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Instant Pot Lentil Mushroom Stew with Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes. 1 Pot 30 Minute. Upside down Lentil Shepherds Pie! Vegan Glutenfee Nutfree Soyfree Recipe Stovetop option Jump to Recipe

If you all loved the Mushroom Bourguignon, you’ll love this easy lentil mushroom stew too. Similar ingredients, process to use just 1 Pot, and just 15 mins active time! Serve it as Upside down Lentil Shepherd’s pie! It is Much easier in the instant pot. No baking required.
You can bake if you wish. Spread the cooked lentil mixture in a baking dish, top with mashed sweet potato or potato, then top with minced garlic, olive oil, herbs and breadcrumbs. Bake at 425 def F for 15 mins to heat up and brown the top and done! The stew and the mashed potatoes can be made ahead, so assemble, top and bake the day of.
Change up the herbs to preference. Use potatoes or cauliflower or celeriac or combination instead of sweet potatoes in the veggie mash. Use flour for thickening the stew if needed, or just blend up a portion of the stew. Lots of options! Stove top instructions in the recipe notes.
This Lentil Stew is Easy, 1 Pot, Make ahead, Freezer friendly, and uses Pot in pot (PIP) in the Instant Pot. Short Active time and all the flavor like lentil shepherds pie!

More 1 Pot Holiday Meals
- IP Lentil Chili. GF
- IP Mushroom Wild Rice Soup. GF
- Instant Pot Lasagna Soup with Red lentils. – So Easy
- IP Potato Chickpea Soup. GF
- More Instant Pot Recipes!
Other mains to try
- Lentil Quinoa Loaf can be SF,NF and GF
- Mushroom Lentil Shepherd’s Pie. NF, GF, SF option
- Mushroom Bourguignon GF NF
- Marinated Portobello Mushrooms with Garlic Sauce. GF , NF option
- Vegan Lentil Mushroom Walnut Wellington.


Tips to cook flavorful stews in the Instant Pot.
- You want to use less liquid when pressure cooking as the moisture doesnt evaporate out like in a saucepan. You can add more broth later while simmering after pressure cooking
- It is ok if some of the liquid from the stew comes into the steamer. More flavor in the mash1!
- Change up the fresh herbs for variation
- This recipe is easily doubled, with or without the pip, with or without sweet potato. Just add 2 more mins of cooking time when doubling.

Instant Pot Vegan Lentil Mushroom Stew with Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients
Lentil Mushroom Stew:
- 1 tsp oil, , or 1/4 cup broth
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
- 10 oz of sliced mushroom, (mix of cremini, white and portabello)
- 1/4 cup red wine, (or whiskey or 1 tbsp balsamic + 1 tbsp soy sauce/coconut aminos for soy free)
- 3/4 cups sliced carrots, , or other veggies such as zucchini, celery, or a mix
- 1 tsp fresh thyme , or 1/2 tsp dried
- 1/2 tsp ground sage
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 3/4 cup uncooked brown lentils
- 2 tsp tomato paste
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 cups of water, or veggie broth
Sweet potato mash:
- 12 oz cubed sweet potato, (2 medium sweet potatoes), or use regular potatoes
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp or more salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- black pepper, dried/fresh thyme to taste, , additional flavors: chives, chopped parsely
Instructions
- Start the instant pot on sauté. Add oil, when hot add onion and garlic and cook for a minute. Then add the mushrooms and a good pinch of salt and cook for 3 minutes, add the wine and mix well and continue to cook for 2 more minutes.
- Cancel sauté, add the carrots, dry lentils, salt, herbs, tomato paste, water or broth and give it a good mix. (additional flavors: add 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary or dried oregano. Add a tbsp of Worcestershire sauce)
- Place a steamer basket over the lentil mixture and add cubed sweet potato to the basket. Close the lid. Pressure cook for 11-14 minutes, longer for older, green lentils (Stove top instructions in the notes).
- Let pressure release naturally. Open the lid, remove the steamer basket. Transfer the steamed sweet potatoes to a bowl and mash with a fork.
- Add the salt, garlic, thyme, pepper and extra virgin olive oil and mix well. Taste and adjust the flavor if needed. (If using regular potatoes, add a few tbsp of non dairy milk)
- Taste and adjust the lentil stew in the instant pot and add salt if needed, add a good dash of black pepper. You can also fold in some baby spinach and 1/3 cup green peas at this point.
- Serve the stew over mashed sweet potatoes. Garnish with fresh herbs and black pepper. You can also add toasted breadcrumbs and olive oil garnish.
Video
Notes
Stovetop: Follow steps 1 and 2 in a saucepan over medium heat. Add lentils and 2.5 cups of water/broth. Partially cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and continue to simmer for 25 mins or until the lentils are tender to preference. Steam or boil the sweet potatoes separately until tender (7 to 10 mins). Mash and mix the rest of the ingredients. The stew is freezer friendly for upto a month. Refrigerate potatoes and stew separately for upto 3 days. Nutrition is for 1 serve
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.










Could I use red lentils?
Hi! Ive made this several times both on the stove and in the IP and absolutely love it, however the last time I made it, I overcooked it and now it is just a mushy grey sludge. It tastes ok, but I am having trouble getting past the texture, where it is almost like runny mashed-potatoes. Any suggestions on how I can make more appealing? I would hate to throw it out.
sorry it turn out for you. just try not to overcook it and it should turn out nicer.
Blend it up and add a bit of non dairy milk to make a creamy soup of the mix
So delicious! I’m a carnivore and this is the best!
This is the first vegan recipe my newly-trying-to-be-vegetarian mom has made and she loves it. So nutritious, delicious, and easy, even though she is not a good cook. Stovetop version works great. Thank you!
I love it when it’s easy to make and turns out to be scrumptious. I used balsamic and soy sauce instead of wine, it was just fine. I also was too lazy to make mash so I just chucked chunks of sweet potato in the stew.
Amazing flavors, so good! Reminds me of my grandma’s pot roast.
Thanks! that’s sweet
This was great, thanks!
I made it tonight – OMG so delicious!!! I used dryed mushrooms and they gave the whole dish a very nice flavour. I accompanied this stew with some red wine. 😉
aweesome
Made this tonight and it was great! I love mushrooms, lentils and potatoes so I was so happy to find it all together in one recipe! I used some random red wine I had open and this is the only flavor that didn’t work quite as well for me, but I’m guessing it was the type of wine- would probably work better with a milder blend, or cooking wine. I had a variety of mushrooms in my fridge and used the all. My lentils were on the older side so I pressure cooked x 13 mins with a natural release that took about 22 minutes or so. Next time I may just use plain white mushrooms sliced and the balsamic/soy instead of wine or a milder wine. Thanks for another amazing recipe
yes use soy sauce or broth for mildr rflavor
I made this on the stove top but ended up having too much liquid actually when I added more per instructions. I think either simmer uncovered or don’t add more liquid while keeping it partially covered. Ended up being less flavorful as a result :/ but I know you make awesome recipes!
you can cook it out with uncovered medium-high heat for a few minutes and also add more of the spices and herbs. it depends on the stove, pan etc as well.