Lentil Mushroom Stew Over Mashed Potatoes

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Two serving plates loaded with comforting vegan mashed potatoes topped with super hearty Lentil Mushroom Stew

Friends, prepare yourselves for a hug in the form of a recipe.

Consider this your go-to dish when comfort food is on the brain. Not only is it hearty and satisfying, it’s also simple, requiring just 10 basic ingredients and 40 minutes to make (from start to finish). Let’s comfort food!

Metal serving tray filled with thyme, lentils, mushrooms, potatoes, shallots, and vegetable broth for making Lentil Mushroom Stew Over Mashed Potatoes

The base for this dish is a mushroom and lentil gravy/stew.

It starts with sautéed shallot and mushrooms seasoned with coconut aminos, salt, and pepper for rich, deep flavor. Then come lentils, thyme for aromatics, and vegetable broth. As that’s simmering away, start your mashed potatoes.

Pouring vegetable broth over lentils and veggies in a cast iron skillet to make gluten-free Lentil Mushroom Stew

The mashed potatoes are easy to make as well. Simply peel (or leave skin on for more texture), boil until tender, and mash!

You can go 100 different ways with seasoning mashed potatoes, but we kept things simple: a little salt, pepper, and olive oil, with a few dashes of almond milk for creaminess. SERIOUS yum. For more flavor, you could also add fresh garlic, herbs, or even some vegan parmesan cheese.

Using a potato masher in a glass bowl of cooked potatoes to make vegan mashed potatoes

All that’s left to do is serve! For garnish, we went for more fresh thyme and a little parsley. Vegan parmesan adds a bit more flavor, but it’s certainly optional.

A hearty serving of fiber- and protein-packed Lentil Mushroom Stew Over Mashed Potatoes

We hope you all LOVE this dish! It’s:

Super hearty
Comforting
Flavorful
Healthy
Fiber- + Protein-packed
Quick + Easy
& So tasty

This would make a delicious easy weeknight meal for two or a hearty side for four. It’s reminiscent of Shepherd’s Pie but far easier to make! Plus, you can sauce up the filling a bit more so it’s more like mashed potatoes and gravy. Total swoon!

If you’re into hearty meals, check out our Moroccan Lentil Stuffed Eggplant, Rich Red Curry with Roasted Vegetables, 1-Pot Everyday Lentil Soup, Crispy Gluten-Free Eggplant Parmesan, or Vegan Pumpkin Mac ‘n’ Cheese!

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Close up photo of a plate of gluten-free and plant-based Lentil Mushroom Stew Over Mashed Potatoes

Lentil Mushroom Stew over Mashed Potatoes

Super delicious and hearty mushroom lentil stew gravy over mashed potatoes! Entirely vegan, gluten-free, and grain-free. A delicious and easy-to-make 10-ingredient meal or side!
Author Minimalist Baker
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Plate of Lentil Mushroom Stew Over Mashed Potatoes
4.91 from 281 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4 (side servings*)
Course Entrée
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 1 month
Does it keep? 4 Days

Ingredients

POTATOES

  • 1 pound yellow potatoes, peeled and quartered evenly (I left on some skin for texture)
  • Sea salt + black pepper to taste
  • 1-2 Tbsp olive oil (if avoiding oil, add more almond milk or vegetable broth)
  • 2-4 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk or vegetable broth (for added moisture)

MUSHROOM LENTIL GRAVY

  • 1 Tbsp water (or avocado or olive oil)
  • 1/2 cup chopped shallot
  • 2 cups sliced cremini (or button) mushrooms
  • 1-2 Tbsp coconut aminos
  • 1 pinch each salt and pepper
  • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme (or sub rosemary // use dried if fresh is unavailable)
  • 2/3 cup dry green lentils (rinsed + drained // optional: soak overnight in cool water to improve digestibility)
  • 2-3 cups vegetable broth (or store-bought)
  • 1 Tbsp tomato paste (optional)
  • 2 Tbsp mashed potatoes (recipe above // for thickness)

GARNISH optional

Instructions

  • Heat a large rimmed pan over medium heat. Once hot, add oil or water and shallot and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add mushrooms and coconut aminos and increase heat to medium-high. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
  • Add thyme, lentils, and 2 cups vegetable broth (480 ml // or the smaller end of the range if adjusting recipe size). Bring to a low boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and cook on low for about 20 minutes, adding more broth as needed if the mixture looks dry.
  • In the meantime, add potatoes to a large pot and cover with water so they are just submerged. Bring to a boil on high heat and cook for 12-15 minutes or until they slide off easily when pierced with a knife.
  • Once tender, drain potatoes and add back to pot or a mixing bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and a bit of olive oil and mash until tender and fluffy. For added moisture in place of oil, add unsweetened plain almond milk or vegetable broth.
  • Once lentils are tender, taste sauce and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt or coconut aminos for saltiness, pepper for spice, or tomato paste for more depth of flavor (optional – we didn’t find it necessary). Turn off heat and let the mixture rest so flavors can deepen. Add the 2 Tbsp (30 g // or more as needed) mashed potatoes to the lentil mushroom stew and stir in to thicken.
  • To serve, divide mashed potatoes between serving plates or bowls and top with desired amount of lentil and mushroom gravy. Garnish with fresh parsley, vegan parmesan cheese, or more thyme, if desired.
  • Store leftovers separately, covered, up to 4 days in the refrigerator or in the freezer up to 1 month. Reheat on the stovetop or in a 350 degree F (176 C) oven until hot.

Video

Notes

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with 1 Tbsp oil and without optional ingredients.
*As written, this recipe heartily serves 2 as an entrée or 4 as a side.

Nutrition (1 of 4 servings)

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 276 Carbohydrates: 43.4 g Protein: 10.3 g Fat: 7.7 g Saturated Fat: 0.9 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.89 g Monounsaturated Fat: 4.87 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 196 mg Potassium: 656 mg Fiber: 9 g Sugar: 4.7 g Vitamin A: 764 IU Vitamin C: 13.73 mg Calcium: 50.69 mg Iron: 2.97 mg

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  1. Gina says

    This was delicious and such comfort food (and when have we ever needed comfort food more than the present time…). I followed your recipe to the letter, and it was just so good. And easy. And healthy. Many thanks!

  2. Melissa says

    I made this last night and it was surprisingly delicious! I had all the ingredients on hand, including a big assortment of dried mushrooms, including crimini and oyster, which I rehydrated. After rehydrating the water was used as mushroom broth. It had so much flavor and delicious meaty texture.

    This was enjoyed by the whole family. Filling and healthy comfort food. Thanks for a great recipe!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yay! We’re so glad everyone in the family enjoyed it. Thank you for the lovely review, Melissa! xo

  3. Elle says

    This was absolutely fantastic! I served mine over cauliflower mash and used Bragg Original aminos instead of coconut. Will definitely make this again.

  4. Nina says

    I’ve made this a few times so far – I absolutely love it. Perfect comfort food for a fall day and a great source of plant based protein. I use low sodium soy sauce instead of coconut aminos as that’s what I have on hand – still delicious. Definitely in our winter rotation

  5. Hannah says

    I made this and it was like a liquid warmth straight to my chilled bones. I did have to make several substitutions, since I don’t have coconut aminos or shallots in my local grocery store. I used diced onion in place of shallots at a 1:1 ratio, and a mix of balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce in place of coconut aminos. I’d really recommend soy sauce as the first substitute here, though. I did end up adding regular milk and butter to my mashed potatoes, and this made them richer and more creamy. I also had to add some potato boiling water to my lentil/mushroom mix and put a lid over to soften my lentils a bit longer than what was called for. I added tomato paste, even though I don’t think I needed it. Tastes really lovely, thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad this recipe helped warm you up, Hannah. Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo

  6. Tulsi says

    The flavor of this dish was good; however, mine had the consistency more of a soup than a stew.
    I wanted to thicken it so I pureed some of the lentils and added another spoonful of potatoes. I think perhaps my lentils were not cooked enough because they were still quite firm and chewy after 20 minutes of cooking (I did the overnight soak).

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thank you for sharing your experience, Tulsi. We’re sorry it didn’t turn out quite right! Is it possible your lentils were old? That can cause them to have trouble softening.

  7. Howard Stovall says

    coconut enzymes!?!? I’ve never even heard of this and certainly don’t have any in the pantry. A substitute?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Howard, coconut aminos is a soy-free alternative to soy sauce or tamari. It’s a bit sweeter and less salty. You can use a lesser amount of soy sauce or tamari, if you’d like!

