Step 1

Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or large stew pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic and sauté until the onions begin to soften, 5 - 10 minutes.

Step 2

Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and stir to combine. Keep cooking while stirring for about 60 seconds. Add the vegetable broth and use your spoon to scrape any bits off of the bottom of the pan.

Step 3

Now add the potatoes, lentils, red wine, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper, and stir. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender and the lentils are cooked through. If your stew gets too thick, feel free to thin it out to your desired consistency with some extra vegetable broth.

Step 4

Lastly, stir in the peas and cook for a few minutes more to heat through. Add extra salt and pepper to taste if desired. Serve hot with parsley for garnish if desired.