, and makes the perfect meal prep to throw together at the beginning of the week and enjoy for school/work lunches, dinners, or even breakfasts–no judgement here.

I love soups and stews because they’re incredibly easy and inexpensive to make, and they also don’t require a whole lot of time in the kitchen. Once you get your soup on to simmer, you can set a timer and go somewhere else in the house and do whatever you need to get done.

Soups and stews are also very customizable. You can throw just about any veggies, beans, or grains you like in them. Here, swap out any of the veggies if there’s one you like better, or even swap out the lentils for a different legume.

But now that I’ve mentioned it, let’s talk about what else goes in this particular recipe.

What Goes in the Stew?

Many great recipes start with a mirepoix, which is a French word referring to the flavor created from onion, celery, and carrot. Add a little (or a lot) garlic to make it 10x better.

Obviously, lentils also go in this stew. When I say "picked over and rinsed well" in the recipe below, this is kind of like a disclaimer statement. I have never personally found a rock or anything else in my lentils, but since everyone recommends to do this, I thought I'd better include it. You can add more or less lentils than I did, but may need to adjust the broth accordingly. If you want less potato and more lentil, you can certainly do that.

I made my vegetable broth by mixing Better Than Boullion vegetable paste with water. I like the flavor of this better, but feel free to use any you like. Sometimes I also make homemade broth from saved up vegetable scraps. I used only 4 cups in this recipe because I like my stew thick. If you'd like it to be more like a soup, add more broth.

Like I mentioned before, the vegetables in this recipe are customizable. I chose the ones I did because they added something extra to the flavor and texture. I used:

  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Mushrooms
  • Potatoes
  • Tomatoes
  • Kale

And with soup or stew, the herbs and spices can take it from “it’s good” to “HOLY STEW BATMAN / BATWOMAN / BATDAD / BATMOM, CAN I HAVE SOME MORE?!” So for this recipe I used paprika (trust me), thyme, oregano, and basil. The broth, if you’ve used Better Than Boullion paste, is already quite flavorful, but the herbs and spices are going to take it to the next level!

As always, let me know if you make this recipe and please tag #Zardyplants and mention me @Zardyplants so I can see your beautiful recreations! If you tag me on IG, I will share your post in my stories :)

How to Make It

This method of making soup or stew is an easy walk-away-from-it type of method. There are certainly many others, and some may have strong opinions on it. Well my opinion is that I’m always in a rush, so I may not have time to cook my stew “low n’ slow” to develop more flavor. In my humble opinion, this stew has LOTS of flavor and doesn’t take long at all to make. But you do you.

First, like in a lot of my recipes, we are going to start by water sautéing some onions. Instead of letting these start to stick and brown, you’re going to add water 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the onions sautéing but not browning. Sauté them until they are translucent, and then add your garlic.

After sautéing the onions and garlic about a minute, you’re going to add your carrots and celery and sauté for about 5 minutes. After THAT you get to add everything else in, stir, and walk away. For the next half hour or so, you only need to check on the stew once or twice. Leave it on a medium simmer (about a 4 on your stove’s knobs) and let it do its thing.

When the stew is a few minutes from done, throw in your chopped kale. By adding it in at the end, we are still retaining a bit of texture (overcooked kale is stringy which is no bueno) but cooking it enough so it isn’t hard to chew and doesn’t have that bitter punch kale often packs.

And that’s it! Pretty simple, yeah? I like to take mine to work for lunch all week, mostly because my office is set at sub-zero temperatures and I like to feel my fingers when I write grant proposals, not sure why.

Alrighty, let’s make some stew!

As always, let me know if you make this recipe and please tag #Zardyplants and mention me @Zardyplants so I can see your beautiful recreations! If you tag me on IG, I will share your post in my stories :)

<3 Liz

Follow me on Social Media!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
white bowl filled with lentil vegetable stew

Hearty Lentil Vegetable Potato Stew


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 3 reviews

  • Author: Liz Madsen
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 6 large servings 1x
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

My Hearty Lentil Vegetable Potato Stew will warm you up on a cold winter's day. With onions, tomatos, carrots and kale, this stew will fill you up!

