Lentil Mushroom Stew Over Mashed Potatoes

I have been adapting to a whole food plant based way of eating and this has become a “go-to” recipe for lentils that I seem to be making on a weekly basis now. There is something that is so satisfying as lentil gravy on mash potatoes. I have been using shiitake mushrooms with it and for the mash potatoes I don’t bother peeling for extra nutrition and it makes it even less work! Easy recipe. This is so yummy.

I added soaked Bulgar wheat to thicken and used 1 cup soaked chopped dried mushrooms…the lentil gravy was excellent as a base for shepards pie.Thanks for this recipe!

Easy, comfort food! I added some chopped carrots just because I love carrots ha, it worked out perfectly! I did add the tomato paste, great addition to the gravy.

Yum, just yum. I’ll be making this again tonight – 3rd time.
Believe it or not, we’re not into mashed potatoes so we eat it over french fries, which always seem to be in the freezer when we need them.

Yummy comfort food.

Incredible! So simple, yet so rich in flavor. This is my husband’s new favorite meal. MB, THANK YOU!
I added a head of roasted garlic to the mashed potatoes, followed everything else exactly and it was delicious!
Actually remembered to double the recipe this time as I’m learning that if it’s from MB we are going to want leftovers!!!
We are a vegetarian, gluten free, celiac household and your recipes are a game changer. I now love cooking and feel confident to have friends over for dinner as everyone always loves your recipes! So much better than just salad and beans =] I cannot say thank you enough!!

Absolutely love this recipe. I’m lazy and just use canned lentils which is just as good. simple and delish Meal loved by all! Thank you!

I had some leftover lentils I needed to use up. This recipe is absolutely fantastic. So comforting, savory, and satisfying. My somewhat picky teen boy even liked it. Anything with mashed potatoes is usually a win- this did not disappoint! I didn’t use the optional tomato paste (I didn’t want to then have tomato paste to have to use up), skipped the oil also. Otherwise I made it pretty much as is. I don’t eat a lot of lentils- this will certainly change that! This will be in regular rotation. Thanks for all the great recipes.

Thank you for all of your recipes! Tasty but really easy!! I made this for my dad who is vegan age 81 for heart disease. He loved this and it was a hit with other guests AnD my 1 year old nephew!
Tasty. I added the tomato paste and extra aminos. yum

I have made this a couple of times.

Tonight, I made it with mushroom stock (store bought, College Inn brand) and it really brought a delicious depth of flavor. I also used soy sauce instead of coconut aminos. The first time I made this, I used dried thyme and this time I used fresh – the fresh was 100x better and didn’t leave chewy pieces the way the dried thyme did.

However, my lentils were not evenly cooking with the 2 c of broth (the ones on top stayed hard because 2 c did not cover them completely), so I ended up adding more and more liquid, using 4 c total (I used the whole container of broth) and had to cover my pan as well. I think my lentils did not cook evenly the first time either, but it’s an easy enough fix that I wouldn’t dock the instructions (it could totally be something I’m doing wrong). This is a great recipe regardless! I served it with your Best Damn Vegan Mashed Potatoes recipe and used fresh roasted garlic in the potatoes.

I thought it was just okay. Maybe mine was not as great as the other reviewers because I used store bought broth? Otherwise I followed the recipe to a “T”. Could just be personal preference in taste. Idk.

Tasty, versatile dish! I soaked a package of dried porcini mushrooms and added them along with the button mushrooms, and threw in some of the soaking water as well since I was a little short on broth. I accidentally used dried oregano instead of dried thyme (whoops!) but it still turned out good. I added a splash of red wine vinegar at the end for a little extra zip and served it over egg noodles.

This dish is absolutely delicious! Even for a meat loving family (including young kids!)

Have made this twice now, excellent flavors! First time served over mashed potatoes as in recipe, second time over baked spaghetti squash, that was good too!

This dish is so much more than the sum of its parts–and that’s considering how awesome its individual parts are. I doubled the recipe, using tamari instead of coconut aminos and vegetable broth to mash the potatoes. I mostly eyeballed amounts, and the final product is still scrumptious. As promised, this recipe was definitely easy and quick to make.