  8. M says

    Absolutely delicious, and even better the next day when sauce has thickened up more. I didn’t follow recipe exactly but used as a guide. I added carrots, garlic and used different spices as don’t like thyme (coriander, fresh oregano, cumin), used soy sauce in place of coconut aminos and made mash with mixture of sweet potato and normal. So good – thank you!

  9. Lyly says

    wow this was so good that I am cooking this again today. Seriously yesterday I was cooking this recipe after a long day and when it came out, I felt alive again, it was so easy to make and so so delicious!! I made mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, added in a bit of almond milk. The sweetness of sweet potato went so well with the saltiness of the dish!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you’re enjoying this recipe, Lyly! Thank you for the lovely review! xo

  10. meghan says

    Delicious and simple. I didnt use the tomato paste, but I might next time just to see but it didn’t need it. I poured it over riced cauliflower because I didnt have potatoes and it was still super tasty. Can’t wait to try it with potatoes.

  11. Shirley says

    This was wonderful! I used canned lentils to make it quicker, and followed the recipe otherwise. I usually make riced cauliflower mashed potatoes, and will do that next time. Definitely will be making this again!

  12. Amy says

    I’m working on putting together a collection of easy vegan dinner recipes, (preferably with leftovers.) This was absolutely delicious and satisfying! I used tamari and brown lentils, but otherwise followed the recipe precisely. The lentils took much longer to cook for me, and I think next time I might add some parsnips to the mashed potatoes for variety, but still a solid winner. Thank you!

  13. Becky Plante says

    I made this and liked it, but it was a little too sweet for me. Could I sub soy sauce for the aminos? Or any other suggestions?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Jill! The large rimmed pan is for the gravy and the pot is for the potatoes. Hope this helps!

  14. Christina says

    I love this recipe! I’ve made it for years. (I believe it had a different name but everything else is the same.) It is always is so good and one of my winter staples that I make a lot this time of year. Thanks for all your creative tasty dishes!

  15. Ashley J Batley says

    This was fabulous. My doubting kids even enjoyed it. Made it without the tomato paste and thought it had plenty of flavor.

  16. Christine says

    Really good. I used soy sauce instead of coconut aminos. I made rice instead of mashed potatoes and added a little gluten free flour to sauce to thicken since I didn’t have any mashed potatoes. I will make this again. Thanks for the recipe.

  17. Kristen says

    I’ve made this several times and it’s always delicious. It’s so nice to have a winner for the whole family that fills everybody’s food requirements. I usually add chopped carrots for interest and I usually stick with a glob of tomato paste in there. We all really love it. Next time i have a potluck to attend I plan to take it made up like a shepherd’s pie.
    Note – black lentils will make the whole thing a weird shade of grey. Ask me how i know, haha. Thanks for this recipe! K

  18. Kim says

    The mushroom lentil gravy was delicious. Like a few other folks, I made minor substitutions (dry rosemary, onion instead of shallot, added the tomato paste). The potatoes were quite dry, though, so I’ll make some modifications next time — perhaps add more broth to the gravy, as the recipe suggests. Otherwise, I’ll definitely make this again. Thank you!

  19. Kat says

    This was delicious, and such a nice change of pace from pasta or rice. I used fresh rosemary, which is probably my favorite herb, plus some dried herb mix. My husband, who doesn’t like anything on his mashed potatoes except butter, just ate the lentil stew separately in a bowl and thought it was really good that way. I did put in the optional tomato paste to add more umami flavor. Thank you for a great recipe!

  20. Alina S says

    Made this tonight and it was delicious!
    I made a double batch, couldn’t find shallots so I used yellow onion. I added minced garlic to the mushrooms, and also added a couple splashes of balsamic vinegar in addition to the soy sauce. I used a mixture of butter and olive oil for the mashed potatoes. I look forward to making this again, perfect comfort food meal.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it and will be making it again. Thank you for the lovely review, Alina! xo

