Vegan Coq au Vin

5 from 2 votes

This vegan coq au vin recipe features a deep, rich and savory wine-based ragout filled with chewy mushrooms, hearty lentils, tender pearl onions and the aroma of fresh herbs. It is a plant-based version of the French classic coq au vin recipe without any compromise on flavor. Serve over mashed potatoes for a satisfying comfort food meal to cozy up over on a chilly day!

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Course: dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: French

Keyword: christmas, comfort food, healthy, stew, thanksgiving, Vegan, vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 335kcal

Author: Jessica Laroche

Ingredients

1 small yellow onion finely diced
3 large carrots chopped in large chunks
8 oz mushrooms white or cremini, halved or sliced
5 cloves of garlic crushed
½ cup uncooked French Du Puy lentils black lentils work well too. See notes
1 cup pearl onions peeled (keep them whole), see notes
2-3 cups vegetable broth
1½ cups dry red wine Burgundy, Côtes du Rhône, Merlot and Pinot Noir all work well
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
1-2 dash of liquid smoke optional, can swap for some smoked paprika
2 bay leaves
10 sprigs fresh thyme
salt to taste
3 tbsp flour
2 tbsp coconut oil plus more for cooking

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine the coconut oil with the flour and use the back of a spoon to crush the oil within the flour until it creates a uniform paste (without any clumps of flour). This can take a minute to do. Set aside.
Warm up a large pot (dutch oven pots are great for that) on medium-high heat with a little olive oil or coconut oil and then add the diced onion and carrots. Cook on medium-high heat until slightly browned while stirring often, about 4-5 minutes. Then, add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for another 3 minutes stirring often.
Add the uncooked lentils, peeled pearl onions, vegetable broth (start with 2 cups), red wine, tomato paste, vegan Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, thyme and bay leaves. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Once it is simmering, turn down the heat to medium, cover and let it cook for about 30 minutes. Stir once in a while and make sure it is not sticking to the bottom.
Then, uncover and add the coconut-flour mixture, stir to combine and let it simmer for another 10-15 minutes uncovered. The stew is ready when the lentils are tender and it has reached desired consistency. You can add extra broth if the stew gets too thick (I added ½ cup extra of broth).
Serve warm over mashed potatoes or polenta. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Storage: keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Can also be frozen (thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating). To reheat, warm up in a small saucepan on the stove or use the microwave. The stew tends to thicken while resting, so add more broth or water before reheating.
French lentils (Du Puy) are the best kind of lentils for this stew since they hold well onto their shape even after simmering for a while. Black lentils are a great second choice. Brown or green lentils work too, although they will likely lose their shape.
Pearl onions are such a classic in this French dish and make a big difference in the overall texture. If you cannot find fresh pearl onions, then look in the frozen section of your grocery store. If using fresh pearl onions, then have a peek at this quick video (30-sec) "Fastest way to peel pearl onions", you will save a lot of time and hassle!
Other ingredients you can include are celery, fresh herbs, balsamic vinegar, brandy, tempeh, herbes de Provence, etc. Check out the blog post for more ideas!
Nutrition: please note that the nutritional information is an estimate per serving provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and accuracy is not guaranteed. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.

Nutrition