Last modified: August 23, 2019. Originally posted: August 19, 2019

Vegan French Lentil Stew

Name: Vegan French Lentil Stew
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 36 min
Total time: 56 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup raw cashews, or 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (90 mL) raw sunflower seeds ((125 mL)); 2 cups water ((500 mL)); 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (, optional, use broth for oil free (30 mL)); 1 large yellow or sweet onion (diced, or 2 leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced (about 2 cups/500 mL)); 4 large cloves garlic (minced (2 tablespoons/ 30 mL minced)); 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt, to taste (, plus a couple pinches (5 to 7 mL)); 2 medium carrots (diced (1 heaping cup/275 mL)); 2 stalks celery (diced (3/4 cup/175 mL)); 2 teaspoons ground cumin; 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme ((7 mL)); 1 teaspoon ground turmeric ((5 mL)); 1 can of diced tomatoes, with juices ((14-ounce/398 mL)); 3/4 cup uncooked French green lentils, picked over and rinsed ((175 mL)); 4 cups veggie broth (, low sodium (1 L)); 3 cups stemmed and chopped Swiss chard or kale leaves ((750 mL)); Freshly ground black pepper; 1 to 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar (, to taste (5 to 10 mL))

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Rich and creamy vegan lentil stew to warm you from the inside out. Full of healthy ingredients and anti-inflammatory benefits, a perfect cozy meal!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Oh She Glows. The opinions and text are all mine.

This recipe was originally published on 12/6/16

When the weather cools down I crave warm foods. There is nothing quite like a bowl of warm creamy stew to warm your insides, especially when it’s super healthy and made with whole foods.

Vegan Lentil Stew

When I got the chance to review the new book by Angela Liddon, Oh She Glows Every Day, my eyes (and stomach) landed directly on her Golden French Lentil Stew.

This rich and creamy vegan lentil stew is full of healthy ingredients and anti-inflammatory benefits, a perfect cozy meal!

The recipes inside will literally make your stomach growl as you peruse the pages. Looking through each section, I couldn’t decide which recipe to review!

I kept putting stickies on my favorites, but when I ran out of stickies, I decided perhaps it was time to narrow it down. Because it happened to be a blustery day, the vegan lentil stew is what I went with. But really, SO many amazing options!

Other recipes from “Oh She Glows Every Day” I want to try:

High Rise Pumpkin Cupcakes with Spiced Buttercream Frosting
Sun-Dried Tomato and Garlic Super-Seed Crackers
Creamy Thai Carrot Sweet Potato Soup with Roasted Tamari Almonds
Strawberry Oat Crumble Bars, with Strawberry-Vanilla Chia Seed Jam

Can you add dry lentils to stew?

Yep! That’s the great thing about lentils, they don’t need soaking. Lentils cook much faster than other dried beans so soaking is not necessary. This lentil stew will cook in about 30-25 minutes!

What goes with lentils?

The question should really be, what doesn’t go good with lentils! Really any veggie or savory item I have tried goes amazing with lentils. I love them cold or warm. In a stew or a salad. Here are some of my favorite ways to use lentils:

tomatoes and my vegan feta
this Greek lentils soup
make them into a lentil burger
make them into a bean dip
add them to a salad
saute onions and other seasonal veggies

How do you keep lentils from splitting?

The key to keeping a lentils shape. and keeping them from getting mushy, is to make sure you don’t overcook them. Because lentils take a shorter time to cook than other dried beans, people tend to let them cook too long.

Make sure you test them often by trying them and checking consistency. Also, you want to make sure the lentils you buys are fresh, old lentils shed their skin faster and turn mushy.

How long does lentil stew last?

This will last about a week in the fridge and a few months in the freezer. Just make sure to store in an airtight container and cool completely before you store it.

Can you freeze lentil soup?

Absolutely! The best thing about stews and soups is freezing leftovers for easy dinners. Make sure it is cooled completely before freezing.

I like to store in a glass airtight container. I also put plastic wrap right over the top, so it is touching the surface before putting the top on. This helps freezer burn.

How to Make Vegan Lentil Stew

This vegan lentil stew came together SO easily! I literally had three tired, cranky, hungry kids at my feet as I prepped and cooked, but I was still able to do it all in record time.

Make the cashew cream.
Saute the onions.
Add the carrots, celery and spices.
Add the tomatoes, lentils and broth.
Add the cream and chard.

Tips For Making This Vegan Lentil Stew:

I tested the stew with both cashew and sunflower seed cream, and both versions work great.
It’s a perfect recipe for those with tree nut allergies (as long as you can eat sunflower seeds).
The French green lentils hold their shape well and add a bit of a chew, but feel free to use green or brown lentils if that’s all you can find. The stew will just be thicker since green and brown lentils break down a bit more.

More Vegan Comfort Food Recipes You Might Like: