Hearty Vegan Stew

By Lucy Parissi

4.60 from 15 votes

, Updated Aug 03, 2025

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This hearty Vegan Stew recipe is packed with flavour, easy to make and slimming friendly too. The ultimate comfort food for cold winter days!

You will also love my Creamy Vegan Chickpea Curry

When the weather calls for something warming and nourishing, this vegan stew steps up in the most delicious way. It’s thick, cozy, and packed with flavor thanks to a medley of root vegetables, earthy lentils, and a well-balanced blend of herbs and spices.

Whether you’re plant-based full-time or just looking for a satisfying meat-free dinner, this stew will leave you full and comforted. Bonus: it’s budget-friendly, meal prep-approved and freezes like a dream.

Here’s What You Will Need

• Onion and Garlic: Sliced onions add sweetness and depth as they soften, while garlic is the aromatic base we are building our stew on.
• Portobello Mushrooms: Meaty, earthy, umami-packed mushrooms add a meaty texture in this vegan stew. They soak up flavor like a sponge and bring that cozy, hearty texture we all crave.
• Tomato Paste: To deepen the flavor and add color to the broth.
• Carrots and Butternut Squash: The squash softens into buttery little bites, and the carrots hold their shape for that perfect contrast. Feel free to add more root veggies if you like.
• Brown Lentils: These tiny powerhouses of protein and fibe make this stew extra hearty and filling.
• Red Wine, Balsamic Vinegar & Veggie Stock: Red wine adds a touch of richness (but you can easily swap for more stock). Balsamic vinegar adds layers of deep flavor and a good vegetable stock is our main braising liquid.

How To Make This Hearty Vegan Stew

1. Mist your casserole with cooking spray (or use olive oil). Add the onions, salt, pepper, thyme and brown sugar and cook over low heat for 5 minutes until onions are slightly softened.
2. Add the minced garlic and mushrooms and sauté for five minutes until the mushrooms have started to colour.

3. Pour in the red wine and balsamic vinegar and bring to a simmer. Stir in the tomato paste. Add the squash, carrots and lentils and vegetable stock and bring to a simmer.
4. Slow cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped rosemary and serve.

Recipe Notes, Tips and FAQs

• SERVING SUGGESTIONS This stew is delicious served over mashed potatoes or rice – especially brown rice – but it is so hearty that you can also eat it on its own.
• HOW LONG WILL THIS STEW KEEP? Leftovers keep incredibly well in the fridge for up to four days. Make sure to reheat until piping hot all the way through when serving leftovers, adding a little water if needed.
• FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS Wait until the stew has cooled down then divide into freezer containers and consume within 6 weeks. Defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating.
• IS THIS RECIPE SLIMMING FRIENDLY? This stew is suitable for popular weight loss diets like Slimming World. Replace the wine with more vegetable stock and use Sukrin Gold instead of brown sugar. There’s approximately 220 calories in one portion (without any sides like mash etc). 

If you make this vegan stew recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and don’t forget to give it a star rating—it helps others find the recipe, too. Share your cozy bowls on Instagram by tagging me on Instagram and TikTok 🙂

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4.60 from 15 votes

Hearty Vegan Stew

By Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes

This hearty Vegan Stew recipe is SO flavourful, easy to make and slimming friendly too. Packed with mushrooms, carrots, squash and lentils and so easy to make.

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

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Equipment

• Vegetable chopper
• Paring Knife
• Garlic Press
• Cast Iron Braiser
• Spray Bottle

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 tbsp Olive oil
• ▢ 1 large onion , sliced
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic , minced
• ▢ ½ tbsp dried thyme
• ▢ ½ tbsp brown sugar (or sweetener for a slimming version)
• ▢ 1 tsp salt
• ▢ ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• ▢ 8 portobello mushrooms , sliced
• ▢ 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ▢ 3 carrots , cubed
• ▢ 1 cup (150g) butternut squash peeled and cubed
• ▢ ½ cup (100g) cooked brown lentils , rinsed (canned lentils)
• ▢ ¼ cup (60ml) red wine or more stock
• ▢ ¼ cup (60ml) balsamic vinegar light balsamic not aged
• ▢ 2 cups (500ml) vegetable stock more if pan is getting dry
• ▢ fresh rosemary to garnish

Instructions 

• Heat the oil in a large skillet, add the onions, salt, pepper, thyme and brown sugar and cook over low heat for 5 minutes until onions are slightly softened.
  1 tbsp Olive oil , 1 large onion, ½ tbsp dried thyme, ½ tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• Add the minced garlic and mushrooms and sauté for five minutes until the mushrooms have started to colour.
  4 cloves garlic , 8 portobello mushrooms
• Pour in the red wine and balsamic vinegar and bring to a simmer. Stir in the tomato paste.
  ¼ cup (60ml) red wine, ¼ cup (60ml) balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp tomato paste
• Add the squash, carrots and lentils and vegetable stock and bring to a simmer.
  3 carrots, 1 cup (150g) butternut squash, ½ cup (100g) cooked brown lentils, 2 cups (500ml) vegetable stock
• Slow cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes or until the lentils are soft.
• Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped rosemary and serve.
  fresh rosemary to garnish

Notes

SERVING SUGGESTIONS This stew is delicious served over mashed potatoes or rice – especially brown rice – but you can also eat it on its own.

HOW LONG WILL THIS STEW KEEP? Leftovers keep incredibly well in the fridge for up to four days. Make sure to reheat until piping hot all the way through when serving leftovers, adding a little water if needed.

FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS Wait until the stew has cooled down then divide into freezer containers and consume within 6 weeks. Defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating.

IS THIS VEGAN RECIPE SLIMMING FRIENDLY? Yes this stew is suitable for popular weight loss diets like Slimming World. Replace the wine with more vegetable stock and use Sukrin Gold instead of brown sugar. There’s approximately 220 calories in one portion and 8 WeightWatchers SmartPoints (without any sides like mash etc). 

Nutrition

Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1211mg | Potassium: 1281mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 11504IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.

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