  21. Teresa M Rodriguez says

    Another incredible recipe!! My plan was to let it cool and flavors to blend before eating it…that did not happen! After reading all the reviews here, I made a double batch so I would have A LOT and I am so glad I did! Added the tomato paste, a bunch of black pepper, 2 tbsp cornstarch in place of potato, and ate it over wild rice. Also used baby bella mushrooms. Soaked the lentils overnight and it took no time to cook up! I don’t know the who’s and what’s of how this website has the best recipes ever, but it does, so, Thank you so much! Also, this is one of the easiest, low cost recipes I have ever made. Definitely making this many more times!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoy our recipes, Teresa. It’s really important to us that our recipes work for as many people as possible so we’re thrilled to hear you’ve had a positive experience here! Thank you so much for your kind words and lovely review! xo

  22. Kaelyn says

    I’ve been making this recipe for years and I keep coming back to it! SO flavourful, satisfying and delicious. thank you <3

  23. Seth says

    This was delicious and smelled great. The mashed potatoes were a great addition to this dish. Made as written. I think I soaked my lentils for about 4-6hrs and they cooked just fine in 20 mins.

  24. reader says

    This is absolutely DELICIOUS!!! The only change I made the second time was to soak the lentils in hot water for an hour, then drain and continue the recipe as written — they never made it to the right texture the first time, even though I cooked them 20 minutes longer than the original 20 minute instruction. Must’ve had weird lentils! LOL Anyhoo, soaking made it work perfectly for me — and we loved it so much that the second time I made a double batch! We ate it alone, spooned over baked potatoes or brown rice, even as a filling for enchiladas topped with vegan cheese sauce. We eat a ton of soup beans (navy and pinto mix), black beans, etc., but not many lentils, so it’s great to add them to our rotation. THANKS!! (though I have to say the pop-up ad along the bottom, the pop-up wanting to track my location, the moving ads in the right margin that don’t have an X to close….. whew… good thing I’m not epilectic or have ADHD because it’s just too much visual crap to ignore if I hadn’t wanted to leave a review, so I doubt I’ll be back)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe! Thank you for sharing and thank you for your feedback. We’ll look into it! We always try to optimize for user experience, while also having ads to keep the content free and high quality.

  25. marijka says

    Just made this stew for the first time, and my ONLY comment is that for me, I had to cook it 35 minutes for the green lentils to soften enough – not 20 minutes, so I had to add more water along the way. (will soak them next time) It is DELICIOUS!!! I added it to my weekly food prep for the fridge of roasted butternut squash, steamed potatoes, brown rice, crispy quinoa, steamed broccoli, fresh salad greens, vegan cheese sauce, etc., and am freaking excited to top any and all of these things! I used 1 tbsp of Braggs Liquid Aminos and found it a bit strong for my taste when eaten alone off a spoon, but know it will be perfect combined with a starch. THIS ROCKS! THANK YOU! (and as I type am thinking this would be amazing blended into a dip and scooped up with vegs and homemade corn tortilla chips)

  26. Leia Spencer says

    I made this but used vegetable broth and white wine instead of aminos, as I had none. I didn’t feel like tomato sauce so just skipped them all together! It turned out very nice. More the flavour of a risotto for sure. Not sure how anyone expect lentils to cook in 20mins, hands down they take at least 40. So I had to add more water for the lentils.

  27. Holly says

    Just wondering how this would turn out without mushrooms, we’re not fans. Otherwise it looks delicious…any try it sans mushrooms?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Holly, we don’t think it would be as good, but you could try subbing more shallot and maybe another veggie, too. Other readers who dislike mushrooms have commented they like this one though (especially when finely chopping the mushrooms)! Let us know if you give it a try!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Lorraine! We’d suggest sautéing through step 2. Then add 2 to 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth, seal the lid, and pressure cook for 7-8 minutes. At the end of pressure cooking, there will be leftover liquid which you can evaporate out by setting to sauté for ~10 minutes (uncovered), stirring occasionally until thickened. Let us know how it goes!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Amanda, we’d suggest sautéing through step 2. Then add 2 to 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth, seal the lid, and pressure cook for 7-8 minutes. At the end of pressure cooking, there will be leftover liquid which you can evaporate out by setting to sauté for ~10 minutes (uncovered), stirring occasionally until thickened. Let us know how it goes!

  28. Joan Money says

    This is wonderful! I made it into a stew using leftover baked potatoes cooked in the air fryer a couple of nights ago instead of mashed potatoes. I cut them up into big chunks and added them at the end so that they could re-heat. Also, I made a broth from white miso paste and water – great flavor. Finally, instead of tomato paste I used about 5 slices of dehydrated roma tomatoes from the summer bounty. All in all, great flavor and quick to put together. I will make this again! Thank you!

