Ingredients:

  • 1 lb Cremini or Shiitake mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 1/2 cups dried French green lentils (Puy lentils), rinsed
  • 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sliced mushrooms in a single layer and cook without stirring for 3-4 minutes until deep brown. Stir in soy sauce and salt, cooking for another 2 minutes until caramelized. Remove mushrooms from the pot and set aside.
  2. In the same pot, add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until onions are translucent. Stir in minced garlic and dried thyme, cooking for 60 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Stir in the rinsed lentils and vegetable broth, scraping the bottom of the pot to release browned bits. Add the bay leaf and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes until lentils are tender.
  4. Stir the seared mushrooms back into the pot. Fold in the chopped spinach and cook for 2 minutes until wilted. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the balsamic vinegar before serving.