Vegan Creamy Cashew, Lentil, and Roast Cauliflower Moroccan Stew

Vegan creamy cashew, lentil, and roast cauliflower Moroccan inspired stew is packed full of plant-based nutrition.

The Moroccan inspired umami flavours are so savoury, tangy, sweet, slightly spicy and satisfying. Although if you prefer more heat just pop in more cayenne!

Chickpeas, red lentils, cauliflower, and cashews form a quartet that is surely a plant-based hero line-up or chorus!

All that yummy goodness is backed up with the usual suspects of tomatoes, carrot, celery, onion and garlic.

The spice blend ras el hanout brings amazing tasty flavours to this stew and is easily found in most UK supermarkets. As is cinnamon and cayenne.

This stew makes a firm appearance at my household at least every few months with the leftovers usually forming the base of a new tasty meal.

This recipe is perfect for batch prepping and can be happily frozen until required. Or enjoyed on toast for lunch the next day. So yummy!

Replacing cooking oil with veggie stock

My recipe for creamy cashew, red lentil, and roast cauliflower Moroccan stew is prepared without added oil.

Vegetable stock is used to initially sauté the vegetables.

With cashews providing all the essential healthy fats required for this stew in the form of a creamy sauce base.

However, a tablespoon of olive oil can be used instead.

I actively reduce my family’s oil consumption but I have not eradicated it completely.

For more information about oils and why people reduce their intake check out what the plant-based Dr Greger has to say!

Vegan Creamy Cashew, Red Lentil, and Roast Cauliflower Moroccan Stew

Serves 4-6 large portions.

Half the quantities if serving less people.

Or freeze a few portions for quick, future meals which is what I do.

Vegan Creamy Cashew, Lentil, and Cauliflower Moroccan Stew

This Moroccan inspired stew is packed full of Moroccan spices and umami flavours.

Perfect for a midweek family meal or serve with various Moroccan inspired sides for a tasty celebration banquet or family gathering.

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Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

pre-soaking cashews to soften up for blending: 2 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes

Course: Dinner, Main Course, Party, Supper, tea

Cuisine: Morrocan inspired

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 320kcal

Author: Jacq

Equipment

• Blender/food processor
• Skillet/ stove-top casserole dish/ deep frying/sauté pan with a lid. Or use a lid borrowed from a different pan or even a heatproof plate.
• Baking tray

Ingredients

For the creamy base

• 140 grams cashews about 1 cup
• 500 ml boiling water about 2 cups

Stew:

• 150 grams red split lentils 1 cup
• 1 can chickpeas 400g/ 14oz can drained.
• 4 medium carrots about 300g/3 cups. Thin sliced so they will cook quicker
• 3 stalks celery about 150g/ 1 1/4 cup. Sliced.
• 1 medium onion 170g/ 1 1/2 cups. Rough chopped.
• 4 cloves garlic fine chopped or minced through a garlic press
• 500 grams passata 17.6 oz.
• 1 can chopped tomatoes 400g/14oz can.
• 750 ml vegetable stock 3 cups
• 4 tsp ras el hanout spice blend. Or a similar Moroccan/North African spice blend
• ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper use more if prefer more spiciness
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• salt and pepper to taste

Roast cauliflower:

• 1 large cauliflower About 600g/ 5-6 cups. Keep the best outer leaves. Wash and slice the leaves.
• 2 tsp ras el hanout plus a little salt and pepper

Instructions

Prepare the cashew creamy base:

• Place the cashews in the boiling water and leave to soak overnight or for a few hours.
• Blend the cashews and water until smooth or as smooth as your blender allows! Don't worry if not completely smooth as it won't affect the finished stew.

Prepare the roast cauliflower:

• Preheat oven to 180 Fan/ 200 Celsius/ 350 Fahrenheit /Gas 4.
  
• Wash the cauliflower.

  Shake and drain to dry the cauliflower a little but a little moisture is good as it will help the spice blend adhere.

  Chop the cauliflower into medium sized florets. Lay out on a baking pan.

  Any little bits that break off just add to the pan.

  Sprinkle 2 tsp ras el hanout spice blend over and stir.

  Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over.
  
• Roast for 25 minutes until just soft, but still got a nice bite, and tinged golden.

  If desired turn the cauliflower half way through cooking but its not essential.

  Set aside until required.
  

Cook the stew while the cauliflower is roasting:

• Pour 125ml/ half a cup of the vegetable stock into your pan.

  Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic.

  Bring to a simmer, pop a lid on your pan and cook for about 5 minutes.
  
• Add the passata, chopped tomatoes, red split lentils, rest of the vegetable stock, ras al hanout, cinnamon and cayenne.

  Add a sprinkle of salt and some black pepper.

  Stir.

  Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.

  (While stew is cooking prepare any sides you may have planned)
  
• Pour and scrape all the cashew cream into the stew.
  
• Add the cauliflower leaves and chickpeas and simmer for 10 minutes.

  After 5 minutes add the roast cauliflower.

  Either mix the cauliflower through or just drop it in.
  
• Check the seasoning. The sauce may look slightly thin but it will thicken up as it cools.
  

Optional extras/garnishes: handful of chopped coriander, wedge of lemon or lime, small handful of toasted almond flakes or chopped cashews, couscous prepared to packet instructions, hummus either shop bought or homemade, crusty bread or flatbreads.

• Serve with a garnish of coriander, perhaps a squeeze of lemon or lime juice, and a scattering of toasted almond flakes or chopped cashews..

  A dollop of hummus is also tasty.

  As is a serving of couscous or a wedge of chunky bread.
  

Notes

***Please note: In the UK 1 cup measurement equals 250ml of liquid ***

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The following nutritional data is for guidance only and is not a strict analysis as ingredients vary.

Nutrition

Calories: 320kcal

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Vegan Cashew, Lentil, and Cauliflower Moroccan Stew Recipe Notes

• This Moroccan inspired stew will keep fresh in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. Reheat to piping hot before serving.
• Freeze portions of stew for later. Which is what I frequently do. This recipe is perfect for batch cooking.
• Leftover stew is perfect, reheated until piping hot, for lunch the next day. Serve on toast! It is surprisingly so good!
• Leftover stew can be blended and transformed into a creamy Moroccan inspired soup!
• Serve your stew with a variety of sides for a more substantial meal or as part of special celebration meal. These vegan 3-ingredient flatbreads are particularly tasty dunked into this stew.
• Couscous is a traditional Moroccan accompaniment to stews.
• Use shop-bought vegan sides to save time! I used a packet of lemon and coriander couscous and garnished with chopped coriander. And a tub of Moroccan-inspired hummus and garnished with a few whole chickpeas.
• Instead of cauliflower add some shop-bought or home-made falafels.
• Butterbeans can also replace the cauliflower or chickpeas.
• Add some frozen broad beans in place of chickpeas.
• Or add some crispy tofu bites. Easy recipe here.

More vegan, plant-based dinner ideas:

Traditional Vegan ‘Beef’ Stew 

with fluffy Dumplings

Traditional Vegan ‘Corned beef’

Tempeh, Cabbage and Potato Hash!

Vegan Thai-inspired Red Curry

with Sweet Potatoes, Chickpeas and Broccoli