Butternut Squash Lentil Stew

Soups —
October 13, 2016
Soups —
October 13, 2016

Butternut Squash Lentil Stew

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Butternut Squash Lentil Stew

butternut squash lentil stew in a bowl

Creating this lentil stew recipe

Soup/stew is my favorite thing to make in the colder months. There’s something about cozying up on the couch with a big bowl of stew that makes me warm and fuzzy inside. Butternut Squash Soup was the first dinner I learned to make for myself at college. It’s honestly probably less about the fact that I loved soup and more about the fact that I could fill 4 containers up, freeze them, then reheat one after another throughout the month. Less work, you know?

With the weather down to a perfect 50°F these days, I had a hankering for a hearty, comforting stew. I had a vision in my mind of a thick, rich lentil stew bursting with flavor. I didn’t want it to be too spiced, or too heavy. I wanted it juuuuust right. So I got a’cookin, and to my surprise this turned out to be one of the best stews I’ve ever made. 

After letting this lentil stew cook for 2.5 hours, the flavors morph into something totally new. Like with many stews, the end result is more than the sum of its parts. Somehow during the slow and steady cooking process, magic happens. The tomato and cumin in this stew adds wonderful warmth, while the butternut squash helps to lighten the heavier lentils. And, of course, lentil’s best friend is thyme (at least I think so), so adding in the herb imparts a lovely freshness.

Even though I have loads else to do in preparation for heading to Boston next week, I am most definitely finding time to make this lentil and butternut squash stew again. Alex and I have already decided it is going to be a staple in our winter dinner rotation.

two bowls of butternut squash lentil stew with pieces of bread

How to make butternut squash lentil stew

Don’t let the long cooking time for this recipe scare you away. The hands-on prep work takes around 15 minutes, and once everything is in the pot you can walk away from it until you’re ready to eat. To make this vegetarian lentil stew, you simply have to:

Saute the veggies — Add the onion and celery to a large pot or dutch oven and saute until translucent. Then, add in the squash, garlic, and spices and cook for an additional 5 minutes or so.

Bring it all to a boil — Add in the stock, tomatoes, and lentils and bring the lentil stew to a rolling boil.

Cover and cook — Pop the lid onto the pot and cook the lentil stew for 90 minutes. Check the stew and give it a good stir, then continue cooking for another hour with the lid off. During this last hour, the lentil stew should thicken up considerably and become ultra creamy.

bowl of butternut squash lentil stew topped with cheese

What’s your favorite soup/stew to make in the cold months? I want to hear about it!

Happy Thursday!

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Butternut Squash Lentil Stew

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 3 reviews
Units:

Ingredients

  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 cup celery, chopped
  • 3 cups butternut squash, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 15 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 2 1/4 cups green lentils
  • 8 cups chicken stock (homemade preferred!)
  • parmesan, for garnish

Instructions

    1. In a dutch oven or large pot, cook the onion and celery over medium low heat for 5 minutes, until translucent. Add in butternut squash, garlic, cumin, thyme, and salt, cooking an additional 5 minutes.
    2. Add in diced tomatoes, lentils, and chicken stock and allow to come to a rolling boil.
    3. Turn heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes. Once time has elapsed, remove cover and continue to simmer for an additional hour, until stew is thick and creamy. Makes about 3 quarts.

More winter dinner recipes from Broma Bakery:

Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole

Healthy Mushroom Bolognese with Tagliatelle 

Golden Turmeric Carrot Ginger Soup

Mini Wild Rice Stuffed Pumpkins

Thai Coconut Curry Soup

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  1. Hi there! L:ooking for recipes for my Dad who is undergoing chemo, is there a good suggestion to swap out tomatoes ingredient (avoiding acidic foods)….Lentils are a great choice! TY!

    • Hi there. If you’re avoiding acidic foods I would just omit the tomatoes entirely. You could replace them with a bit of pumpkin or another veggie to bulk the soup up but totally your call. Luckily this recipe is super forgiving! I would also recommend adding a little more spice/salt or cheese as the acidity in the tomatoes does round out the flavor! Sending your dad good healing vibes!

  2. I made this and it is so delicious! It is thick and creamy, with all of the favors beautifully coming together.
    I will make this again!!