Lentils and mushrooms cook up into a hearty and delicious vegan meal perfect when you're craving comfort food. It's easy to make and great to prepare in advance. This recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, and Whole30 compliant, but tastes great and will please meat-eaters as well.
Prep Time 5 minutesminutes
Cook Time 10 minutesminutes
Pressurize and Depressurize Instant Pot 25 minutesminutes
Set the Instant Pot on the saute setting. Add olive oil and heat. When the oil is hot, add leeks, fennel, garlic and carrots. Cook for about five minutes or until leeks have softened.
Add the diced tomatoes with liquid, lentils, mushrooms, miso, and 3 cups vegetable broth to the Instant Pot. Secure the lid on top and make sure the pressure valve is closed. Set the Instant Pot to high pressure cooking for 10 minutes.
8 ounces mushrooms, 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes, ¾ cup brown lentils, 3 - 4 cups vegetable broth, 1 tablespoon white miso
When the time is finished, use natural release for 10 minutes and then quick release to carefully remove the lid.
Set the Instant Pot to the saute setting again. Stir in the kale, thyme, marjoram, salt and pepper. Cook for an additional 5 minutes to allow kale to soften and flavors to meld. For a thinner stew, add ½ cup - 1 cup of additional vegetable broth to reach desired consistency.
½ teaspoon thyme, ½ teaspoon marjoram, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, 4 cups kale
Stovetop Instructions
In a large Dutch oven or large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add leeks, fennel, garlic, and carrots. Cook for about five minutes or until leeks are soft.
Then add mushrooms and cook until lightly browned.
8 ounces mushrooms
Add the diced tomatoes with liquid, lentils, miso, and vegetable broth.
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes, ¾ cup brown lentils, 3 - 4 cups vegetable broth, 1 tablespoon white miso
Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes.
Add the kale, thyme, marjoram, salt, and pepper. Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes or until lentils are done.
4 cups kale, ½ teaspoon thyme, ½ teaspoon marjoram, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Video
Notes
Season at the end. The high heat of the pressure cooker can damage the flavors so I find it best to add after cooking for the best flavor.
Releasing the pressure. Only use natural release for 10 minutes, then remove the lid. The lentil stew will keep slowly cooking while the lid is still on and you don't want overcooked lentils.
No soaking needed. All you need is to rinse the lentils and then add them to the pot. They don't require soaking.
Crunchy lentils. If you find your lentils aren't cooked all the way after releasing the pressure, don't worry, you just need to cook a little longer. Place the lid back on top and cook for an additional 2-4 minutes. Then use quick release and check to see if they are cooked fully. Repeat until done. The Instant Pot will repressurize much more quickly the second time.