I’ve been writing this review for a while now because I keep stopping to eat more. True story.

This was so amazing even my 4.5 yo loved it(she had thw gravy over bowtie pasta(shes not a fan of mashed potatoes!?!?)
I subbed rosemary for thyme since i have a huge rosemary bush. It was so much more than i expected!
We had a few bites of it over noodles(my daughters leftovers) and its amazing that way as well!

Very yummy and comforting! This recipe goes into our family favourites! Kids and grownups loved it!

I’ve made this recipe twice and first time lentils were not nearly tender after 20 minutes, it took about 40-50 minutes for them to cook through. I used brown unsoaked lentils. Second time I pre-cooked lentils in Pressure cooker for 7 minutes and it turned out amazing.

Wonderful! Made it two nights ago and was surprised at how well it turned out. I used onions since I didn’t have shallots and used a couple tablespoons of Better than Boullion in water since I didn’t have veggie broth. Also added some spinach that I needed to use. A great, easy, mid week stew for the rotation. Thank you!

This is one of my favorites! It has such a comforting, Thanksgiving dinner kind of flavor… But without being too heavy or indulgent. It’s a great week night dinner for fall and winter. I always add the optional tomato paste :)

I have made this recipe so many times and it is always delicious and warm and comforting and filling. The thyme really makes this recipe, I love how all the flavors combine.

I usually intend to make this as a side dish, but I love it so much I end up eating mostly the lentil stew for dinner!

Deeeeeeellllliiiiiiicccciiiioooouuuusss !!!
I’m a bit cheeky and added some white wine to the lentils, but I’ve made them before and they’re really good with or without white wine ;) Also, I used veggie cube broth and even with this cheep/lazy alternative the meal was amazing! And the mashed potatoes were just as good as they would be with milk & butter if not better! I never thought to use veggie broth instead of milk!
Thanks for another great recipe!

This recipe was absolutely delicious! I will definitely make this again and again! Thank you for sharing

I absolutely love this recipe, I make it almost weekly. I add in the tomato paste and 1/2 a tbsp of gravy powder and oh my goddddddddd it’s DELICIOUS. Thank you for bringing this into my life!

This is *insanely* good. Definitely a staple.

I followed this recipe, mostly to a T, and it was delicious! Major umami flavour. I did use an immersion blender to blend some of the gravy so it was smoother but still had lots of texture. Next time I would cut my mushrooms a bit chunkier.

Made this for lunch today! Was enjoyed by all ( Vegan and not alike). I found the stew was a bit thin and needed more potato to thicken than was called for. I will reduce the liquid some next time!

I love this recipe, so delicious and comforting. When I make it again, I think I will add more mushrooms. I bought a box of mushrooms that had an additional cup than what the recipe calls for, next time I will use the full box. Letting it sit for a bit definitely deepened the flavors.

This stew was SO SO delicious and hearty. My lentils took a bit longer to cook (about 10 minutes more), so I just kept them simmering, adding hot water little by little if they looked dry, until the lentils were perfect. I served these with the aptly named “Best Damn Vegan Mashed Potatoes” instead of the mash in this recipe. The chives and garlic in the potatoes went really well with the stew. Served at a dinner party and multiple people asked me to send them the recipe. :)

This is easy to make and tastes great! Thanks for the recipe.

I made this the other night and it was a big hit! I used soy sauce instead of coconut aminos and used the tomato paste. Thanks for the great recipe, I’ll definitely be making this again!

We loved this recipe! We nixed the tomato paste and used soy sauce in the lentils and dairy elements in the potatoes. We had it with a meat side because it needed to be eaten, but everyone eating felt it could stand on its own as a meal.

Finally tried this today after saving to pinterest ages ago. It was absolutely fantastic! I was making it ahead of time, so wasn’t making the mashed potatoes, so instead of mashed potatoes to thicken, I used 2 tablespoons cornstarch beaten with 1/4 cup of water. Worked great. Can’t wait to make again – it was such a warm and hearty dish to eat a cold winter’s evening.

