Hearty Mushroom and Lentil Stew
The combination of mushrooms and lentils makes for a hearty, satisfying stew that even meat lovers enjoy. I like to make a big batch when I have company for the weekend, so we can heat it up for a quick lunch or serve it over quinoa with some sautéed greens for dinner. Any type of black, brown, or green lentil will work in this stew, and you can also play around with different types of mushrooms. I’ve used chanterelles and porcinis and had good results.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons sunflower oil
- 2 cups diced red onion
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms
- 1½ cups sliced portobello mushrooms
- ½ cup dried French lentils
- 1 quart mushroom broth
- 2 tablespoons cooking sherry Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oil in large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, or until tender.
- Add the celery, carrots, garlic, and bay leaf and sauté, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, or until the onion is golden brown.
- Stir in the mushrooms and sauté for 10 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Stir in the lentils, broth, and sherry.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.
- Discard the bay leaf.
- Ladle the stew into individual bowls, sprinkle with the parsley, and serve.