Vegetarian Coq Au Vin: Easy Mushroom Lentil Stew

Welcome to The Storied Recipe!  

My podcast guests, Lexi and Beth, the mother-daughter power duo of wildly popular Crowded Kitchen, shared this delicious Vegetarian Coq au Vin recipe with us. I invite you to listen to their episode, "We Learned to Trust Each Other" while you make their delicious Lentil Coq au Vin! 

I don't need to tell you the benefits of earthy, hearty lentils - rich in protein, great source of fiber, and always there for us when we need an easy dinner.

But elevated? Elegant? Sophisticated? Are we still talking about lentils?

Yes! This magical Vegan Lentil Stew recipe from my podcast guests, Beth and Lexi at Crowded Kitchen, has all the rich, fresh layers of flavor and texture that you love in traditional Coq au Vin - except with plant-based proteins.

Fruity wine, robust brandy, and collection of fresh herbs elevated this dish from a weekday Mushroom Lentil Stew into an elevated dish worthy of any Saturday night dinner party!

Table of Contents (Jump To Section)

Keys to this Recipe

• Key #1: The pearl onions. When cooked among the broth and herbs, the onions become soft, flavorful, and sweet – truly decadent.
• Key #2: Meaty mushrooms. Whichever type you choose, these lend a heft and heartiness to the dish, in addition to their earthy flavor.
• Key #3: A fruity wine and brandy. For a Coq au Vin without the coq (chicken), you definitely need the vin (wine).
• Key #4: Fresh herbs (and dried Herbes de Provence). Nothing compares.

Which lentils work best?

To elevate this from a Mushroom Lentil Stew into a true Vegetarian Coq au Vin, every ingredient - especially the lentils - should be carefully considered.

First Choice: French Lentils

Although these are also green, they differ from typical Green Lentils (and all other lentils) in several ways:

• They are smaller than other lentils.
• They retain their shape and texture particularly well.
• A somewhat peppery, nutty flavor adds to all the layers and flavors in this vegan mushroom lentil stew.
• Read more from The Kitchn here: What's So Special About French Lentils
• You can order French lentils here.

Second Choice: Brown Lentils or Green Lentils

• These are your cheapest lentils, the ones you can feed a family of 6 on for a dollar. Not a bad way to recommend themselves!
• Still very small, they're about 2-3 times as big as French Lentils
• They have a mild and earthy flavor, without the peppery pop of green lentils.
• You can certainly use them for a quick version of this easy lentil stew. Just start checking them after 20 minutes. They'll cook more quickly than French lentils. They won't hold their shape quite as well when cooked longer.

Avoid: Red Lentils

• Red lentils have a slightly sweeter flavor than green or brown.
• They cook more quickly and also disintegrate more readily than brown or green lentils.
• Avoid red lentils for this Vegan Coq Au Vin. The idea is to create something hearty that will stand up to creamy mashed potatoes or robust polenta. Red lentils will simply not have the texture contrast that you'll need.
• Read more about green, brown, or red lentils in this article from The Kitchn.

Also Great: Black Lentils

• If you're looking for drama, Black Beluga Lentils are the way to go. Black lentils are spherical, tiny, and, well, black. (Or almost black; really a very dark brown.)
• Like French Lentils, they're thick-skinned and stand up well to cooking.
• Start checking on these lentils about 30 minutes into cooking time.
• Read more in Bon Appetit's article "All the Types of Lentils"

Which mushrooms work best?

• Lexi and Beth recommend White Button Mushrooms. Plentiful, cheap, attractive, and they hold up well to cooking. No reason to look elsewhere! However, if you do:
• You can also use meatier mushrooms like Cremini mushrooms (aka Baby Bella Mushrooms). Creminis are just white mushrooms, but a little more mature (yet still less mature than Portobellos). They'd work just fine, as they hold their shape well.
• If you use Shiitake Mushrooms, just cook their wooden stems first, and longer, than the rest.
• Feeling super fancy? You can use Porcini Mushrooms, native to France and Italy, for this French inspired Vegetarian Coq au Vin.

Best wine for Coq au Vin?

• Lexi and Beth recommend a fruity wine like Merlot, Pinot Noir, or Beaujolais.
• Likewise, this article from Drink and Pair suggests a light or medium bodied red.

About those pearl onions...

• Diced onion just won't do in place of the pearl onions!
• Two of my kids mentioned several times how delicious the onions were! And they were the reason my husband went back for thirds the night we ate this!
• The sweet, soft, melt-in-your mouth pearl onions are the #1 key to elevating this from an every day vegetarian lentil stew into a true Vegetarian Coq Au Vin.
• However, I’ll admit they were a little bit of a pain to peel. The next time I make this recipe, I’ll use this trick for peeling pearl onions that I learned from Just a Pinch, which is to boil the onions for 3 minutes, then plunge them into cold water. Read their instructions and watch their video here. If you have any other methods, let me know in the comments!

What to Serve with Vegan Lentil Coq au Vin

• First, I followed Beth and Lexi’s advice and served this Vegetarian Coq Au Vin over mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes are my #1 comfort food and I never pass up an opportunity to eat them! I also added a generous spoonful of roasted garlic to the mashed potatoes – magic!
• For 47 more options, Read this post!

Recipe Contributors:
Lexi & Beth of Crowded Kitchen

Lexi and Beth are the Mother-Daughter team behind Crowded Kitchen, one of the most popular Vegan blogs in the world!

I had them on the podcast for a special Mother's Day episode in 2021 titled "We Learned To Trust Each Other", where we discussed their relationship long before Crowded Kitchen. Lexi was an elite high school runner, where Beth coached her. We discussed nutrition, eating disorders, and veganism for athletes.

We also discussed their best memories in the kitchen, the many exchange students they hosted, and exactly what it takes to work together with family.

Listen to Lexi and Beth's Episode on The Storied Recipe Podcast:

We Learned to Trust Each Other with Lexi and Beth of Crowded Kitchen

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