Made this last night, it was delicious!
I added spinach, which goes so well with mushrooms and lentils.
Very flavorful and good comfort food!

This is pure comfort food to be sure.
I used black lentils that I soaked all day. I added carrots to mine too. I also used my InstaPot to cook the stew. Decreased liquid to 2 cups and cooked the stew for 15 minutes on high.
The flavors were perfectly blended. I let the stew bubble on the sauté setting for five additional minutes to further reduce liquids befor stirring in mashed potatoes.
I used a combination of red and gold baby potatoes for the mash. I added vegan keifer I made in the InstaPot to give the potatoes a tangy flavor. Yum!
This recipe is husband approved. And will definitely make it again and serve over polenta.

This has become my favorite deep winter comfort food. I ate it three times in ten days in December and I have been craving it now for over a week. Tonight is the night. This is FANTASTIC and it is the dish that made me love lentils, finally.

Wow! What an amazing surpise. As a recent vegan in conversion, I am still not confident in my cooking, but this recipe came out exactly as described or better: fragrant, delicious, filing and beautiful! Thank you so much!!

This has quickly become a favorite dinner in our house, the flavors are unbelievable. Minimalist Baker is my go to for all my recipes and she never disappoints, this was another amazing success that I will be adding to a weekly dinner rotation.

I would say if you are planning on having it as a main meal versus a side, I would double the recipe.

Excellent recipe, easy to make. I prefer using rosemary and 365 vegetable stock from Whole Foods. I use a bit of veg. stock to mash the potatoes. Thank you for another great meal!

I absolutely love this recipe! It’s so delicious, filling during this cold winter season. Nothing beats fluffy mashed potatoes and comforting lentils and mushrooms. Thank you!!

I made the mashed potatoes the night before in my instant pot.
I used the same amount of potatoes and put just enough water to cover them in the instant pot, then cook on high heat/pressure for 10 minutes. Instead of using vegetable broth in the potatoes, I used the leftover potato-water.

It was really yummy!

I made this and my husband loved it! I’m making it again tomorrow for some friends. Goes well with a side of lightly fried green beans + mushrooms + garlic.

Made it exactly as stated and all I can say is- amazing! Comfort food perfected! MAKE IT!

I have been making recipes off this amazing site for awhile now, and this recipe was so delicious that I decided I just have to leave a review and start contributing. I only used 2 cups vegetable broth but next time I will use more because it would be nice to have more sauciness to put over the potatoes. I also sauteed a bunch of garlic in 2 Tbsp of avocado oil and then added that into the mashing of potatoes for some extra flavor. Did not end up using tomato paste. Must try! I will definitely be making this again

The short YouTube video and the short list of ingredients convinced me to make this recipe. Next time, I need to double the amount so I have some leftover. I didn’t have coconut aminos, so I used soy sauce instead. Great for winter!

It was a cold day here in Phoenix and found this recipe to try…delicious..didn’t have coconut aminos so used a little Braggs Amino’s instead. Didn’t use tomato paste and didn’t have fresh thyme but it all worked out good and was totally delicious! Warmed me right up! Easy peasy to make! YUMMM

So. Good. I made this for a potluck and everyone loved it! So hearty and filling. I made noodles on the side so it was more of a pot-roast kind of dish. I had some leftovers so I just added a little bit of leftover tomato soup to them and it was delicious! This is such a versatile dish that you can really make your own. And so simple for me, as someone who doesn’t cook a lot. I’ll definitey make it again.

I made this for dinner and it was so good! I didn’t have coconut aminos and I intended to substitute with soy sauce but totally forgot. I added powdered coriander and laurelinstead of thyme and added chopped fresh tomatoes instead of the tomato paste. It was delicious, and I will do this again without a doubt.

Soo good! I didn’t have a couple of items so I substituted dried basil, shiitake mushrooms, red onion. and I added fresh dill in my potatoes. I will definitely be making this again.

