Description
Warming and hearty, this red lentil vegan stew is perfect for Fall and Winter days.
Ingredients
1 medium-sized yellow or green zucchini
2 small yellow onions
2 large cloves of garlic crushed
2 large carrots
5 medium-sized Roma tomatoes
1 cup of dry red lentils rinsed
3 1/2 cups of water
1 tbsp of Better Than Bouillon Seasoned Vegetable Base
2 tbsp of olive brine
1/4 cup of sliced green olives
1 tbsp of oregano
1/2 tbsp of cumin
1 tbsp of smoked paprika (regular paprika works great too)
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of ground black pepper
1/2 tsp of red pepper chilli flakes (optional)
2 tbsp of fresh chives for garnish (optional)
Instructions
1. Wash and dice into small cubes the zucchini, onions, carrots and olives. Roughly chop tomatoes into bite sized pieces. The tomatoes will breakdown as they cook and create a paste in your stew. Set all chopped veg aside.
2. Place a medium-sized pot on your element at medium-high heat. Add in 1 cup of water, onions and garlic. Gently sauté until aromatics begin to turn translucent (about 5-7 minutes).
3. Stir in the Better Than Bouillon, oregano and cumin.
4. Add carrots and let simmer for another 3-5 minutes.
5. Add red lentils, zucchini, tomatoes and 2 cups of water. Stir until all ingredients are well combined.
6. Cover pot and reduce heat to medium-low, letting stew cook covered for 7-10 minutes while stirring occasionally. Keep an eye on your pot to ensure it doesn’t boil over.
7. After 7-10 minutes, uncover the pot and stir stew to ensure no lentils have stuck to the bottom. If carrots are still hard, cover and cook on low for another 3-5 minutes.
8. Reduce heat and stir in your last 1/2 cup of water, olives, olive brine, paprika, red pepper chilli flakes, salt and pepper. Taste and season more to your preference as needed.
9. Use a ladle to transfer the stew to serving bowls. Garnish with chopped chives and serve with fresh bread. Delish!
Notes
- If lentils have absorbed most of the water after cooking, simply keep adding in 1/4 cup of water at a time until stew is at a consistency you like.
- This recipe is a great way to use up any garden veg you’ve harvested. Eggplant, potatoes and peppers would also go great in this stew as substitutes or additions.