Lentil and root vegetable stew recipe

Lentil and Root Vegetable Stew recipe

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About this recipe

In this blog post I will guide you thru the steps and ingredients needed to craft this recipe. Grab your favorite apron and let's start.
This Lentil and Root Vegetable Stew recipe is a hearty and nutritious dish that is perfect for colder days. Packed with lentils, carrots, potatoes, and other root vegetables, it provides a satisfying combination of flavors and textures. The stew is easy to make and can be enjoyed as a main course or a side dish. It is also vegetarian-friendly and suitable for those following a plant-based diet.

Keywords: Lentil stew, Root vegetables, Hearty, Nutritious, Vegetarian.

Lentil and root vegetable stew recipe details

Lentil and root vegetable stew recipe, recipe Rating: 4.7
Number of votes:116 

Ingredients

500 g	Puy lentils
4	bay leaves
5 ml	cumin seeds
5 ml	black peppercorns
400 g	onions
5 ml	dried chili flakes, or finely chopped fresh chili
120 ml	olive oil
1 large can(s)	peeled tomatoes (400 ml)
60 ml	white wine vinegar
1 small	celeriac, or half a large one – about 500 g when trimmed
400 g	carrots
400 g	parsnips
500 ml	vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
15 ml	soy sauce (using Tamari keeps the dish gluten-free)
10 ml	dried thyme, or a sprig of fresh, leaves stripped
5 ml	ground mace, or nutmeg as alternative
20 g	crushed garlic, or to taste
1 bunch(es)	flat-leaf parsley, to serve
	seasoning salt
	pepper
	soy sauce
	mild vinegar, such as condimento balsamico

Instructions

Rinse and cook the lentils with the bay leaves, following packet guidelines; do not add salt! When cooked, drain well (discarding water) and set aside.

Meanwhile, crush cumin and peppercorns together, peel and chop onions (some finely, leave some as semi-rings).

Heat the oil in a large heavy pan; throw in the chili flakes, the ground cumin and peppercorn mixture and stir for a few seconds. Add the onions and stir well until they start cooking, then turn down the heat and let them sweat (lid on) to soften. Stir periodically.

In the meantime you trim, peel and chop the celeriac, carrots and parsnips. The aim is a variety of texture, which you achieve by cooking the veg together – the carrots will be crunchiest, the parsnips softest, unless you vary the times – and by chopping each veg into different-sized chunks. All chunks, though, should be at largest bite-sized.

When the onions are soft, turn up the heat a bit, clear a zone in the centre of the pan so that you have a little pool of oil, and then add the vinegar about 5 ml at a time, stirring after each spoonful until the vinegar is incorporated; the added vinegar should bubble away and air above the pan should be sharply acidic, take care. Do the same with the juice from the can of tomatoes, stir well in, then tip the tomatoes in, break them up roughly and stir. Add the soy sauce and all the root vegetables, stir and add the stock. If necessary, add a little hot water to cover the vegetables fully – at most 300 ml or so. Instead, you could use an extra can of tomatoes if you prefer. Add the thyme, mace and garlic either now or later during the cooking, to taste. Bring to the boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are to your liking.

To finish, stir in the lentils and reheat, then simmer on a very low setting to avoid a crusty pan. Check the seasoning; you will probably have enough pepper in already, but salt and acid will both need adjustment unless the tomatoes were on the acid side. You might like to add a little more soy sauce, too.

Serve with chopped parsley for taste and decoration.

Variations:
If you don’t want a vegetarian dish, chicken stock will bring deeper flavour. You can also add pancetta (lard/speck/bacon) at the start or sausage slices at the end, but the dish is fully satisfying without.


Preparation time:
ca. 1 hr
Grade of difficulty:
medium
Calories per portion:
n/a