I really liked this recipe but with my bouillon broth squares it got a bit salty, at least for us. I cook the lentils now as a side dish instead of tofu now.

I think a little white or red wine in the gravy would really work here.
Keep an eye on this as it cooks as you definitely may want to add more broth to keep it saucy! Mine dried up a bit.
I see someone else blended a little of the gravy and I love that idea!

Thanks for this yummy recipe – just made for the 1st time tonight! My ‘meat-loving’ hubby even liked it. I sub’d in Tamari Sauce for Coconut Aminos (didn’t have). I did use the tomato paste, plus added a generous splash of red wine. Very happy I doubled the recipe – leftovers!

Came out perfect as usual!
I made it with red lentils (because I didn’t have green) and used soy sauce instead of coconut aminos (same reason).
I’m not vegan and everytime I make a recipe of yours I just can’t believe how delicious and umami it comes out.
Thank you Dana!

I made this for dinner tonight. Wow!! Easy to prepare but so delicious! I can’t wait to eat the leftovers tomorrow. Thanks for sharing this recipe. It’s a keeper!

SOOOO good. I subbed sweet potatoes and mashed them with light coconut milk (GAME CHANGER, amazing discovery) and threw in some kale with the lentils at the end. So yummy, haven’t had mushrooms in forever and this was a great way to put some to use! Thank you!

Just made this. No changes , perfect as is! My 7month old loves it too. I think this might be Thanksgiving Dinner!

I made this my for dinner tonight and my spouse loved it! He told me next time to double the recipe! LOL Thanks… this was amazing!

This was delicious and easy to make!!! My family loved it as well. I followed the recipe as is, the flavor was amazing. Definitely going to make it again!! Thanks for the great recipe!!

I made this tonight and it was really delicious. Great comfort food. I cooked the mushrooms a bit longer than called for in the recipe because I like them slightly browned. I also didn’t have shallot so I used half a yellow onion instead. Will be making this again!

This is soooo good! it’s unlike most other things I cook in terms of flavor profile but I love it! I didn’t use green lentils and I also added a little garlic powder + Trader Joes 21 season salute at the end. very filling and simple!

I made this for dinner tonight. It turned out very well. I would definitely make this when my non-vegan friends and family visit. This is one of those comfort food recipes you can’t resist on crisp fall day.

THANK YOUUUUUUUU. My new go-to fall dish (now that fall has finally arrived in Philly! Fingers crossed!) DE-LISH!!
I threw in some really tasty arugula from my local farmer’s market (crazy good).
Love your recipes! (I make a lot of your pancakes!)
Thank you!!

Delicious but mine didn’t seem to get as saucy…will make sure I have extra broth on hand next time!

I made this last night using three large Portobella mushrooms and roasted garlic broth, it was delicious. What a great flavor combination. Dana, your recipes never disappoint!

I made it and it was delicious! I work for a health care facility where I cook for home bound people with HIV and various cancers. I make a bunch of meals during the week and freeze them to be delivered every Tuesday. I wanted to start making one vegetarian or vegan meal a month to see how the clients like it so I started with this! A couple of changes- I added more veggies to the stew, spinach carrot and zucchini (because I had it on hand). Then I swapped out the yellow potatoes for sweet potatoes and cauliflower. I added brown butter, a little cayenne and minced garlic. Wish I could show you the pics, it turned out great! Thanks a lot!

I made this recipe and it was so hearty and delicious. I put my cooked potatoes in the food processor and whipped them up and that was SO delicious with it. I added garlic powder and rosemary because I love that. My roommate who doesn’t like the texture of mushrooms loved it but had to eat around the mushrooms so when she made the recipe herself, she bought Pacifica brand mushroom soup and used that instead because she doesn’t like the texture. I know many people don’t love the texture of mushrooms so if it looks good to you, try that! This is one of my favorite recipes I’ve tried so far.

I made this yummy and hearty dish this evening! Thank you! Thank you! I loved it so much I know it will become a go-to dish! I didn’t have potatoes but used yams instead.

