Lisa’s Hearty Lentil Stew

Meat Alternatives, Recipes, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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This was one of my favourite meals growing up, my mum would make it with meat, and so I didn’t eat it for a number of years when we went plant-based until I was watching Glenys make her delicious Red wine reduction and I thought back to mum’s recipe and where the flavour was actually coming from. Turns out it wasn’t just the meat! So if you’d like a nourishing stew this is a very simple, very tasty recipe. If you use a vegan-friendly wine and stock it’s also gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free and meat-free.

Ingredients

  • 10-12 button mushrooms (or more if you like them)
  • two large handfuls of green beans (rinsed and strings removed)
  • 4 white potatoes (washed, skins left on if organic)
  • 2 cups brown lentils (if using canned aim for organic and BPA free)
  • 1 brown onion (peeled and chopped)
  • 1 400g can of crushed tomatoes
  • 400ml of stock (or boiling water with 1/2 stock cube that suits your diet)
  • 3/4 – 1 cup of red wine (organic, preservative free vegan friendly or which ever suits your diet)
  • 1 200g jar of Kalamatta olives in brine (pitted and drained)(choose a jar that is suitable for your dietary needs)
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1-2 bay leaves
  • Drizzle of olive oil

Method

  1. Brown some onion in a frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil. Stir occasionally so it doesn’t stick.
  2. Chop the button mushrooms in quarters and the potato into sixths (if large) and add to the pan with the onion.
  3. Add the crushed tomato, wine, stock and herbs (rosemary, thyme and bay leaves) to the mushroom and onion, stir and then cover with a lid for ~20 minutes.
  4. Once the potato is cooked through add the canned lentils (or cooked lentils) and cook for a further 10 minutes.
  5. Lastly add the olives and beans. Cover again and leave to cook until the beans are cooked (and ideally still a vibrant green) and then serve.

Top tip

If it is a little dry the next day when you are reheating you can add extra stock or water.

If you’d like some other Main Meal recipes check out our book The Little Book of Allergy-Friendly Main Meals.