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    Home Β» Recipes Β» Hearty Vegan Stew (One-Pot Recipe)

    Hearty Vegan Stew (One-Pot Recipe)

    Feb 4, 2020 by The Pesky Vegan | 8 Comments

    309 shares
    Jump to Recipe >

    This wholesome, healthy, and hearty vegan stew is packed full of all the good stuff. Featuring veg, green lentils, and flavourful herbs, it's also gluten-free.

    Hearty Vegan Stew

    The stew gets its rich umami notes from a combination of red wine, yeast extract, and vegan Worcestershire sauce. You can make a big batch of this and store it in the fridge or freezer for a quick lunch or dinner.

    For more vegan stew recipes, check out this meat-free goulash and jackfruit 'beef' stew.

    I create new content every single week. Subscribe to keep in touch and get a free download of The Vegan Kitchen – My Top 10 Tips.

    Hearty Vegan Stew In Bowl

    Are green lentils healthy?

    Pulses like green lentils are nutritional powerhouses. Whether tinned or dried, they offer a low-fat source of plant-based protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals.

    Cheap and widely available, lentils are great for packing nutrients into meals in a way that won’t break the bank. Want to learn more? Check out my Beginner’s Guide to Pulses.

    Dried Green Lentils

    How to thicken vegan stew

    Thicken this stew with cornflour to keep it gluten-free, or with plain flour if it doesn't need to be gluten-free.

    Cornflour (gluten-free): In a jug or bowl, mix 4 tablespoons of cornflour with equal parts of cold water. Mix well to prevent it from going lumpy in the pan. Add the mix to the stew and stir thoroughly. Cook for a few minutes to thicken, turning up the heat if necessary.

    Plain flour: In a jug or bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of plain flour with equal parts of water. Mix well to prevent it from going lumpy in the pan. Add the mix to the stew and stir thoroughly. Cook for a few minutes to thicken, adding more if necessary.

    Get some herbs in your life

    Rosemary and Thyme

    Herbs play an important role when it comes to hearty stews. In this case, I've used fresh rosemary and thyme for their earthy, woody flavours.

    You can either remove the leaves from the sprigs (and chop up the rosemary leaves) or throw the sprigs in whole – just remember to remove them at the end of cooking.

    Alternatively, you could use dried rosemary and thyme.

    How to make hearty vegan stew

    Vegan Stew Ingredients

    Start by slicing the onions and chopping the other veg into small chunks. Fry these until they begin to soften slightly.

    Onion Carrot Celery Frying

    After adding the mushrooms and garlic, fry off the potato cubes for a few minutes.

    Vegan Stew Ingredients Frying

    If you're including the red wine, pour this in and allow it to cook for a minute or so. Then it's in with the Henderson's Relish, Marmite, and bay leaves.

    It might look like a lot of liquid right now, but it'll cook off and you're going to thicken it later on. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

    Vegan Stew Cooking

    After adding the mustard, lentils, fresh herbs, and kale, it's time to thicken the stew with cornflour.

    To prevent it from going lumpy in the pan, it's best to first create a thin paste. In a separate jug or bowl, mix the cornflour with cold water and then add this mix to the stew, stirring thoroughly.

    Vegan Stew Close-Up

    Remove the herbs, adjust the seasoning, and serve with a splash of Henderson's Relish and chopped parsley.

    Enjoy this hearty vegan stew on its own or along with some fresh crusty bread.

    Variations and tips for hearty vegan stew

    • Veg: Swap out the kale for any other leafy green veg such as cabbage, chard, or spring greens. 
    • Lentils: This recipe uses tinned green lentils, but you could swap these for cooked brown or Puy lentils. If cooking dried lentils from scratch, these will need to be soaked and/or cooked in advance.
    • Thickening agent: This recipe uses cornflour as a thickener to keep it gluten-free, but you could simply use plain flour if it doesn’t need to be GF (see recipe notes).
    • Gluten-free: If you need to ensure that this recipe is 100% gluten-free, use a vegan stock and yeast extract that are certified or labelled as such.
    • Wine: If you don’t want to splash out on a bottle of (ideally vegan) red wine, just skip this. 
    • Texture: If you want a meatier texture, try adding some cooked plant-based sausages or plant-based mince.  

