Nope! In fact, it's really just as delicious all on its own. It tastes especially good with a nice crusty piece of garlic bread on the side too. As mentioned, I used my favorite Vegan Mashed Potatoes recipe (minus the caramelized onions) as the base for this stew. I've also had this lentil mushroom stew over white rice or on its own with a side of bread and it's still absolutely delicious!