What better way to welcome autumn than with a comforting and heartwarming stew? Wouldn’t you agree?
Allow me to introduce you to this delightful red lentil stew—a symphony of flavours and textures. It features red lentils, pasta, butternut squash, curly kale, and a captivating blend of spices.
Plus, it has a special seasoning, giving it an extra nutrient boost. Let’s keep it a secret for now;)
This bowl of autumn goodness is both satisfying and hassle-free. It doesn’t require complicated cooking skills, and you can wrap it up in less than 30 minutes. This is one of the reasons why it is an excellent option for weekly meal prep to have in store for bustling weekdays.
In this post, I’ll share reasons you will love this lentil stew and reveal some tips and tricks to make it unforgettable. So, without further ado, let’s get started!
Why you’ll love this vegan red lentil stew?
Nourishing main dish option: Can stews be a filling and satisfying lunch or dinner option? Oooh, yes, they can, and this red lentil stew recipe is the perfect proof.
Thanks to protein-packed red lentils, carb-rich pasta and pumpkin, and an array of other veggies, this autumn stew can stand on its own.
Flavour packed: Mirepoix (onion, carrot, and celery) forms a savoury and aromatic foundation for this lentil stew. Red lentils offer a nutty, earthy taste, while butternut squash introduces a subtle sweetness. Curly kale provides a balancing touch of bitterness. Also, to kick things up a notch with some added spice, I incorporate turmeric, black pepper, and chilli flakes. The result is a nicely balanced flavour profile.
Simple and quick to make: Aside from basic vegetable chopping, this stew requires no complicated cooking techniques. It features ingredients that cook in no time, resulting in a quick and nourishing dish suitable for busy weekdays.
Ingredients and substitutions
Olive oil: I prefer using extra-virgin or virgin olive oil as the cooking fat in vegetable-based stews. It not only adds a rich flavour base but also contains healthy fats that are good for you.
Mirepoix: This classic trio of chopped onions, carrots, and celery forms a complex aromatic base for this lentil stew.
If you wish, substitute yellow onions with white onions or shallots. As an alternative to celery, use celeriac.
Garlic: Including garlic adds a delightful depth of flavour with its characteristic pungency. Fresh garlic is my preferred choice, but garlic powder works well too.
Tomato paste: Try to use double-concentrated tomato paste for the best flavour.
Butternut squash: To evoke the essence of autumn, this red lentil stew features sweet and nutty butternut squash. As the butternut squash skin is edible, you can leave it on for a waste-free option. Instead of butternut squash, choose from an array of pumpkin varieties.
To check if pumpkins are ripe, knock on their surface. If they sound hollow, they are ripe (especially true for Hokkaido, butternut and muscat varieties).
Curly kale: Kale’s addition contrasts the stew’s sweetness and introduces an extra layer of texture. If you want to experiment, consider using other green leafy vegetables like cabbage, savoy cabbage or spinach instead of curly kale.
Red lentils: Red lentils are an ideal foundation for vegan stews as they pack protein. Their quick cooking time and pleasant nutty-sweet flavour make them my favourite choice. They are available in both split and whole forms. The main distinction lies in their cooking time, with split lentils cooking faster than whole ones due to their smaller size.
Instead of red lentils, you can choose green or brown lentils. In that case, adjust the cooking time as they need to cook longer.
Pasta: For this red lentil stew recipe, I chose a pasta shape known as Pipe rigate. They resemble snail shells, with one side wide open and the other flattened, which allows them to hold sauces and liquids exceptionally well.
Vegetable stock: Vegetable stock enhances the stew’s flavour in a way that water alone cannot. If you want to prepare your own vegetable stock, follow the recipe I’ve shared in my post for chicken sweet potato stew.
If you’re short on time, you can find good-quality vegetable stock at well-stocked grocery stores or local butcher shops. Look for products containing only vegetables, water, and spices. Avoid products with flavour enhancers or added sugar.
Nutritional yeast: Nutritional yeast, or “nooch,” is the same type of yeast usually used in bread and beer making but deactivated. While it cannot leaven bread, it becomes a versatile, nutritious ingredient for cooking and seasoning. It appears as pale yellow thin flakes, granules, or powder and is packaged in bags, shakers, or plastic containers.
It is a great source of plant-based protein, B vitamins and trace elements such as zinc, selenium or manganese. Find out more about its nutritional value and potential health benefits in the nutrition part.
Spices: I’ve chosen minimal seasonings in this stew to allow the best seasonal flavours to shine. Turmeric adds a beautiful yellow colour and earthy flavour. Here are also freshly ground pepper and chilli for a touch of sharpness and spice. Feel free to add other spices to transform this red lentil stew into something new.
How to make red lentil stew (+ tips & tricks)
Prepare the ingredients
Start by thoroughly washing carrots, celery, pumpkin and curly kale leaves. Peel and cut onion into even, small dice and repeat the same with the carrot and celery.
Tip: Celery has a thin top layer that is quite fibrous once cooked. I prefer to peel it beforehand.
Next, peel and chop garlic cloves.
Tip: If you are looking for a time-saving option, grate garlic using a microplane or a classic grater.
Peel the butternut squash and cut it into dice slightly bigger than the mirepoix.
Fold each curly kale leaf and slice off its core. Next, slice it crosswise into pieces of the desired thickness.
Measure out red lentils and pasta and keep them on the side until needed.
Sauté the vegetables
Once you have all the elements ready to toss in, heat a medium-sized pot and drizzle it with olive oil.
Sauté mirepoix for 5-6 minutes over medium heat until the onion becomes translucent. Add the grated garlic and sauté for another minute while stirring continuously.
Tip: Mirepoix needs to cook slowly and shouldn’t get any colour as it softens.
As the garlic starts releasing its fragrant aromas, add the tomato paste and let it cook for about 2 minutes.
Trick: This way, tomato paste gets a sweeter flavour than when added straight into the liquid.
Toss in the butternut squash dice with turmeric and chilli and stir for another minute to blend all the elements. Finally, add the red lentils and cover everything with vegetable stock.
Add pasta & cook
Wait for the stock to boil, then add pasta to the pot. Cook the stew for 8-10 minutes or until pasta is al dente and the butternut squash is tender but not mushy.
Incorporate curly kale
Add the kale to the stew for the last 5 minutes of cooking or until it wilts.
Tip: If you want to keep kale’s vibrant colour and ensure even cooking, steam kale separately from the stew for 5 minutes. Once it is tender, stir it into the stew.
Add nutritional yeast
Once all the elements are cooked, take the stew off the heat and stir in the nutritional yeast.
Tip: Add nutritional yeast at the very end of preparation to keep its nutritional properties.
Cover the lentil stew for an additional 5 minutes to let it cool slightly and allow the flavours to harmonize. Serve it, and garnish with freshly ground black pepper. Your red lentil stew is now ready to be savoured!