    How to store vegan stew

    Refrigerate: Store this stew in the fridge for up to four days. Simply reheat in the microwave or in a pan with a splash of water to loosen it up.

    Freeze: Store this stew in the freezer in sealed containers or resealable bags for up to six months. Defrost before reheating in the microwave or in a pan with a splash of water.

    Hey you – let me know what you think

    If you made this recipe and enjoyed it – or did anything differently – I'd love to hear from you down below in the comments πŸ‘‡

    You can also find me and let me know on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook @thepeskyvegan πŸŒΏ

    Keep in touch

    Subscribe below to receive a weekly newsletter with my latest recipes. Nice and simple. No pesky pestering. No spam (which wouldn’t be very vegan anyway).

    More vegan recipe ideas

    If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:

    • Ultimate Vegan Haggis
    • Easy Vegan Stovies (Scottish Potato Stew)
    • Vegan 'Beef' Stew
    • Vegan Cottage Pie
    • Lemony Butter Bean Stew
    • Quinoa Stew with Sweet Potato, Broccoli & Lime
    • Easy Vegan Chilli
    • Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chilli
    Hearty Vegan Stew In Bowl

    Hearty Vegan Stew (One-Pot Recipe)

    The Pesky Vegan
    This wholesome, healthy, and hearty vegan stew is packed full of all the good stuff. Featuring veg, lentils, and flavourful herbs, it's also gluten-free.
    5 from 4 votes
    Rate this Recipe Print Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 45 mins
    Total Time 55 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Gluten-free, Vegan
    Servings 6
    Calories 276 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil (or other cooking oil)
    • 2 medium red onions, peeled and thinly sliced
    • 2 large carrots, scrubbed, ends trimmed, and chopped into 1 cm chunks
    • 3 sticks celery, halved lengthways and chopped into 1 cm chunks
    • Approx. 400 g mushrooms, quartered or cut into small chunks (chestnut, closed cup, or button)
    • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
    • Approx. 500 g Maris Piper potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1cm chunks
    • 150 ml red wine (ideally vegan, optional)
    • 1.2 litres vegan stock
    • 2 tablespoons Henderson's Relish (or half the amount of red wine vinegar, see notes)
    • 1 tablespoon Marmite (or other yeast extract if GF)
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 5-6 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
    • 1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)
    • 2x 400 g tins green lentils, drained
    • 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
    • Approx. 150 g curly kale, sliced (shop-bought is often pre-sliced)
    • 4 tablespoons cornflour (or plain flour – see notes)
    • 4 tablespoons cold water
    • Salt and pepper, to taste
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Heat the oil in a large pan on medium heat. Add the sliced red onions and soften for 2-3 minutes.
    • Next, add the carrots and celery and soften for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a good amount of salt and pepper at this point.
    • Once the veg mix has softened, add the mushrooms and garlic and cook for a further 5 minutes. Stir occasionally, turning up the heat if necessary.
    • Throw in the potato cubes and fry these off for 2-3 minutes.
    • If you're including the red wine, pour this in and allow it to cook off for a minute or so.
    • Stir in the vegan stock, Henderson's Relish, Marmite, bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme. It might look like a lot of liquid right now, but it'll cook off and you're going to thicken it later on. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
    • After 15-20 minutes, add the wholegrain mustard, drained green lentils, and curly kale. Stir well and cook for another 6-8 minutes.
    • In a jug or bowl, mix the cornflour with equal parts of cold water. Make sure that this is mixed well as it will prevent the cornflour from going lumpy in the pan. Add the mix to the stew and stir thoroughly. Cook for a few minutes to thicken, turning up the heat if necessary.
    • Remove the herbs, adjust the seasoning to taste, and serve.
    Rate this recipe πŸ‘‡

