This hearty Pumpkin and Green Lentil Stew is the perfect hassle-free meal! It’s easy to put together and it’s a great way of transforming simple vegetables into a wholesome and comforting dish. This stew is vegan, high in protein and it's gluten-free! Serve it with a dollop of vegan yogurt and some crusty bread for a nutritious and delicious meal.
The chilly Autumn breeze has hit London, which means fuzzy jumpers and lots of comfort foods! This Pumpkin and Green Lentil stew is definitely one of my all-time favourite recipes to make during the cooler months. It makes the most of seasonal pumpkins, it's nutritious and it's quick and easy to prepare.
Why Make this Pumpkin and Lentil Stew?
This stew tastes even better the next day, so great for preparing in advance.
It's freezer friendly so it’s perfect for batch cooking
This stew is made with wholesome, plant-based ingredients and it's gluten-free
Makes the most a fresh, seasonal pumpkins
You’ll only need one pot!
Ingredients for Pumpkin and Green Lentil Stew
Here’s what you’ll need to make this stew:
Olive oil: you’ll need a bit of olive oil to sauté the onions are garlic. You can also use vegetable oil, coconut oil or vegan butter instead.
Onion & Garlic: the onion and garlic add a delicious depth of flavour to this stew and help to enhance its savouriness. Pumpkin: I’d recommend you use small, sugar pumpkins as they have a more dense and creamy flesh. If you prefer not to use pumpkin, butternut squash will also work well. Green Lentils: I’ve used canned cooked green lentils for this recipe. I would not suggest using yellow or red lentils as they tend to have a mushier texture. Tomatoes: I've used a combination of canned chopped tomatoes and fresh tomatoes for added texture and to give an intense tomato flavour. You can omit the fresh tomatoes if you'd like to just use canned tomatoes. Aleppo Chilli Flakes: The Aleppo chilli flakes add a slow-building heat and a delicious earthy, fruity taste to the dish. You could use different types of chilli flakes, but bear in mind that different types of chilli will have different levels of heat, so make sure to add it accordingly.
Dried Oregano: the dried oregano adds a delicious earthy flavour to the stew. If you don’t have any dried oregano at hand, you can use dried thyme instead.
Bay leaves: adds a warm, aromatic favour to the stew.
Sweet paprika: I’ve used sweet paprika, but if you like smoky flavours, smoked paprika would also be delicious in this stew. Vegetable broth: I’ve used a shop-bought vegetable stock cube for the recipe, but any kind of vegetable stock will do. For topping: I'd recommend adding a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and some fresh chopped parsley to bring out all those flavours. A dollop of vegan yogurt also goes beautifully with this stew.
How to Make Pumpkin and Lentil Stew
STEP 1:
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
STEP 2:
Add the canned tomatoes, chopped fresh tomatoes, vegetable stock, pumpkin pieces, bay leaves, paprika, chilli flakes, oregano, salt and pepper to the pot and stir. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 25-30 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender. Add the drained green lentils and simmer for 5 more minutes.
STEP 3:
Stir in some freshly squeezed lemon juice and chopped parsley and serve with a dollop of vegan yogurt.
What to Serve with Pumpkin and Lentil Stew
This stew is delicious on its own, but if you'd like to serve something with it, here are a few suggestions:
• Fresh crusty bread
• Rice, quinoa, couscous or bulgur
• Mashed potatoes
• Leafy green salad
How to Store, Freeze and Reheat this Stew
To store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To freeze: Once the stew has cooked, let it cool down completely and then transfer it to a container and store in the freezer for up to a month.
To reheat: To reheat the stew, place in the microwave for about 5 minutes or on the stovetop for 20 minutes. If cooking from frozen, let it thaw for a few hours and then reheat in the microwave or stovetop.