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Vegan Sausage Stew: a hearty one-pot meal
Cozy vegan sausage stew with lentils, beans, and spices. One-pot, batch-friendly, and easy to adapt.
Why this recipe works
This vegan sausage stew is a hearty, plant-based one-pot meal designed to feed a crowd. It suits meal-preppers, batch-cookers, and anyone who loves a cozy, savory stew.
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Key takeaways
One-pot dinner with protein-packed veggies and lentils.
Shadow-friendly for big groups or meal-prep.
Adjust thickness by simmering longer or adding broth.
Recipe guide
This vegan sausage stew is a hearty, plant-based one-pot meal designed to feed a crowd. It suits meal-preppers, batch-cookers, and anyone who loves a cozy, savory stew.
This stew is ready to feed a crowd and stores beautifully.
- One-pot dinner with protein-packed veggies and lentils.
- Shadow-friendly for big groups or meal-prep.
- Adjust thickness by simmering longer or adding broth.
Overview and ingredients
A dense, protein-packed stew featuring vegan sausages, lentils, beans, and vegetables simmered in tomatoes and broth.
Cooking method and tips
Brown sausages and seitan with aromatics, bloom spices, simmer with lentils and beans, thicken with a cornstarch slurry, and finish with flavor boosters.
Serving ideas and storage
Best with crusty bread or over grains; refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze for longer.
Ingredients
- 1.8 kg vegan sausages (firm, sliced)
- 600 g dried brown lentils (rinsed)
- 800 g canned kidney beans (drained)
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 6 large onions (chopped)
- 10 cloves garlic (minced)
- 6 large carrots (peeled and diced)
- 6 celery stalks (diced)
- 2 kg canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 L vegetable broth
- 4 bay leaves
- 4 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- 1.5 tsp black pepper
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 200 g seitan, cubed (extra protein)
- 200 g firm tofu, pressed and cubed (optional extra protein)
- 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 4 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 4 tbsp cornstarch (slurry with 250 ml water to thicken)
- Fresh parsley (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a very large heavy pot over medium heat.
- Add chopped onions and cook until softened and translucent, about 8–10 minutes.
- Stir in minced garlic, diced carrots and celery and cook until vegetables begin to soften, 5–7 minutes.
- Push vegetables to the side and add sliced vegan sausages and cubed seitan; brown briefly, about 4–5 minutes, stirring to color pieces evenly.
- Sprinkle in smoked paprika, ground cumin, dried thyme, salt and black pepper and cook 1 minute to bloom the spices.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes until it darkens slightly.
- Add crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, rinsed brown lentils, drained kidney beans and bay leaves; bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to a simmer, cover partially, and cook until lentils are tender, about 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- If using tofu, stir in cubed pressed tofu about halfway through simmering so it warms through without breaking apart.
- Whisk cornstarch into 250 ml cold water to make a slurry.
- Once lentils are tender, stir in soy sauce, nutritional yeast and the cornstarch slurry; simmer uncovered 5–10 minutes until stew thickens to desired consistency.
- Taste and adjust salt, pepper and seasoning as needed.
- Remove and discard bay leaves.
- Ladle stew into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.
- Cool slightly before serving and store leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
FAQs
Can I make this stew ahead?
Yes. It reheats well in the fridge for up to 4 days and freezes for longer.
Can I skip seitan or tofu?
Yes. Use extra lentils or beans to balance protein.
What should I serve with this?
Serve with crusty bread or over rice for a hearty meal.