This was good and very filling! I ended up blending about a cup of the lentil mixture and mixing it back in to make it more of a gravy than a soup. I added garlic, blue cheese, butter and rosemary to the potatoes.

This was delicious! I followed the recipe exactly and it came out great. It was especially good the next day as the flavors came together even more. It will definitely be in the rotation for dinners!

Made this added a hand full of spinach leaves it was awesome

I was not in a peeling and mashing kind of mood, so I served over brown rice and it was amazing!!! I thickened with cornstarch. Next time over potatoes for sure.

This was a great substitute for me when the rest of the family were eating beef stew. I really can not eat red meat as it gives me stomach cramps. I’m really happy to have found such a tasty alternative – I didn’t feel like I was missing out at all ??. I had to box it up and put in the freezer quickly before I went back for seconds ?. I made no alterations and it was perfect!! Thank you for sharing ?

I made this for dinner tonight and it was absolutely amazing! I subbed soy sauce for the coconut amenos, since that’s what I had. I loved the flavors. My non vegan family enjoyed it as well.

I just made this recipe and its amazing, I love the texture, the flavour <3

First of all, this was delicious!! The recipe is easy to follow and I’d highly recommend! Something about the combo of mashed potatoes and lentils was just absolutely heavenly. My ONLY critique/suggestion is regarding the cook time for the lentils. As others point out, 20 min on low is definitely not long enough. I didn’t time how long it took to cook after my 20 min timer went off, but very possibly was closer to 40 min. I waited until most of the liquid had dissolved from the 2cups of veg broth & it was perfect. The video was extremely helpful in showing the type of consistency that the strew should have after fully cooked.

Love, love, love this recipe! The most delicious thing!
I wish i had discover your website 15 years ago!
I can’t wait to try the other recipes!
Thank you!! :)

I just made this and it is delicious!!! I added a bunch of chopped carrots to the lentils & mushrooms about 1/2 way through cooking (which did take about twice as long as your recipe indicates) but otherwise followed the recipe as is. I definitely will be making this one again and again! Thank you!

I’ve made this twice now, first time when we were spending time on our 27′ boat, so needed something I could do on a two burner stove. It was delicious. Even better the second time when I made it back in my own kitchen. I soaked the lentils beforehand both times, and added less liquid. Thanks for a great recipe. The leftovers even taste wonderful cold straight from the fridge!

I made this last night and had an unexpected additional person to feed but it was reasonably quick, very easy and tasted delicious – thank you. I think I may try and add a bit of squash next time as well to make it even more chunky.

Wow. Amazing. So delicious and easy to make. Super comforting. I followed the recipe, only adding a little smoked paprika for the depth (had no tomato paste) and a bit of spice (because I love spice). Perfect though! Thanks for a great recipe.

The recipe is genius and has seriously become one of my favorites. I used to have shepherds pie only on holidays because it was a three step process, now I have it weekly. I cook the gravy in my pressure cooker. Thank you!
Ps, I just ordered your cookbook!

This was so flavorful and lovely. I’ll admit I was skeptical before making it, thinking there was no way such simple ingredients could come together into a comforting dish (and help me get over my craving for mashed potatoes, steak and gravy). And I was reeeeaaaally hesitating with those 2 tablespoons of thyme – it just seemed like an awful lot. But I trusted the recipe and went forward.

Boy am I glad I did! I’m so surprised by how comforting and delicious this is! I made it for my meal prep, can’t wait to eat it all this week!
I made it with cauliflower mash, which made it even healthier, but kept it satisfying. Thanks Dana, you’ve done it again!

I made this dish, for my non-vegan family. I personally am vegan. They LOVED it!! Yes, I too loved it! I am adding it to my personal recipe book. Yummy! My family is always so skeptical, so it’s nice when they enjoy a non-vegan dish. Thank you for sharing!!

This was scrumptious!

This recipe is a hit at my house! Made it twice now and it is so good! It has such a delicious meaty umami quality to it! I did use russet potatoes instead of Yukon potatoes because that’s what I had but still so good!