Ingredients:

  • 1 medium (150g) yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves (15g) garlic, minced
  • 2 medium (120g) carrots, sliced into rounds
  • 2 stalks (60g) celery, chopped
  • 1.5 cups (300g) dried brown or green lentils, rinsed
  • 2 medium (300g) gold potatoes, cubed
  • 1 cup (150g) frozen peas
  • 1 tsp (5g) smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp (5g) dried thyme
  • 6 cups (1.4L) low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 can (14.5 oz / 411g) diced tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp (15ml) soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp (15ml) lemon juice
  • 0.5 tsp (3g) salt
  • 0.25 tsp (1g) black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Combine the base vegetables. Add your diced onion, minced garlic, sliced carrots, chopped celery, and cubed gold potatoes into the slow cooker. Note: Adding them all at once ensures they cook evenly.
  2. Add the pulses and spices. Pour in the rinsed lentils, smoked paprika, and dried thyme.
  3. Pour in the liquids. Add the vegetable broth, the entire can of diced tomatoes (don't drain the juice!), and the soy sauce.
  4. Stir for submergence. Give everything a good stir with your wooden spoon until the lentils are fully submerged. If lentils sit above the liquid line, they can stay hard or get a weird skin.
  5. Set the temperature. Cover the pot with the lid. Set your slow cooker to Low for 7 hours (or High for 3-4 hours if you're in a rush, though Low is better for texture).
  6. Add the greens. About 30 minutes before you're ready to eat, stir in the frozen peas. Note: Adding them too early makes them grey and mushy.
  7. Finish with acid. Once the timer goes off, stir in the lemon juice. You'll notice the colors of the vegetables brighten almost instantly.
  8. Create the texture. For a thicker, more velvety finish, use a potato masher or a fork to crush a small handful of lentils and potatoes directly against the side of the pot.
  9. Final blend. Stir those mashed bits back into the stew. Cook for another 5 minutes on high just to let the thickness distribute.