    Notes

    Veg:Β Feel free to peel the carrots and potatoes, but unless they're particularly dirty it's usually fine to just scrub them under running water. You could swap out the kale for any other leafy green veg such as cabbage, chard, or spring greens.Β 
    Lentils:Β This recipe uses tinned green lentils, but you could swap these for cooked brown or Puy lentils. If cooking dried lentils from scratch, these will need to be soaked and/or cooked in advance. Check outΒ myΒ Beginner’s Guide to PulsesΒ for more info.Β Β 
    Non-GF flour: This recipe uses cornflour as a thickener to keep it gluten-free, but you could simply use plain flour if it doesn’t need to be GF.Β In a jug or bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of plain flour with equal parts of water. Mix well to prevent it from going lumpy in the pan. Add the mix to the stew and stir thoroughly. Cook for a few minutes to thicken, adding more if necessary.Β 
    Gluten-free: If you need to ensure that this recipe is 100% gluten-free, use a vegan stock and yeast extract that are certified or labelled as such.
    Wine:Β If you don’t want to splash out on a bottle of (ideally vegan) red wine, just skip this.Β 
    Henderson's Relish: This famous Sheffield product can be found in eateries and households throughout the city, but I appreciate it may not be available where you are. Feel free to swap it out for Worcestershire sauce or half the amount of red wine vinegar (just be aware that these are not always strictly vegan).
    Variations/tips:Β If you want a meatier texture, try adding some cooked plant-based sausages towards the end of cooking. Another alternative would be plant-based mince. You can buy this frozen, fresh, or in a dried form that’s easy to re-hydrate.Β Β Β 
    Storage:Β You can store this stew in the fridge for up to four days, or in the freezer for up to six months.Β 
    If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like:
    • Ultimate Vegan Haggis
    • Easy Vegan Stovies (Scottish Potato Stew)
    • Vegan Cottage Pie
    • Lemony Butter Bean Stew
    • Easy Vegan Chilli
    • Quinoa Stew with Sweet Potato, Broccoli & Lime
    • Easy Vegan Scalloped Potatoes (Dauphinoise)
    • Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chilli
    Β 
    * The nutrition info below is for one serving, based on a total of six servings.Β 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 276kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 15gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 217mgPotassium: 1340mgFiber: 11gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 6896IUVitamin C: 61mgCalcium: 132mgIron: 7mg
    Nutrition Facts
    Hearty Vegan Stew (One-Pot Recipe)
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 276 Calories from Fat 36
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 4g6%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Sodium 217mg9%
    Potassium 1340mg38%
    Carbohydrates 46g15%
    Fiber 11g46%
    Sugar 6g7%
    Protein 15g30%
    Vitamin A 6896IU138%
    Vitamin C 61mg74%
    Calcium 132mg13%
    Iron 7mg39%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Keyword healthy vegan recipe, lentils, vegan dinner
    Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment down below or tag me on Instagram @thepeskyvegan along with the hashtag #thepeskyvegan

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Corrina

      July 07, 2022 at 6:39 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for the recipe. I made this stew today and put some vegan beef pieces in it, instead of mushrooms. The family loved it, even the non-vegans. I served it with crusty bread.

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        July 12, 2022 at 11:13 pm

        Glad you all enjoyed, thanks very much for the review!

        Reply
    2. Amber

      November 21, 2020 at 12:10 pm

      5 stars
      Really hearty, filling, tasty and full of flavours! Love this, especially in winter .

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        November 21, 2020 at 4:44 pm

        Great to hear you enjoyed, thanks for leaving a review!

        Reply
    3. Vicky

      October 04, 2020 at 2:12 pm

      5 stars
      Tasty and hearty - good winter staple x

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        October 05, 2020 at 11:33 am

        Thanks for the review Vicky!

        Reply
    4. Kristy

      February 11, 2020 at 1:46 pm

      5 stars
      I cooked this last week, and it’s still feeding us 5 days later! A really hearty and delicious recipe that is super easy to make. Just what you need on a winters night. I even have enough ingredients left to make another stew this week - stewpidly simple!

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        February 11, 2020 at 2:43 pm

        Glad to hear it's stretched so far! Thanks for being such an avid stewdent of my recipes πŸ™‚

        Reply

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