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!
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.
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.
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.
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!
- 1 pound (454 g) yellow potatoes, peeled and quartered evenly (I left on some skin for texture)
- Sea salt + black pepper to taste
- 1-2 Tbsp (15-30 ml) olive oil (if avoiding oil, add more almond milk or vegetable broth)
- 2-4 Tbsp (30-60 ml) unsweetened almond milk or vegetable broth (for added moisture)
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) water (or avocado or olive oil)
- 1/2 cup (80 g) chopped shallot
- 2 cups (140 g) sliced cremini (or button) mushrooms
- 1-2 Tbsp (15-30 ml) coconut aminos
- Pinch each salt and pepper
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme (or sub rosemary // use dried if fresh is unavailable)
- 2/3 cup (128 g) dry green lentils, rinsed + drained (optional: soak overnight in cool water to improve digestibility)
- 2-3 cups (480-720 ml) vegetable broth (or store-bought)
- optional: 1 Tbsp (16 g) tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp mashed potatoes (recipe above // for thickness)
- Fresh chopped parsley
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese
- 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 (480 ml) vegetable broth. 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) 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.
this looks great! would you think this would be good if it were over cauliflower mash to save some calories?
Lisa, I was thinking the exact same thing!
Absolutely!
Hey Lisa, I made this dish with cauliflower “mashed potatoes” last night and it was awesome. :)
Technically it’s Spring here but just had massive rain showers coming down. In other words: while the season asks for salads, the weather (and me) wants comfort food.
This seems just perfect for tonight, though I think instead of mashed potatoes I’ll go for polenta (and use some potato starch to thicken the sauce if needed).
Agreed! It’s still cold and rainy in our neck of the woods. Comfort food it is!
Or… a friend unexpectedly dropped by with a bottle of wine and takeout… (the downside of being your own boss and working from home is also the plusside, I’m guessing you know how it works)
But tomorrow it should still be raining. Forgive me the one day delay. :D
(also: your vegan biscuits are killer! make them way too often.)
I am imagining a mashed potato bowl with the potatoes as the base, this stew on top and to the side, and add some greens to the bowl, maybe collard greens, sautéed with onions and garlic and maybe even a roasted red pepper into the mix… Shopping today, making this for tomorrow.
I love your recipes and how imaginative they are. You inspire me!
Thanks, Leslie
Smart! Thanks for sharing! Hope you love it.
YUM! This would be SO DELICIOUS over GF/DF polenta too!
Smart!
Hi
What is coconut aminos ?
I’m living in Mexico and not sure if I can find this item ….what could I substitute with??
Gracias, Lisa
You can easily sub gluten-free tamari or soy sauce! Coconut aminos is a soy-free alternative to soy sauce, with a less pungent flavor. I usually double the amount of coconut aminos I would add to a recipe that calls for soy sauce. So, if a recipe calls for 2 Tbsp soy sauce/tamari, I’d probably add 3-4 Tbsp coconut aminos. Hope that helps!
Thanks, was about to ask the same question … Great that I checked :-) will definitely be making it.
Looks like reverse vegan shepherd’s pie. I’m digging it.
Could you sub red lentils?
You can, but red lentils cook faster and tend to become mushier. So if you’re OK with that, go for it!
Any suggestions on what I could do to swap out mushrooms? My family claims to not like them.
Ha, claims. Well, I would think cauliflower, carrots, and celery would be nice here, too :D
Roasted carrots on top sounds sooo good to me! Totally making this recipe! Thank you!!!
When I make your lentil chili or sloppy Joe’s, I serve the leftovers over mashed potatoes with (your recipe) garlic parmesan green beans…we have this every week…so good! I cook almost exclusively from your cookbook & website & I thank you for making our transition to vegan eating so easy & delicious!
Smart! And so kind. Thanks for sharing, Suzanne! xo
I can’t seem to find the garlic parmasean green beans, and I’d really love to try them. Please link them!
Gonna make this recipe tomorrow! Sounds delicious.
Sounds like a wonderful dish! I never combined lentils and potatoes except with Indian food. Can you use any other kind of potatoes or even sweet potato?
Totally!
You’ve done it AGAIN! Your my favorite food blogger! Your so gifted and ahelping so many people with allergies, autoimmune, and people who just want healthy recipes that taste good! Everything works , tastes great, and is simple. Our family had used your recipes for years -time to review!
So kind – thanks Heather!
I need to make this! Looks so delicious. Would Braggs liquid aminos Work in place of the coconut aminos?