  29. Kay says

    Delicious. I used shiitake and oyster mushrooms. But no amount of mashed potatoes was thickening the gravy. I ended up using quite a bit of cornstarch, even after using the low end amount of broth.

  30. The Vegan Goddess says

    Delicious! This is a perfect meal for a cold, wintry day: hearty, healthy and satisfying. More vegan goodness!

    It comes together easily and thyme is a nice fragrant touch.

    I will make this again!

  31. Ani says

    Made this over creamy polenta because I had some leftover. Yummy combo! I also threw some queso fresco on top because it was hanging around and it brought some night saltiness. There was a sweetness I wasn’t sure about…maybe from the coconut aminos? I would be curious to try with tamari next time. Overall pretty easy and very yummy and I will for sure make again. And I don’t usually like mushrooms!

  32. AnwenT says

    Made this for lunch just now and it is DELICIOUS! I held off on the tomato paste actually because even as it was coming together I could tell there would be no need. There’s something about the way that mushrooms and thyme combine that is magic. As usual, I didn’t have a perfect set of ingredients, so I subbed finely chopped onion for shallots, and Bragg’s Aminos for Coconut Aminos. Don’t pass on the mashed potatoes element of this receipt! I left the skins on and mashed mine with a small amount of soy butter, salt and pepper (no milk, because I like my potatoes less wet). It truly is a hug in a meal!

  33. Heather Stoelting says

    This was the second year I made this for the vegan Thanksgiving entree. So full of flavor. I didn’t add mashed potatoes because I thought it was perfect. Served with mashed potatoes, vegan stuffing, and some delicious salads for an amazing vegan Thanksgiving.

  34. Ruth says

    This was a great, cheap, easy, comforting meal. I added some garlic to the onions, and some nutritional yeast to the potatoes. Only had dried thyme, but added some fresh dill to the finished dish. Another keeper! Thank you.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Sofia, You can, but red lentils cook faster and tend to become mushier. So if you’re OK with that, go for it!

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Hi Mary, you can cook them for about 10-15 minutes in step 3, depending if you’re using split or whole red lentils. Split red lentils will cook faster than whole. We’d suggesting tasting them at 10 minutes to see if they’re tender, adding more time, as needed. Hope that helps!

  35. Sandra says

    I did add a jump of tomato paste but I think it would have been fine without it. Also used soy sauce. Started with only 1 tbsp but added another when I was adjusting it after cooking. Needed to cook the lentils for a bit longer than the initial 20 minutes. My potatoes were a bit watery too but that’s my fault lol. Grated Parmesan before serving. Tasty and filling. Will make again.

  36. Brian Hall says

    I made this with cheesy polenta base. Not vegan, but dang, was it good! This is now on the list of food I would proud to serve to guests.

  37. Sara says

    This recipe was absolute perfection! I followed the recipe exactly as written and it couldn’t have been better. My 7 year old, who isn’t always a fan of mushrooms, asked for seconds. As a bonus, it came together quickly making it the ideal weeknight meal. Only downside is that my family lived it so much that there aren’t enough leftovers for my lunch tomorrow!

  38. Salena says

    So easy, delicious, and savory! I wasn’t feeling lentils though so I threw vegan apple sage field roast sausages in a food processor to replace them and I really liked the texture. It was like thanksgiving! Thank you MB!

  39. Elizabeth says

    This was delicious. We used a mixture of cremini and shiitakes. Our mash contained gold potatoes plus one white and one orange sweet potato, plus olive oil and oat milk. I added in some tomato powder near the end of the cooking time. Yum.

  40. Ashley McGrath says

    I just made this tonight, and it was absolutely perfect – warm, comforting, healthy and a good balance of flavors.
    I didn’t have shallots, so I used onion (and added some minced garlic cause why not?!) I used mini portabellas, and I love the flavor they retain with the coconut aminos. The lentil stew with the mashed potato combo evokes thanksgiving but with an interesting depth of flavor. Thank you Minimalist Baker for the lovely, reliable recipes!

  41. Shelley says

    Thank you! This was really delicious. We loved it.
    I had to cook mine much longer because I did not soak the lentils. I did a quick 15 min boil and it still took forever. Next time I will soak them.
    I didn’t use tomato paste and it was perfect!