Vegan, Oil-free, Soy-free, Nut-free, Gluten-free


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 small-medium carrots, finely diced
  • 3 ribs celery, finely diced
  • 16 oz crimini mushrooms, diced
  • 1 pound potatoes (I used red), diced fairly small, about ½-inch dice
  • 4 roma tomatoes, diced
  • 1 bunch of kale, destemmed and chopped
  • 1 cup brown or green lentils, picked over and rinsed well
  • 4 cups vegetable broth (or more if you want a soup vs a stew)
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp dried thyme
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp dried basil
  • Salt and pepper, optional, to taste

Instructions

  1. Heat your pot over medium high heat and throw in the onions. Saute them, adding water 2 tablespoons at a time to keep them from sticking. Saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add garlic and saute another minute, then add celery and carrots. Let cook in a small amount of water (a few tablespoons) for 5 minutes.
  3. Turn heat down to medium, add the rest of your veggies, broth, and spices and cook for about 30 minutes total. However, set a timer for 27 minutes and test the potatoes to make sure they're done. If they are, add your kale and stir it in well. Cook an additional 3 minutes.
  4. That's it! Serve soup hot, or let cool and store or freeze. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Category: Entree, Soup
  • Method: Stove
  • Cuisine: Vegan, Stew

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us @zardyplants — we can't wait to see what you've made!

Section Bottom
Click Here to Sign Up for my Newsletter and Never Miss a Recipe!

Other Recent Content!

« Pasta Salad with Hummus and Roasted Vegetables
Holiday Orange Creamsicle Hemp Seed Mocktail »

Share with friends!

Filed Under: Gluten Free, Soups, Vegan and Oil-free Recipes

Follow us on Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

You May Also Like:

Cookie Dough Overnight Oats

Vegan torta on a plate.

Vegan Tortas

Creamy Vegan Orzo

See More Recipes

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Carol Howell

    November 15, 2019 at 12:10 pm

    You're so funny! Your recipes aren't just good, they're entertaining!

    Reply
  2. Jennifer

    February 26, 2020 at 3:27 am

    Loved it! Delicious flavors. ❤️

    Reply
  3. Tracy Chambers

    March 01, 2020 at 1:33 am

    So tasty and the bonus is it's easy to make and very satisfying..... love it and will make it again

    Reply
  4. Alex

    March 26, 2021 at 12:56 pm

    One complaint:I tried following the quantities listed and it came out for what seems to be a hungry family of 8. Not a problem, though, it tastes great!! :)

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

Primary Sidebar

Paul and Liz Madsen holding their dog Luna standing in front of a lake

Hi, we're Liz & Paul!

We develop plant-based comfort food recipes that are delicious, easy, and budget-friendly. We created Zardyplants to share our fun, delicious food with the world. But what does the name Zardyplants even mean?

More about us →

Trending

  • Vegan Garlic Noodles in a bowl
    Vegan Garlic Noodles
  • Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup
  • Green matcha pound cake on a gray stone slab
    Vegan Matcha Pound Cake
  • Hand holding a vegan philly cheesesteak
    Vegan Philly Cheesesteak

Seasonal

  • Watermelon tuna poke bowl with veggies and fruits
    Watermelon Tuna
  • Vegan Macaroni Salad in a dish
    Vegan Macaroni Salad
  • Horizontal photo of two vegan chicken salad sandwiches stacked up
    Vegan Chicken Salad
  • A cut ice cream cake with chocolate and vanilla layers
    Vegan Ice Cream Cake

Want a free e-cookbook? Download our Everyday Plant-Based Recipes.

Green graduate badge stating "T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate Program nutritionstudies.org"
Paul and Liz Madsen holding their dog Luna standing in front of a lake

Hi, we're Liz & Paul!

We develop plant-based comfort food recipes that are delicious, easy, and budget-friendly. We created Zardyplants to share our fun, delicious food with the world. But what does the name Zardyplants even mean?

More about us →

Trending

  • Vegan Garlic Noodles in a bowl
    Vegan Garlic Noodles
  • Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup
  • Green matcha pound cake on a gray stone slab
    Vegan Matcha Pound Cake
  • Hand holding a vegan philly cheesesteak
    Vegan Philly Cheesesteak

Seasonal

  • Watermelon tuna poke bowl with veggies and fruits
    Watermelon Tuna
  • Vegan Macaroni Salad in a dish
    Vegan Macaroni Salad
  • Horizontal photo of two vegan chicken salad sandwiches stacked up
    Vegan Chicken Salad
  • A cut ice cream cake with chocolate and vanilla layers
    Vegan Ice Cream Cake

Want a free e-cookbook? Download our Everyday Plant-Based Recipes.

Green graduate badge stating "T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate Program nutritionstudies.org"

Copyright © 2025 ZardyPlants on the Foodie Pro Theme

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT

Disclaimer - Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy