This rustic and hearty Lentil Stew with lots of vegetables is one of the most satisfying Meatless Monday dinners I have made in a long time. It’s also great for lunch leftovers!
If you have followed Clean Cuisine for any length of time, then you know one of the ways we keep our animal food intake down at our house is by sticking to Meat Free Monday Entrees.
It’s a clean food diet strategy that if you adopt consistently week after week, year after year, can really make a big impact on your family’s overall health. We are not vegan, but we do acknowledge eating less meat has tremendous health benefits.
How to Make a Satisfying Lentil Stew
The best way to make your Lentil Stew satisfying, is by packing your stew full of vegetables and herbs. Plus, we do use a little bit of anchovy paste and trust me, you don’t want to omit this. It adds such a beautiful layer of flavor.
There is no meat protein in our lentil stew. So, of course less meat can also sometimes mean a less than filling and less than hearty dinner. If you want to add a little more protein, add an egg.
Pastured Egg on Top of your Lentil Stew Bowl
However, I think of all the meatless dinners one can make, the combination of lentils (or beans) with eggs surely has to be the most satisfying.
My lentil stew recipe can most definitely be made without the poached egg, but if you have a family with a hearty appetite, I would suggest adding the eggs for sure. You can also add a loaf of crusty gluten free bread and a large salad too. Trust me, nobody will miss the meat.
Kitchen Favorites
Lentil Stew with LOTS of Vegetables
A hearty and rustic lentil stew with lots of vegetables. It’s the perfect satisfying entree for Meatless Mondays, especially with a poached egg on top!
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 75 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Ingredients
- 4 cups savoy cabbage (chopped)
- 3 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon anchovy paste (optional, although I would not omit it!)
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 large shallot (finely chopped)
- 1 large leek (finely chopped)
- 2 celery stalks (finely chopped)
- 4 carrots (finely chopped)
- Unrefined sea salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 can (26 ounces chopped tomatoes, drained (note: I like Pomi brand boxed tomatoes))
- 2 cups organic vegetable broth
- 2 cans (15 ounces each lentils, rinsed and drained (note: I like BPA-free Eden Foods brand))
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- OPTIONAL EGG TOPPING
- 1 tablespoon unfiltered and unpasteurized apple cider vinegar (such as Bragg’s)
- 4 organic (pasture-raised eggs)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add cabbage and cook about 10 minutes, or until just soft. Drain and set aside.
- Add the oil to the same pot used to cook the cabbage and heat over medium heat. Add the anchovy paste (if using), cumin, turmeric, shallots, leeks, celery and carrots. Saute until vegetables are soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the cooked cabbage and tomatoes; cook 5 minutes.
- Add vegetable broth and cook 10 minutes. Add lentils and cook 5 minutes. Remove stew from heat, add parsley and cover to keep warm.
- OPTIONAL EGG TOPPING: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt and the vinegar. Bring to a simmer. Break 1 egg into a small cup and carefully transfer the egg into the simmering water. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the egg white is set but the yolk is still runny. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel. Repeat with the remaining eggs.
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LOOKING FOR MORE CLEAN EATING DINNER RECIPES?
If you liked the lentil stew recipe, be sure to check out a full month’s menu of delicious healthy dinner recipes (including weekly shopping lists!) in our Clean Cuisine Dinners digital cookbook.