I think so, yes!
Why have I never thought to do this? I always whine that shepherds pie takes too long. This is perfect!
I had a bunch of potatoes that needed to be used, and when I saw your recipe today I knew I had to make this. It was delicious! Thank you for this recipe and all the others you have shared with us. You are amazing!!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Rose!
Looks amazing. Would canned lentils work?
Yes! Just cook for less time.
Oh gosh it looks great… Making me starving now!
How I wish I can grab a plate of that on my desk now.
It’s a good sharing for new recipe, keep it going~
You are amazing! I cannot wait to make this!
What would be good to add to get an extra kick of protein?
Recipe looks great!
This is actually quite protein rich! But you could double the lentils (just add more broth to compensate).
What vegetable broth do you use? It always looks so bright and colorful in your pictures! (It’s the orange liquid, right?)
This looks delicious… can’t wait to try it. :)
I either use my DIY (https://minimalistbaker.com/easy-1-pot-vegetable-broth/) or Imagine brand.
Scrumptious, simple and elegant.
Made this for lunch. It was delicious!! Great recipe!!
Thanks for sharing! xo
Your vegetable broth looks devine! Do you make your own?
I either use my DIY (https://minimalistbaker.com/easy-1-pot-vegetable-broth/) or Imagine brand.
This was AMAZING! I made it with just a few changes:) I used a package of tempeh, cubed and sautéed with the shallots instead of the lentils, and mushroom broth in place of the veggie. Served over mashed turnips. I can’t wait to make this again – trying it with lentils.
Made this last night and it was another hit! We recently moved to Switzerland from the U.S. Since I don’t have a full–time job I’m doing all the cooking. At first it was so stressful (to add to it my husband is a chef) but I keep going to your blog again & again and now I look forward to cooking dinner. Some of the ingredients aren’t available here (for example, baking soda isn’t sold here as a cooking ingredient, you can only get cleaning grade baking soda) but I creatively substitute. A thousand thanks!
Yay! We’re glad you enjoyed it!
Boni, you can definitely get baking soda in Switzerland. It’s called Natron and sold in the baking aisle. One popular brand is Dr. Oetker.
So simple but probably one of the best dinners I have ever made! My carnivorous parents devoured it and wanted more. Made it exactly as you stated but without shallots, instead I just added about a tablespoon or so of onion powder. It was divine, thank you so much!!
Wow, thanks Tyra!
This was delicious! I added some fresh spinach.
Thanks, Lorraine!
So. Good. Added garlic to the potatoes, and some butter. Yummmm.
SMART! Thanks for sharing, Emily!
In the wise words of Owen Wilson; “Wow.”
Didn’t think your recipes could get any better, but here we are. This was perfect timing too, as I had some mushrooms I wanted to use up.
My lentils and mushrooms didn’t turn out as stew-y as yours did, despite using 3 cups of broth in addition to more water, but I think that could have been because my stove is finicky and difficult to get mid-range temperatures (it’s either blazing hot or lighter than a simmer), so my temp could have been too high. I think next time I’ll add even more mushrooms.
Other than that, flavors were spot on. Major comfort dish here; seriously recommend.
lol, love Owen! And this comment. xo!
Made this tonight and doubled the recipe since I figured I’d want extra. It made about 5 entree portions, so spot on! The green lentils took way longer than I anticipated – 40 minutes and still a little al dente. May cook them a little in advance next time. Flavors so good! Will make again.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Corey!
This is crazy delicious. Thanks for such a terrific recipe, as always.
Yay, thanks Jamie!
Hi from Portugal
I made this last night and it was delicious. I used barley instead of lentils and it was a hit (so creamy, like risoto and tasty). Thank you for the recipe and for the hug.
Yay! We’re glad you enjoyed it Lara! Thanks for sharing your recipe sub!
I am just dying to know what the song is in the video demo you did? Can you share?
Hi Aruna! The song is “The Cloud” by Ian Post
Absolutely wonderful! Didn’t use nor need the tomato paste, lots of flavor. Will certainly make again.
Thanks, Jane!
Went to the grocery for potatoes but put them down to buy avocados and then forgot them! So I made mashed cauliflower with sauteed garlic and rosemary. I needed way more water and way more time to cook the lentils, but despite that, it was delicious!
We’re glad you enjoyed it, Vanessa! If you get a chance, do you mind rating the recipe? It would help us enormously :D
Oops!