  42. Anne N. says

    I made this last week after searching for a mushroom gravy recipe. It was delicious! I love the idea of making a meal out of mushroom gravy by adding lentils to make it more filling and give it some protein. It’s also a great recipe for when I’m feeling lazy because it doesn’t require sauteing the mushrooms. I also love the vegan mashed potato recipe that is a part of this recipe. I have saved this recipe under my “vegan_faves” bookmark and I will definitely be making it on a regular basis all fall and winter!

  43. Paula Chapin says

    I made the lentil mushroom stew over mashed potatoes tonight. Although we are not vegan, this was a delicious dish and very different than what we are used to having. Definitely recommend it for ease of preparation and a unique dish.

  44. Kristen says

    Really good. It’s tough to find comfort food that the cheese and meat eaters in my house will accept. On this rainy, cold evening it totally fit the bill for the whole family. I substituted homemade chicken broth in both potatoes and stew and went for about 1tsp of tomato paste just for colour. Thanks for such a delightful recipe.

  45. Sheryl says

    This is a quick and easy meal. I love tomatoes so added a chopped tomato toward the end of cooking. It was great with nutritional yeast sprinkled on top.

  46. Michelle says

    Delicious and very easy to make. Only substitute I did was to use soya sauce Instead of the coconut aminos as I didn’t have any on hand. Will definetely be making again! Thanks

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Cathy, we haven’t tried this with beans but we think most varieties would work as long as they’re on the smaller side. Let us know how it goes!

  47. Kelsey says

    This was a perfect “use what’s in the pantry” recipe! Used canned brown lentils instead of green, replaced coconut aminos with soy sauce because that’s what we already had in the fridge. Omitted tomato paste.
    Added nutlex vegan butter to the mash, cracked pepper. Added garlic powder to the mushroom lentil mix. Didn’t bother peeling the potatoes at all, and it was still delish. :)
    Omitted vegan cheese because it’s pricey at the moment.
    Only regret is not making more of it. Will keep this one on file for go-to easy meals to make in bulk.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Kelsey. Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo

  48. Jennifer R says

    Wow! This was delicious! I used dried thyme and added a little garlic with the onions in the beginning because it felt weird not to. I did use some tomato paste at the end – maybe a tablespoon. Not sure why it hit the spot so hard but this was very, very yummy!!! Thank you for posting this recipe!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Aw, yay! We’re so glad it hit the spot! Thank you for the wonderful review, Jennifer! xo

  49. Bryan says

    Great recipe. Really hit the spot. I made a double batch to freeze and use for a quick weeknight meal. Next time I might add some carrots to add a little more color and texture, but it’s excellent as is.

  50. Lauren says

    Another amazing recipe! I used a tablespoon of fresh thyme and 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary, also I’m not a fan of large pieces of mushrooms so I chopped them up instead and it came out great!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Amazing! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Lauren! xo

  51. Emily says

    Wow! I made this for meal prep last night and I am eating it today. It turned out so great! I used tamari in place of the coconut aminos because that’s what I had on hand. I added 1 clove of garlic because I love garlic. I also served it over brown rice instead of potatoes and it paired well together. Will definitely be adding this to my regular rotation!

  52. Louise says

    Oh my! Made this for the first time tonight and when my wife came home from work the delicious smell had her practically floating to the kitchen like a cartoon character. I made it exactly as written did not add the optional tomato paste and it was delicious!

  53. Ess says

    Terrific recipe! I used organic ketchup (just a TBSP) instead of tomato paste (none in the house) with crimini mushrooms. And I used russet potatoes as I didn’t have yellow. I used vegetable broth and added some nutritional yeast to the mashed potatoes. Total yum. Will be making this again. Even my meat-a-tarian spouse asked for this again!

  54. JP says

    Love this dish! Made it twice. One with coconut aminos, and one with tamari instead. Not sure if that is what made the difference, but the tamari version had a deeper flavor. I also cooked the lentils a little longer as we like them on the softer side. Amazing! Thanks for another great recipe.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoy it! Tamari would have a deeper flavor. Thank you for the lovely review! xo

  55. Nikki H. says

    This was really tasty!! I love it! I tried it with sweet potatoes and the sweetness of those mixed with the savory lentils was lovely!!

