Creamy Mushroom and Black Beluga Lentil Stew

Awhile back, I posed an important question on Instagram: what kind of recipes would you like to see more of? I got a lot of different responses, but some of the most common replies were:

• Gluten-free recipes
• Plant-forward dishes
• Savory comfort food

And today’s recipe for a Creamy Mushroom and Black Beluga Lentil Stew is all of those things! It’s vegan and gluten-free, heavy on plants, and definitely qualifies as delicious savory comfort food.

Why you’ll love this recipe

This stew boasts a healthy dose of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and protein from the lentils, mushrooms, garlic, and kale. And then gets hit with a flavorful mixture of tahini, miso paste, tamari, and coconut milk.

The resulting taste is electric and unique, packed with strong notes of umami and a rich, creamy mouthfeel. It’s the kind of comfort food you can feel good about eating without a single ounce of guilt.

Ingredient Rundown

Now that I’ve obviously sold you on this dish, let’s talk about the ingredients, shall we?

The heart of this dish are mushrooms and black beluga lentils. I use a combination of cremini mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms to balance out taste and cost. Shiitake mushrooms bring a bold, savory flavor, but since they are quite pricy, I only use a small portion and rely on inexpensive cremini mushrooms for the bulk of the stew.

And for the lentils, I absolutely adore black beluga lentils, which are tiny black lentils that look almost like caviar once cooked (hence the name beluga). They have a delicate yet full-bodied taste, absorb other flavors really well, and pair particularly well with meaty vegetables (hi, mushrooms).

I love using black beluga lentils because the lentils stay firm-ish in this stew, so it feels heartier and adds some textural differences (instead of having a one-note, soft, mushy stew). And second, the lentils take on the flavors of the remaining ingredients, including the earthy, umami-packed flavors of the mushrooms, miso, and tahini. And bonus: black lentils, like dark-colored fruits (i.e., blackberries and blueberries) contains anthocyanin, a powerful antioxidant that prevents cellular damage caused by free-radicals. #antioxidants

Substitute: black beluga lentils are sold in most grocery stores (or online), but if you can’t find them, use French green lentils (also called Puy lentils). They’re similar in size and texture and also hold their shape well when cooked.

If you’re looking for more flavor-forward lentil recipes, you gotta try my Lentil Salad with Fresh Herbs! And if it’s the big umami flavors you’re after, my Creamy Umami Noodle Soup with Crispy Mushrooms is out of this world.

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Tips for cooking this recipe

To cook the lentils, the easiest method is to pressure cook them in an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker. Just pop the lentils in the pot with the vegetable broth or water and flavoring ingredients and pressure cook for 6 minutes. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, I’ve also included stovetop instructions below.

While the lentils are cooking, you can work on the other part of the stew, which is quite easy once you’ve prepared all your ingredients. If I can be a bit of a food snob for a minute, I recommend using a high-quality tahini and balsamic vinegar. If your tahini is chunky or bitter, the stew is not going to taste as great as it could. And for the balsamic vinegar, if all you have is a cheap $2 vinegar, you’re better off adding a squeeze of fresh lemon juice instead.

Serving suggestions

This Creamy Mushroom and Black Beluga Lentil Stew is hearty enough to serve on its own, but if you want to spread it across more mouths (or more days), serve it over a bed of your favorite grain (my choice would be millet or quinoa). Or, it’s great with a side of rustic, freshly baked bread (duh).

If you try this recipe out, be sure to leave me a comment below and tag me with your creation on Instagram!

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Creamy Mushroom and Black Beluga Lentil Stew

By Nisha Vora

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Total: 50 minutes mins

Servings: 4

5 from 267 votes

Made it? Click the stars to leave a review!

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This Creamy Mushroom and Black Beluga Lentil Stew is vegan, gluten-free, and plant-forward, but creamy and delicious. With hearty black beluga lentils, umami-packed mushrooms, and nutrition superstar kale, this is comfort food you can feel good about!

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Ingredients

Lentils

• ▢ 6 sprigs of fresh thyme
• ▢ 1 spring of fresh rosemary
• ▢ 1 bay leaf
• ▢ 1 cup (200g) black beluga lentils (can substitute French green lentils)
• ▢ 1 3/4 cups (420mL) low-sodium vegetable broth or water (2 cups / 480mL) if cooking lentils on stovetop)
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (1/4 teaspoon for stovetop method)
• ▢ 8 whole black peppercorns

Mushroom Stew

• ▢ 2 tablespoons (28g) olive oil (you can use less if you’re using a nonstick pan)
• ▢ 1 yellow onion diced
• ▢ 6 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 16 ounces (~450g) cremini mushrooms, sliced
• ▢ 4 ounces (~110g) shiitake mushrooms (caps only), sliced
• ▢ Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ▢ 1/4 cup (60mL) dry white wine (such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
• ▢ 1 ½ tablespoons white or yellow miso paste
• ▢ 3 tablespoons good-quality tahini
• ▢ 1 ½ tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
• ▢ 2 cups (480mL) low-sodium vegetable broth
• ▢ 1/2 cup (120mL) “lite” coconut milk or unsweetened oat milk, cashew milk, or soy milk
• ▢ 1 head of Tuscan lacinato kale, tough midribs removed and leaves sliced
• ▢ 1-2 teaspoons good-quality balsamic vinegar

Instructions 

Lentils

• Use kitchen twine to tie the bay leaf, thyme, and rosemary (this makes it easier to fish them out of the cooked lentils). If you don't have twine, leave herbs whole.
• Cook the lentils – Instant Pot method: Add the lentils, herb bundle, 1 3/4 cups (420 mL) broth or water, 1/2 tsp salt, and peppercorns to the inner pot. Select the Pressure Cook setting at high pressure for a cook time of 6 minutes. Allow a natural pressure release. Drain the lentils and set aside.
• Cook the lentils – stovetop method: Bring the 2 cups (480 mL) broth or water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the lentils, herb bundle, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and black peppercorns. Simmer the lentils for 20-25 minutes, or until just tender. Drain the lentils and set aside.

Mushroom Stew

• While the lentils cook, prepare the ingredients for the mushroom stew (chop the vegetables, measure out the ingredients, etc.).
• Heat a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the onion and cook until lightly browned, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently.

  While the onion cooks, in a glass, combine the miso, tahini, and tamari. Whisk well to dissolve the miso as best you can.
• Add the sliced mushrooms and let them sit undisturbed for 3 minutes. Stir, then season generously with salt and pepper. Add the garlic, thyme leaves, and red pepper flakes, and stir frequently until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Pour in the white wine and allow to bubble for 3 to 4 minutes, scraping up any browned bits as needed, or until the smell of alcohol cooks off. Add the miso-tahini mixture and stir well into the mushrooms to coat them.

  Add the cooked & drained lentils, 2 cups (480 mL) vegetable broth, and the lite coconut milk. Stir well, and bring to a boil.
• Once it's boiling, turn off the heat. Carefully pour half of the stew into a stand blender. Blend until the mixture is completely pureed and smooth, and then pour the mixture back into the pot and stir to combine.

  Alternatively, use an immersion blender directly in the pot to partially blend the stew.
• Once the stew has been partially blended, add in the sliced kale. Bring the stew to a boil until it is thick and creamy and the kale has wilted.

  Remove from the heat and stir in the balsamic vinegar. Taste for seasonings and adjust to taste.

Nutrition

Calories: 428kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 799mg | Potassium: 1079mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 6931IU | Vitamin C: 92mg | Calcium: 207mg | Iron: 7mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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