Vegetarian Irish Stew with Lentils and Mushrooms

With mushrooms, lentils, and dark stout beer, this Vegetarian Irish Stew will leave you feeling comforted and satisfied—like a hug in a bowl. This plant-based stew is perfect for St. Patrick's Day, of course, but also a delicious meal for any relaxing Sunday at home. The ingredients are simple and you can easily make this recipe gluten-free or without beer if preferred. For weeknights or days when you have less time, this can easily be made ahead!

This veggie stew is cozy, hearty, comfort food perfection. And with 20 grams plant-based protein per serving, this meal is sure to fill you up and leave you feeling satisfied, too.

I love this stew simply served with a side of fresh, toasted bread. If you want to make a full St. Patrick's day feast, try this with my Tempeh Shepherd's Pie and Roasted Cabbage Caesar Salad. Or if you're looking for something green, make this Quick Pasta with Spinach Sauce.

Ingredients

A mix of high-protein lentils and veggies (carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms) give this stew a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs feel. Stirring in flour makes a roux that, along with the stout beer, helps thicken the liquid. Thyme, garlic, and tomato paste balance out the flavors and make this stew truly unforgettable.

Here's what you'll need.

Grocery List:

• Carrots 
• Onion
• Mushrooms
• Gold potatoes
• Garlic
• Tomato paste
• Olive oil (or whatever oil you use for cooking)
• Lentils
• Vegetable broth
• Dried thyme
• Salt 
• Pepper 
• Irish stout beer (such as Guinness; see recipe notes for alcohol-free variation)

Optional for serving:

• Fresh parsley
• Fresh bread

See the recipe card at the end of this post for ingredient quantities.

Instructions

This is a basic summary of how to make vegetarian Irish stew.

Cook the vegetables in oil, stir in flour and seasoning, and then pour in the stout and deglaze the pot.

Add lentils, potatoes, and broth.

Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the lentils and vegetables are tender and the liquid is reduced.

Hint: Adding liquid, such as beer, to the hot pot releases all of the cooked bits that are stuck to the bottom. These bits add delicious, complex flavor to the stew. This process is called deglazing, and you can do it with any liquid, so use water or broth if you want to skip the beer. Learn more about deglazing in this article from Bon Appétit.

Substitutions

A few suggestions for ingredient swaps:

• Gluten free: Use gluten-free stout (or water or broth) and gluten-free flour.
• Without beer: Substitute water or vegetable broth for the stout. You can also use N/A (non-alcoholic) beer if preferred.

Variations

Make it your own:

• Root vegetable: Include a combination of potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and turnips for added variety.
• Beef-less Stew: Use plant-based steak "meat" instead of mushrooms. Look for it in the frozen section.

See this vegetarian pot pie for another plant-based comfort food idea!

Equipment

• Knife and cutting board: for chopping vegetables.
• Large pot: to cook the stew. A large Dutch oven works, too.
• Wooden spoon: for stirring and deglazing the pot. A wooden spoon or spatula works best, but you can also use a silicone or plastic spoon/spatula if needed. Avoid metal utensils, as they can scratch the pot.

Storage

This recipe is make ahead-friendly. Store the prepared stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to five days.

To freeze, transfer the stew to a freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Reheating

Microwave the stew in 30 second increments until warm, stirring in between.

You can also warm up the stew in a pot over medium heat on the stovetop until warm.

This stew tends to thicken while in storage. Stir in additional water or vegetable broth to thin it out to the consistency you like.

FAQ

Related

Looking for more vegetarian soup ideas? Try these:

Pairing

These are my favorite vegetarian dishes to serve with Irish stew:

📖 Recipe

Vegetarian Irish Stew with Lentils and Mushrooms

Stephanie McKercher, RDN

With mushrooms, lentils, and dark Irish stout beer, this vegetarian stew is sure to leave you feeling comforted and satisfied. It's perfect for St. Patrick's Day, of course, but also a delicious lunch or dinner to make on a lazy Sunday. The ingredients are simple (check the notes to make this without beer). For weeknights or days when you have less time, this recipe can easily be made ahead!

4.11 from 19 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine dairy-free, Holiday, Irish, St. Patrick's Day, vegan, vegetarian

Servings 4 people

Calories 464 kcal

Equipment

• Knife and cutting board
• Large pot

Ingredients

  

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 large carrots halved lengthwise and then cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 8 ounces white mushrooms quartered
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• ¼ cup flour
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper or to taste
• 1 (11.7-14.9-ounce) bottle or can Irish stout beer (such as Guinness, see note 1)
• 4 medium gold potatoes chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
• 1 cup dry lentils
• 4 cups vegetable broth

Optional for serving:

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• Fresh bread toasted if desired

Instructions

 

• Pour oil into a large pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, stir in carrot and onion and cook 6 mins, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, or until onion is translucent. Stir in mushrooms, garlic, and tomato paste, and cook 4 minutes, or until mushrooms darken. Stir in flour until vegetables are evenly coated. Stir in thyme, salt, and pepper until evenly mixed.
• Pour in the stout and scrape any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot with your wooden spoon.
• Add potatoes, lentils, and broth. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until lentils and vegetables are tender and the liquid is reduced and thickened. Scrape the bottom of the pot with your wooden spoon as needed for sticking. If there is not enough stew liquid, gradually stir in more water or vegetable broth until desired consistency is reached. If you add too much liquid, continue cooking uncovered until reduced. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
• Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with bread if desired.

Notes

1. Beer: I tested this recipe with both a (11.7-ounce) bottle and (14.9-ounce) can of Guinness. Use either size or another type of stout beer if desired. To make this recipe without beer, substitute 1 ½ cups water or vegetable broth for the stout. You can also substitute N/A beer if desired.
2. Gluten free: Use gluten-free stout (or water or broth) and gluten-free flour.
3. Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to five days.
4. Freezing: Store in a freezer bag in the freezer up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
5. Reheating: Microwave in 30 second increments until warm, stirring in between. You can also warm up the stew in a pot over medium heat on the stovetop, adding more water or broth as needed, until warm. Stir in additional water or vegetable broth if the stew is too thick.
6. Nutrition facts are estimates only and do not include optional ingredients for serving.

Keyword St. Patrick's Day, stout stew, vegetable stew