Warm and comforting sweet potato lentil stew is packed with veggies and amazing flavor. Ready in an hour, this vegan stew is perfect for chilly fall and winter days.
We’re big fans of vegetarian soup recipes like minestrone soup, hearty vegetable soup, and roasted butternut squash soup, and this sweet potato lentil stew is a delicious addition to the lineup!
Featuring protein-packed lentils and high fiber veggies, this stew has incredible texture and cozy flavor. It comes together quickly and easily, too – no pre-soaking required for the lentils and it takes just 40 minutes to cook on the stove. This recipe makes a big batch to enjoy all week long, freeze for later, or share with friends.
“Delicious!! Smells and tastes fantastic. Plenty of leftovers. A new fall favorite. Love the crunchy veggies, the kale at the end. Mmm!!!” – Stephanie
This hearty stew is loaded with fresh, nutrient-dense veggies. Whether you are a vegetarian or not, you’ll love this stew recipe!
Here are just a few ingredients that shine in this recipe:
More of our Favorite…
Vegetarian Soup + Chili Recipes
- Flavorful Vegetarian Chili
- Vegetarian Beer Chili
- Coconut Curry Soup
- Black Bean Quinoa Chili
- Healthy Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Meatless Instant Pot Chili
- Instant Pot Sweet Potato Curry Soup
Like so many of our soup recipes, this stew is customizable to your taste preferences and what ingredients you have on hand. Instead of:
- Red lentils: use the same amount of yellow lentils. Any other kind of lentil will take too long to cook in this specific recipe.
- Sweet potatoes: use cauliflower or any other dense root vegetable like white potatoes or parsnips.
- Chili powder, cumin, and paprika: use 3-4 tablespoons of our homemade chili seasoning.
- White northern beans: use your favorite kind of beans. Chickpeas, navy beans, or kidney beans would all be delicious swaps.
- Apple cider vinegar: use freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- Kale: use the same amount of freshly chopped spinach.
FAQ
Do you need to soak the lentils first?
You do not need to pre-soak red lentils for this lentil stew. Red lentils are already split and the cook time for this stew is perfect for this kind of lentil.
Can you make this stew in a slow cooker?
Yes! Skip sautéing the ingredients and simply add everything to your slow cooker. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
This recipe makes a giant batch of stew! Store leftover sweet potato lentil stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
If you don’t want to have lentil stew every day for an entire week, freeze it! Let the stew cool completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. For all of the nitty-gritty details about freezing stew, check out our post all about how to freeze soup.
Who doesn’t love receiving a delicious meal? Whether you have a friend in need or know someone who would simply appreciate a healthy meal, share it! Make a batch of this sweet potato lentil stew, transfer it into these meal prep containers, and deliver it to your people.
What to Serve with Stew
Enjoy a big bowl of sweet potato lentil stew on it’s own, or pair it with a slice of freshly baked bread, skillet cornbread, sautéed green beans, or your favorite salad.
Print- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large sweet potatoes cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 large carrots cut into coins
- 4 medium stalks celery chopped
- 2 cups mushrooms roughly chopped
- 1/2 large yellow onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground oregano or dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 cup red lentils dried
- 4 oz. green chiles
- 15 oz. tomato sauce
- 15 oz. diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup water
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 15 oz. white northern beans drained and rinsed
- 4 cups chopped kale
- Place olive oil in a large stockpot or dutch oven and heat over medium/high heat.
- When olive oil is fragrant, add sweet potatoes, carrots, celery, mushrooms, onion, garlic, and salt.
- Sauté for around 10 minutes. Then, add the rest of the ingredients (except the white beans and kale) and bring to a boil over medium/high heat.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to low and cover. Let simmer for 20 minutes.
- Then, mix in the white beans and kale. Cover and bring to a boil again over medium/high heat.
- Once boiling, turn down to low and let simmer for another 20 minutes or until the lentils are fully cooked.
- Storage: Store leftover stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing Instructions: Let the stew cool completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Slow Cooker Instructions: Skip sautéing the ingredients and simply add everything to your slow cooker. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
- This recipe was updated on 9/23/19.