I am making this recipe today… I can’t wait… it looks delicious. All the recipes I have made from your website are delicious… thank you for all your hard work.
We hope you love the recipe, Jessica! If you get a chance, please rate the recipe once you’ve tried it as it helps us enormously! Happy Cooking :D
It was delicious!!
Yay! Glad to hear it, Jessica!
Made this last night, was absolutely delicious. I used canned lentils as it was all I had, so I used a little less broth and it turned out great! Even my 4.5 year old loved it! Next time I will double the recipe, as I’m sure the leftovers would be even better.
Lovely, thanks for sharing, Julie!
I made this dish! In fact, I’m eating it right now. I like it. Delicious. A nice change from the sometimes boring plant based routine. I used dried rosemary…which I didn’t love. I think it could use a lot less than 2Tbls dried. Not sure if fresh and dried are equal. Maybe I will grind the dried rosemary next time…any ideas? Otherwise absolutely perfect! (Walking to the pot for another helping)
For dried I usually use less than I would fresh. Glad you still enjoyed it, Byrd! Lovely name, btw :D
I made this yesterday. What a fabulous dish. I used sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes. The aroma of this cooking in the house was amazing, needless to say, the taste was even better
Smart! Thanks for sharing!!
Just made this. SO tasty. I saw the pictures and thought no way could it be as flavorful as it looks, but it is. Adding this to my rotation for sure! I made mashed cauliflower in lieu of potatoes and added a side of roasted carrots.
Ah, thanks Diana!
Thanks Dana, this was delicious. My non plant based husband LOVED it. The flavor was very rich and well balanced.
Yay! Thanks, Lauren!
Made this tonight with half cremini/half shitake mushrooms and tamari (halved amount) instead of coconut aminos. Was absolutely fabulous! Would add less oil to the potatoes next time as I found them a bit dense. I am trying to eat more plant based for various reasons (I am not vegan) and this will make its way into my regular rotation. The flavors definitely compete well with meat-based dishes!!! :) thank you for another wonderful recipe Dana!! Would have loved to give it an extra half star haha !
Lovely! thanks for sharing, Milan! Lovely name, btw ; D
This was excellent! We will definitely be making again and again!
Yay! thanks, Darlene :D
I used water to Sauté, subbed better than bouillon for broth and yellow onion for shallot, left out the tomato paste and salt, and used an Italian dry spice mix instead of the herbs mentioned. I did have to add quite a bit more water than was called for but that may have been because the stove I was cooking on doesn’t have low enough heat to simmer. I didn’t miss the oil or tomato paste at all. It was a huge hit! I will definitely be making it again.
Yay! Thanks for sharing your recipe changes, Shannon!
Made this tonight. The best lentils I have cooked, ever! I added carrot because when I think of lentils I think of carrots. Used Tamari instead of the aminos as that’s what I had. I also made a cumin oil to drizzle over. I don’t know.. I have been craving certain flavors lately. A wonderful dinner. Thanks.
Yay! thanks for sharing!
I made this tonight, and it turned out super yummy. It’s a great comfort food, vegan style. Thanks for this great recipe, Dana❤️🙏
We’re glad you enjoyed it Sandy!
made it twice by now…. absolutelly delicious ! love it and so is everyone that has tasted it ❤
Thanks, Hanna!
I made this dish tonight. I substituted farro for the lentils and it was delicious. I used baby portobello mushrooms. It
needed three cups of vegetable broth. Next time I’ll add more mushrooms. I served it with steamed cauliflower.
Smart! Thanks for sharing, Nadine :D
I didn’t have any coconut amino’s or soy sauce, so I subbed Worcestershire. The flavor somehow was just like a Sunday roast, so good!
You always make the best recipes!
Commenting again to give this recipe 5 stars!
Thanks Hannah!
Thanks for sharing your recipe sub!
Just finished eating this, and it was impressively good! And so crazy how much depth of flavour there was! I made it more
into a traditional stew and added carrots, celery, and peas. My 9 year old daughter couldn’t stop eating it! :)
We’re so glad you and your daughter enjoyed it, Kat!
Made this on one of the first autumn feeling days or the season for my partner and we both loved it – thank you !
Yay! Glad to hear you both enjoyed it, Caitlin!
Just had this for dinner and it was so delicious! I had to add extra water as the lentils were simmering, but other than that, I followed the recipe exactly. I happened to have an open can of tomato paste, so I added that and the addition was lovely. Love the idea of adding mashed potatoes to thicken the gravy! Will definitely be making this again!
