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Simple and quick vegan Balsamic Lentil Stew is a great comfort food for the colder days.
This Balsamic Lentil Stew is a great budget-friendly recipe that requires only a few, basic ingredients and just one pot. This stew is seriously easy to make, yet it’s absolutely delicious and heartwarming. Balsamic Lentil Stew makes a lovely autumn/winter meal by itself, but it’s also amazing served with rice, pasta or potatoes. It also freezes well, so don’t hesitate to double or triple the portion, so you’ll have a quick weeknight dinner option any time.
My most popular recipes on the blog are always my cheap and simple recipes, so I thought you would surely enjoy this one here too. It’s actually not my recipe, my boyfriend introduced me to this dish a few years ago, and I’ve instantly fell in love (with the food of course, not with him). It’s one of those dishes I can never get bored of. However I have to admit, I have never made this stew myself – luckily I’m super spoiled and my boyfriend cooks this deliciousness for me. So actually all I did here was slicing a loaf of bread and force him to hold the bowl in the perfect angle so the pictures will be exactly as I want them. And now I take all the credit for his awesomeness…hahaha…Yay for boyfriend recipes!
If you try this recipe, let me know! I would highly appreciate if you could leave a comment and rate it. Also don’t forget to take a picture and tag it on Instagram (use the hashtag #greenevi) or post it on Facebook! I love seeing what you come up with! ♥︎
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Simple Vegan Balsamic Lentil Stew
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 2 1x
Ingredients
- 1 large onion
- 2 cans of lentil
- 3 cups of vegetable broth (or water)
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- 1/2 tsp liquid smoke (optional)
- salt, pepper
Instructions
- Chop onion. Drain and rinse lentils.
- Add lentils, onion and broth to a pot, and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
- Add tomato paste, vinegar, maple syrup, liquid smoke and thyme and cook for about 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.
- Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: Vegan
Ah, that is so easy, but the deep flavors and hearty lentils are just perfect!
Oh yeah, perfect for fall ♥
I do love lentils, and this combination is one of my favorite – simple yet comfort, earthy, and delicious. I go normally with smoked paprika, but I like the idea of using liquid smoke. And maple syrup? Yeeees please. You can tell your BF this dish has been 100% approved:) Now, pass me a large spoon, please:)
Hihihi, I think he will appreciate this comment a lot! 🙂
And smoked paprika is such a lovely thing, I think it goes well with everything!
Wow – what a delicious and simple-sounding recipe. And how lucky that it was made for you 🙂 I think I’ll try to convince my husband to try his hand at making this recipe. Thank you.
That would be so cool! Let me know if you could convince him 😀
If I make these with dried lentils, what would the proportions be – like 4 cups of cooked lentils vs. 2 cans? Just need a point of reference since I try to used dried beans & lentils and do not have any cans of lentils on hand at the moment.
This does sound great, just need to get the measurements clear in my mind so I can give it a try.
Hi Tracy,
I think 4 cups of cooked lentils would be roughly the same as 2 cans.
My boyfriend actually also makes this recipe with dry lentils (just shared this version since it’s a bit more convenient). He doesn’t precook the lentils that way, but simply cooks the dry lentils with the broth and onions, and then just before the lentils are done adds all the seasonings.
Let me know if you try the recipe and how you like it 😉
Oh, that’s a great idea. I think I will try the dry version, that will save me some time on the prep work. Thank you
Time saving versions are always the best versions 😉
It must be yummy. I love lentils. Although I didn’t make them with balsamic vinegar, I make a bean salad with vinegar and it’s delicious, I think I would like this recipe too.
Oh, that salad sounds delicious too, I love legumes and vinegar!
I love all legumes and this is such a beautiful and delicious meatless treat.
Thanks, Angie 🙂
I’ve never made a lentil stew with balsamic, I’m inspired!! Going to do this! Thanks Evi 🙂
xo
Let me know how you liked it, Ashley 🙂
Simple and tasty recipe Evi. I liked the photography and the presentation of your recipe!!!
Thank you, Puja 🙂
Those lentils look like jewels! I love the balsamico in the dish, I would love to try this. I don’t have liquid smoke, but some smoked paprika and smoked black pepper. I will add some of those.
Oh, that smoked paprika sounds amazing too! What’s smoked black pepper? Have never heard of it – but since it’s smoked, and black, and pepper, I’m sure I’d like it 😉
I love the smoked pepper! I found it recently in Aldi and use it quite a lot.
Oh, really? Please, tell me in Aldi Nord and not Aldi Süd 😀
Wow! What a lovely delicious and comfy looking lentils, Evi. Such a treat to my tongue and eyes. I love all the lentils and this vegan balsamic stew is just calling my name. Can’t wait to try this.
Thanks, Anu!
Oooo this sounds like a perfect winter warmer, thanks for sharing
Kathryn | nimblenote.blogspot.com
Thanks, Kathryn! 🙂
What a mindblowing combination – again! Tastes amazing!
Thanks for this very simple and very delicious recipe!
🙂 Ági
Hi Ági! Thank you so much for your sweet comment, I’m so happy you like this lentil stew 🙂
Hello Evi! I just made this for dinner and it tastes amazing! I used dry lentils and cooked them in my instant pot first. I think I needed to use less veggie broth then. Either way the flavor is outstanding. Thanks!
Hi Susan, I’m so happy to hear you liked the recipe, it’s actually one of my favorites 🙂
I just made this in the Instant Pot with dried lentils, and it’s the only lentil dish my husband and I have liked. I thought we’d try this one because it sounded different and my husband just had his wisdom teeth out and needed soft food. It was so good! Thank you!
So glad to hear you liked the recipe!
I had my wisdom teeth out this year too, and it was such a struggle, I totally feel for your husband. I hope he gets well soon 😘
Hi Evi,
Looks amazing! I actually have too many bags of lentils and a giant ass bottle of balsamic and just googled what I can do with them both! 🙂
May I ask what specific type of lentils these are?
Hi Shrutii,
I’m not 100% sure anymore, what lentils were those on the pictures, but I usually use a type called Castelluccio lentils (or berglinsen in German). However I’ve also made this recipe several times with brown, green, beluga, and puy lentils, and they all work well too. So you can use whatever lentils you have at home.
Let me know how you liked the recipe! 🙂
Prepared as written except ran out of balsamic vinegar, used only 1/2 cup. Overly strong vinegar flavor, and syrupy sweet. With a piece of cornbread crumbled into each serving, it was edible. We need more lentils in our lives, so I will attempt it again — will cut the vinegar to 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp, and will cut the maple syrup in half.
Hi Eric,
the recipe uses 1/3 cup of vinegar, which is less than the 1/2 cup you used. Did you accidentally use more than 1/3 cup? That would surely make things overly vinegary 😉
Forgot to mention I doubled the recipe, so it called for 2/3 cup and I used 1/2 cup
Oh, sorry to hear then. I hope when cutting back the vinegar next time you’ll enjoy it more 🙂