Lentil and Mushroom Stew with Root Vegetables

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Sometimes I'm amazed by just how much flavor lentils can soak up.

Picture lentils simmering in a deeply flavorful broth of root vegetables and mushrooms, slowly softening until they practically melt into the stew.

This lentil stew is perfect when you want something warm and delicious to serve with rice or pasta (or even ptitim, the little toasted Israeli pasta pearls).

The root vegetables bring a rich, deep flavor, and the mushrooms take the whole thing to another level.

I'm not exaggerating. Really. This is one gorgeous winter stew.

Another reason I used mushrooms: they add plenty of volume without adding many calories.

A Few Tips for This Lentil and Mushroom Stew

1: I used green lentils without soaking them. Just rinsed off the dust, and into the pot they went.

You really don't have to soak lentils.

You can swap in red, black, or yellow lentils, or even buckwheat. These are all no-soak options. (Yes, yes, I know buckwheat isn't a legume. It's a seed.)

2: I went with especially flavorful root vegetables, including Jerusalem artichoke, ginger, and carrots, for a wonderful aroma and flavor. Don't like one of the vegetables? Swap it out. We're making stew here, not pastry.

3: For more volume and flavor with minimal calories, I added a big handful of white button mushrooms. Want to use something else? Go for it: portobello, oyster, and shiitake mushrooms would all work beautifully.

4: Notice that I didn't use any dried spices. I wanted to keep the flavors a little more "quiet." Want to turn up the volume? Cook a teaspoon of cumin and a teaspoon of hawaij for soup (a Yemenite spice blend popular in Israel) along with the onion.

Lentil Stew Nutrition

One serving, out of 4, weighing 250 g (8.8 oz), contains:

• 265 calories
• 14 g protein
• 41 g carbohydrates
• 5 g fat
• 1 g saturated fat
• 14 g fiber

Ready for another steaming pot of stew? 

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  Lentil and Mushroom Stew

  Yield 4 servings

  Calories 265 kcal

  Ingredients

  • 1 cup green lentils, rinsed
  • 1 package white button mushrooms, rinsed and sliced
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 1 palm-sized Jerusalem artichoke, peeled and sliced
  • 1 parsley root
  • 1 stalk celery, rinsed and sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 quantity of water for cooking, enough to cover

  Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a pot large enough to hold the stew.

  2. Add the chopped onion and cook for about 2–3 minutes, until translucent.

  3. Add the remaining root vegetables and aromatics: Jerusalem artichoke, ginger, carrots, parsley root, garlic, and celery. Add the salt and cook for a few minutes.

  4. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking until they shrink a little.

  5. Add the lentils and cook for another few minutes, stirring.

  6. Add enough water to cover and bring to a boil.

  7. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the lentils soften and melt into the stew.

  8. My favorite way to eat this is with rice or buckwheat. 🙂

  Recipe Video