Yay! We’re glad you enjoyed the recipe!
So delicious! Followed recipe to the tee. Didn’t need the tomato paste or extra seasoning. The only sad part was that there aren’t any leftovers. I’d double the recipe for lunch the next day.
haha, thanks Rebecca!
If I soak the lentils beforehand, do I still use 2/3 of a cup (since they expand)? Or should I measure 2/3 c before soaking?
Additionally, should I adjust the amount of broth if I soak beforehand?
Thanks!
Use 2/3 cup of dried lentils before soaking and you shouldn’t need to adjust the amount of broth.
I just made this for dinner and it’s great! Easy to follow and execute. I have made many recipes from your blog and have loved them, thanks!
Yay! thanks, Michelle!
This is simmering overly stove right now, about 5 minutes to go! I can’t wait to dive in, what a great idea! We are having a green salad on the side :-)
Lovely!
Delicious! My husband loved it :)
Yay, thanks Sheilah!
Awesome! I just made it for dinner. Since I wasn’t planning on making mashed potatoes (I served on a bed of steamed kale), I added a baby potato with the lentils and then smashed it at the end to thicken. I did add the tomato paste – not because it lacked flavor but because I was curious. Highly recommend!! Thanks for a great dinner!
Thanks Penny!
5 stars for sure.
Yay!
This was wonderful! We made it following the instructions but left out the coconut aminos.
Highly recommend it!
Simply delicious and very filling!
Thanks, Susan!
Thank you, this was incredible. I took the time to make your vegetable broth the previous night and made this stew for dinner last night. Wow. It is an incredibly tasty and hearty meal and took no time at all to prepare. I hate substituting anything in a tried and tested recipe but I could not find cocnut amino here at all so I did have to swap that out for Maggi seasoning. Thanks again for sharing, this is a keeper!
Lovely, thanks for sharing, Sam!
One of my all-time fav Minimalist Baker recipes. Super easy to make and the flavor is AMAZING! I added fresh garlic and kale to the lentil mixture and it was 👌. I also added the tomato paste and loved it, and I used Tamari instead of coconut aminos. My boyfriend had two HUGE helpings.
PS – the smell of sautéed shallot + garlic + tamari is to die for 😊
We’re so glad to hear that, Christie!
Made it. Really yummy even though I changed things due to not having ingredients! Used onion instead of shallot and chicken broth (sorry ;) instead of veggie broth. Served over a mix of yukon gold and cauliflower mash. Next time I’m going to try tamari instead of the coconut aminos because they seem to be a bit sweet. Really enjoyed it! Served with fresh sauted asparagus with garlic. I maya add some fresh spinach next time. Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
Thanks for sharing your changes, Karen! We’re glad you enjoyed it :)
Absolutely delicious! I will definitely make this again. Maybe we’re just big eaters, but I shared this with one other person and we finished it all, so I might double it next time to have leftovers or if I’m serving three or four people. I made the recipe as written, except using soy sauce instead of aminos and dried rosemary instead of fresh. I soaked the lentils and had no problem digesting them. Thanks for another absolute winner of a recipe Dana!
Thanks, Grace!!
This was my first venture into cooking mushrooms and I’m so glad I tried this recipe! I love that your ideas are always easy to follow and have great end results. No pinterest fails here. Thank you!
Yay! We’re glad you enjoyed it, Jen!
Perfect for Canadian “spring” weather with freezing rain! Made this tonight and everyone loved it! So delicious and the house smells amazing! Will definitely make it again soon!
haha, right? We’re still waiting for the sun to come out in Portland :D
This is absolutely delicious and goes together quickly. I’ve made it twice now, once with some modifications based on what I had in my fridge, and this time as is, with the exception of I used mushroom broth in place of the veggie. I like it with the tomato paste. This will be a go-to from now on. Thanks for the fantastic recipe.
Made this last night, it was delicious! I think I will add more veggies next time-carrots, green beans, celery, peas all sound good.
Loved this! It is going to become one of the staple recipes in my rotation. Its hearty and filling without feeling heavy. I made it to bring for lunch this week. It tastes even better reheated. I snuck some kale in with the lentils to get a little more green in my diet. I also added a dash of worcestshire sauce.
Loved how savory this was…did not pull the stems off of the thyme and I do regret that! I also did not find the 12-15 cooking time for the potatoes sufficient—I did 20 minutes and they still came out tough-ish (I promise I put them in boiling water!) but I really was surprised by how flavorful this recipe was!!!!