Hearty, nourishing, and perfect for cold-weather meals — ready in about 45 minutes.
🕒 Time
- Prep: 10 minutes
- Cook: ~35 minutes
- Total: ~45 minutes
🍽️ Yield
Serves about 6
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup carrot, sliced
- 1 cup celery, sliced
- 16 oz baby bella mushrooms, halved
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried sage
- 2 tbsp all‑purpose flour (or corn starch slurry for gluten free)
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 16 oz baby yellow potatoes, halved or cut bite‑size
- 1 cup red lentils (uncooked)
- 1 (14.5 oz) can tomato sauce
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 2 bay leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Sauté the base vegetables.
In a large pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add onion, carrot, and celery along with a pinch or two of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes until the onions soften. - Add mushrooms, garlic & herbs.
Stir in mushrooms, garlic, thyme, oregano, sage, and another pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until mushrooms begin to release moisture. - Incorporate the flour.
Sprinkle in the flour and stir to coat the vegetables evenly. Cook for about 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste. - Deglaze with vinegar & soy sauce.
Pour in the balsamic vinegar and soy sauce, stirring to lift any browned bits from the pot’s bottom (this builds savory flavor). - Add remaining ingredients.
Add potatoes, lentils, tomato sauce, vegetable broth, and the bay leaves. Season with a couple more pinches of salt and pepper. - Simmer.
Increase heat to bring the stew to a gentle simmer. Stir occasionally so the lentils don’t stick. Then reduce heat to low; simmer gently for 10–15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender and the lentils are cooked through. - Finish & serve.
Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve as is, or alongside mashed potatoes for a comforting twist.
💡 Tips & Variations
- Salt matters. Because the stew has acidic elements (tomato sauce, balsamic), be liberal—moderate salting helps potatoes cook and flavors balance.
- Thickening options: If you skipped flour, you can dissolve 2 tbsp corn starch in 2 tbsp cold water and stir it in during the simmer.
- Veggie swaps: Feel free to add peas, green beans, or chickpeas depending on what you have.
- Spice it up: Add red pepper flakes or smoked paprika for extra warmth.
- Freezing & storage: Keeps up to a week in the fridge in a sealed container. Freezes for up to 3 months. Reheat gently, adding broth if needed.