This Hearty Red Lentil Stew is thick and chunky with diced tomatoes and lentils. Made with flavorful spices and vegetables, this filling dish is the perfect thing to warm you up.
This Heart Red Lentil Stew is the perfect food to warm you up and fill your belly. It's rich and thick, with a delicious mix of ingredients that make each bite so delicious. This recipe uses red lentils, which will get softer as they cook and add to the creamy consistency. I love the way the sauteed onions and garlic give this stew an earthy, pungent flavor. This is something you'll want to serve throughout the cooler months.
Creamy coconut milk adds that rich, slightly sweet flavor that pairs well with the stronger ginger flavor and spices. Delicious and easy, this recipe makes a great lunch or dinner and has lots of versatility. You can vary the ingredients and even double the batch to freeze for later. Below we'll talk about what add-ins and substitutions work well, but first, let's talk ingredients.
Video Tutorial
What you'll need
- Red Lentils. This stew tastes best with red lentils, so keep the green ones for another recipe, or try my Easy Lemon Lentil Soup.
- Oil. I used grapeseed oil. Any kind can be used here.
- Onion + Garlic + Ginger. Each brings a unique flavor.
- Spices. Curry powder, cumin powder, turmeric, chili powder, and salt.
- Diced Tomatoes. I use fire-roasted diced tomatoes.
- Coconut Milk. High-fat coconut milk works best.
How to make it
1. In a medium sauce pan, cook the onion in oil over medium heat, until softened and golden (about 5 minutes).
2. Add the garlic, ginger, curry, cumin, turmeric, chili, and salt. Cook for 1 minute, and then reduce the heat to medium-low.
3. At this point, add red lentils, tomatoes, and coconut milk. Cook, stirring often, for about 25 minutes, or until the lentils are fully cooked and the stew has thickened up nicely.
Tips for the best Red Lentil Stew
- Stir the lentils often. Lentils can easily get stuck to the bottom of the pan, so stir throughout the cooking process to avoid this.
- Stick with red lentils. The red lentils will break down and soften during cooking, which is perfect for a stew. But other types, like green ones, are firmer and will add too much texture here.
- Use a higher-fat coconut milk. This ingredient adds all that creamy deliciousness. If you go with a fat-free version, the stew will be thinner and more soupy.
- Allow the stew to simmer for a bit. The red lentils will take a while to break down, so keep stirring and cooking so you get the thick, chunky stew you want.
Add-ins and Substitutes
- Add more vegetables. You aren't limited to just the onion, garlic, and ginger. You can also make this Hearty Red Lentil Stew with carrots, potatoes, celery, or cabbage. Whatever you like.
- Make this stew into a soup. If you prefer soup, you can follow this recipe and add 2 cups of veggie broth or water to it. This will thin it out to a soup-like consistency.
- Add some smoky flavor. Try this stew with smoked paprika for a rich, smoky flavor.
- Try this with pasta or rice. You can add some orzo, couscous, rice, or quinoa to this Red Lentil Stew for an even more satisfying meal. Serve it mixed together, or spoon the stew on top.
How to Store
To store this Hearty Red Lentil Stew, place it in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will last for up to 5 days. If you would like to freeze it, then place the stew in a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag. It can be frozen for 4-5 months. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat it in the microwave or on the stove.
How to Serve Red Lentil Stew
- With bread. Some toasted bread, rolls, or pitas could be used to scoop up every last drop of this tasty Red Lentil Stew.
- As a side dish. These versatile flavors can be paired with a main dish, like these Creamy Vegan Cauliflower Steaks or Vegan Stuffed Eggplants.
- Alongside a salad. A cold salad with this hot stew would be delicious. Try this Tomato and Onion Salad or Creamy Cucumber Radish Salad.
- As the main course. A bowl of this wonderful stew is all you need for a great meal, so serve it just as is.
I hope you love this Hearty Red Lentil Stew as much as I do. It's just perfect when you're craving something warm, comforting, and filling. Enjoy!
More tasty comfort vegan recipes:
Hearty Red Lentil Stew
Video Tutorial
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. grapeseed oil or other kind
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp. minced ginger
- ½ tsp. curry powder
- ¼ tsp. cumin powder
- ¼ tsp. turmeric powder
- ¼ tsp. chili powder or to taste
- ¾ tsp. sea salt or to taste
- ¾ cup red lentils, rinsed
- 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
- 1 can (13.5 oz.) full-fat coconut milk
- cilantro and freshly ground pepper, to garnish
Instructions
- In a medium sauce pan, cook the onion in oil over medium heat, until softened and golden (about 5 minutes).
- Add the garlic, ginger, curry, cumin, turmeric, chili, and salt. Cook for 1 minute, and then reduce the heat to medium-low.
- At this point, add red lentils, tomatoes, and coconut milk. Cook, stirring often, for about 25 minutes, or until the lentils are fully cooked and the stew has thickened up nicely.
Notes
Tips for the best Red Lentil Stew
- Stir the lentils often. Lentils can easily get stuck to the bottom of the pan, so stir throughout the cooking process to avoid this.
- Stick with red lentils. The red lentils will break down and soften during cooking, which is perfect for a stew. But other types, like green ones, are firmer and will add too much texture here.
- Use a higher-fat coconut milk. This ingredient adds all that creamy deliciousness. If you go with a fat-free version, the stew will be thinner and more soupy.
- Allow the stew to simmer for a bit. The red lentils will take a while to break down, so keep stirring and cooking so you get the thick, chunky stew you want.
If you are adding celery, carrots and potatoes how should they be chopped, when do you add them and how long should you cook them? Please and thank you!
You can dice the celery, carrots, and potatoes into small, bite-size cubes (about ½ inch). Add them right after the spices, before the lentils, tomatoes, and coconut milk, and let everything simmer together for about 25–30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the lentils are soft 😊
Amazing I make this for dinner about once a week and my family loves it each time.
I’m so happy to hear that! 🥰 It means so much that you make it so often and that your family loves it every time — thank you for sharing this, Jj!
This was delicious! Needed something bright and flavorful on this dreary ice storm day and this hit the spot!
Perfect! Enjoy, Erin!
Absolutely delicious. My husband and I only eat twice a day so this was our dinner and I divided it in 2. One serving ended up being 808 calories. I added 120g of celery, 170g of carrots, and 80g of jalapeños. I also didn’t have fresh ginger so I substituted 1/3 tsp of ground ginger. I put it in with the veggies to fry so it would lose some of the powdery taste. My lentils cooked in about 15 minutes. This was such a hit. My husband said it’s one of his favorites. Thank you for this!
Yay! I am glad you enjoyed it, Paulina!