    One note: I couldn’t find the step when we are supposed to add the tomato paste. I just added it with the lentils and broth. Not sure if that’s where it was supposed to go but it worked:)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Nikki! Thank you for sharing! That definitely works – or you can add it in step 6.

  56. Heather says

    I made this for Thanksgiving dinner and it was so delicious! Our extended family had turkey and lots of vegan friendly sides, so I had the stew on vegan mashed potatoes and stuffing, with plenty of other veggie sides and the non-vegans admired my plate and told me to take a pic! Loved this and will be making it all winter!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Aw, we’re so glad you enjoyed it, Heather! Thank you for the lovely review and hope you had a great Thanksgiving! xo

  57. Zarah says

    Absolutely delicious!
    I added a few tsp of red wine, but stayed rather true to the recipe otherwise, and it was really just SO good! Definitely one to be added to “the rotation”. Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      That sounds like a wonderful addition! We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the lovely review, Zarah! xo

  58. Kara says

    Hi, I was wondering what you would suggest for broth:lentil ratio and cook time if I attempted this in the instant pot.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Kara, we usually use 3 cups liquid: 1 cup lentils in the Instant Pot so they’re completely covered, which encourages even cooking. At the end of pressure cooking, there will be leftover liquid which you can either drain out or set to sauté for ~10 minutes with the lid removed to evaporate. We’d suggest taking a look at our Instant Pot lentils recipe. Hope that helps!

  59. Nina says

    Oh my this was fantastic! I am a MB fanatic and make your dishes several times a week. My meat loving husband just had two bowls of this tonight and wants the rest for leftovers tomorrow! I followed all the steps, had to sub in shiitakes since that’s what I had (and needed to use up). I did add a few chopped carrots when the mushrooms were added for some more color. Olive oil for all the sauteing, blend of fresh and dried thyme, coco aminos, about 3 cups of homemade veg broth (your receipe of course) and the tomato paste at the end definitely gave it a nice richness. I would probably quadruple the mashed potatoes next time, we like taters! I also soaked my green lentils overnight as suggested. I would like to try this next with black lentils as well. This was such a rich, hearty, healthy and nutritious meal – I would eat this in a restaurant! So satisfying! Thanks MB for sharing your talents with us – your recipes have made me a much more confident and adventurous cook!

  60. dana says

    This meal is like a big hug and makes excellent leftovers. I used red onion instead of shallots + lemon thyme from the garden. Highly recommend soaking the lentils for digestion! And don’t leave out the tomato paste… I recommend adding before the liquids. Even after soaking I used 3 cups of broth, but I do prefer them slightly mushier. So good!! Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Aw, love that – definitely a huge hug! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo

      • Heather says

        This is comfort food at its best. I added two bay leafs and to thicken the gravy I mixed in 2tbsp flour blended into cold water at the end rather than using potato. Great recipe, I’ll definitely use it again and again!!

  61. Kat Smith says

    This was absolutely delicious, I substituted shallots for Brown onion, and coconut aminos fir tamari, used dried thyme, and added more lentils and extra stock. It was amazing. The house smelled beautiful while it was cooking, and even my mushroom hating 13yo son and meat loving 15yo son loved it, actually the 15yo had 2 bowls…. Hubby was skeptical but agreed it was yum and said he’d happily eat it again. All up I figured it cost about $10 for enough to feed a hungry family of 4, plus extra, and there was even enough left for our pet chickens to have a treat too (or lunch tomorrow, but the chickens we begging).

  62. Amy says

    Hello! Does it matter if I use red lentils?? I saw someone else ask but I didn’t see a reply. I, too, have a bag of red I would like to use up. :)

    P.S. Thank you for all the wonderful recipes!

  63. Theresa says

    So good! I added some sweet potatoes I had left over. I didn’t have that coconut thing so I just added some soy sauce. And I admit I added butter to the potatoes. They were amazing.

  64. Karen Sultan says

    This was fabulous. Next time I will try the tomato paste. I added a little ghee to the potatoes, which made them a little sweeter and creamier.

  65. Stacy says

    We tried this last night, and it was really satisfying. The stew is very much like a hearty gravy, giving this the feel of comfort food, but knowing it’s pretty healthy. The only issue is that we have much more stew left than potatoes; we’ll use naan or something to make up the difference and add an extra potato or two next time.