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.
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.
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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.
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
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
Start by slicing the onions and chopping the other veg into small chunks. Fry these until they begin to soften slightly.
After adding the mushrooms and garlic, fry off the potato cubes for a few minutes.
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.
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.
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.
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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 (One-Pot Recipe)
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
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.
Notes
- 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
Nutrition
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Corrina
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.
The Pesky Vegan
Glad you all enjoyed, thanks very much for the review!
Amber
Really hearty, filling, tasty and full of flavours! Love this, especially in winter .
The Pesky Vegan
Great to hear you enjoyed, thanks for leaving a review!
Vicky
Tasty and hearty - good winter staple x
The Pesky Vegan
Thanks for the review Vicky!
Kristy
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!
The Pesky Vegan
Glad to hear it's stretched so far! Thanks for being such an avid stewdent of my recipes 🙂