Hearty Irish Vegetarian Stew: Cozy Comfort in a Bowl

Irish Vegetarian Stew is the ultimate comfort food on a chilly day. After making this many times, I’ve found that the secret to a hearty stew is to cook the vegetables slowly. This allows their flavors to meld together and creates a rich, cozy dish that will warm you up from the inside out. Jump to the recipe card or keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy Baked Turmeric Chicken with Spring Vegetables and Easy Crockpot Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Potatoes.

What You'll Need for Hearty Irish Vegetarian Stew: Cozy Comfort in a Bowl

Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 cup dried green or brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• Optional: Chopped fresh parsley
• Optional: Crusty bread

How to Make Hearty Irish Vegetarian Stew: Cozy Comfort in a Bowl

1. Sauté vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add remaining ingredients: Stir in potatoes, lentils, vegetable broth, water, tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil.
3. Simmer: Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until lentils and potatoes are tender.
4. Blend (optional): Use an immersion blender to blend some of the stew until desired thickness is reached.
5. Serve: Ladle into bowls and serve with chopped fresh parsley and crusty bread.

Storing & Reheating Hearty Irish Vegetarian Stew: Cozy Comfort in a Bowl

Short-Term Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Make-ahead tip: This stew can be made ahead and reheated.

Freezing Hearty Irish Vegetarian Stew: Cozy Comfort in a Bowl

Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

How to Reheat Without Drying It Out

Oven: Reheat in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Recipe Notes

• Chef tip: Adding a splash of red wine to the pot can add depth of flavor to the stew.
• Best substitution: You can substitute the lentils for chickpeas or kidney beans.
• Make-ahead: This stew can be made up to 2 days ahead and reheated.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved.
• Troubleshooting: If your stew is too thick, add a little more water or vegetable broth to reach your desired consistency.

Hearty Irish Vegetarian Stew: Cozy Comfort in a Bowl

⏱

Prep

15 mins

🍳

Cook

35 mins

⏳

Total

50 mins

🍽

Serves

6 servings

🥗

Diet

Vegetarian

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 cup dried green or brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 bay leaves

Seasonings

• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 2 bay leaves

Optional Toppings

• Chopped fresh parsley
• Crusty bread

Instructions

1. Sauté vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add remaining ingredients: Stir in potatoes, lentils, vegetable broth, water, tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil.
3. Simmer: Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until lentils and potatoes are tender.
4. Blend (optional): Use an immersion blender to blend some of the stew until desired thickness is reached.
5. Serve: Ladle into bowls and serve with chopped fresh parsley and crusty bread.

Notes

• Chef tip: Adding a splash of red wine to the pot can add depth of flavor to the stew.
• Best substitution: You can substitute the lentils for chickpeas or kidney beans.
• Make-ahead: This stew can be made up to 2 days ahead and reheated.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved.
• Troubleshooting: If your stew is too thick, add a little more water or vegetable broth to reach your desired consistency.

Storage

• Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• Oven reheat: Reheat in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes.
• Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
• Make ahead: This stew can be made ahead and reheated.

Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 350
• Protein: 18g
• Fat: 6g
• Carbs: 55g
• Fiber: 15g
• Sugar: 6g
• Sodium: 800mg
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sat. Fat: 1g

Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.

Hearty Irish Vegetarian Stew: Cozy Comfort in a Bowl FAQs

A Warm Final Note

I can’t wait for you to try Hearty Irish Vegetarian Stew: Cozy Comfort in a Bowl and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!