This Classic Spanish Lentil Stew, known in Spain as Lentejas, is packed with flavors, easy to make and comes together in under one hour. The perfect dish for the cooler weather, as it warms your soul and fills your body with so much goodness.
This is a dish you will find served at many restaurants in Spain, but more specifically, made in almost every household in Spain. It´s a traditional dish that is made with the simplest ingredients, but the flavors are absolutely delicious and it´s very healthy for you.
To make this recipe, I used uncooked brown lentils. But you can also use black lentils or even green lentils. The beauty of lentils, is that you don´t have to soak them overnight, just wash them and add to the pan. The ones I used fully cooked through in 35 minutes. So make sure to check the package instructions on the lentils you are using, so you don´t undercook or overcook your lentils. If you see the stew is drying out while cooking the lentils, add in more broth.
TIPS & TRICKS to Make this Recipe: Make sure to use potatoes here that are more waxy than starchy. I used new potatoes. As they hold their shape better while they´re cooking with the lentils and they won´t get mushy.
Key Ingredients & Cookware I used in this Recipe:
MY NONSTICK FRYING PAN
EXTRA VIRGIN SPANISH OLIVE OIL
SPANISH PAPRIKA
HOMEMADE VEGETABLE BROTH
SPANISH SEA SALT
If you´re not already subscribed to my youtube channel, become a subscriber and click on the bell icon to be notified everytime I release a new video.
Support Spain on a Fork. Get your Spain on a Fork T-shirt and other awesome Merchandise here.
Join Me on Patreon!
Watch the Video Below on How to Make this Classic Spanish Lentil Stew
Classic Spanish Lentil Stew
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 30 ml
- 1/2 onion finely diced
- 1/2 green bell pepper finely chopped
- 1/2 red bell pepper finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic roughly minced
- 1 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika 2.30
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce 115 grams
- 1 cup uncooked brown lentils 210 grams
- 2 small potatoes cut into small 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) pieces
- 1 carrot thinly sliced
- 5 cups vegetable broth 1150 ml
- 1 bay leaf
- pinch sea salt
- dash black pepper
Instructions
-
Heat a large deep fry pan or a stock pot with a medium heat and add in 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-
After 2 minutes add in 1/2 onion finely diced, 1/2 green & 1/2 red bell pepper finely chopped and 4 cloves garlic roughly minced, mix with the olive oil
-
Once all the vegetables are lightly sauteed, about 5 minutes, add in 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika, quickly mix together, then add in 1/2 cup tomato sauce, raise the heat to a medium-high and simmer
-
Meanwhile, measure out 1 cup of uncooked brown lentils, add them into a sieve and rinse under cold running water, removing any debris if found
-
After simmering the tomato sauce for 3 minutes and it has really thickend up, add in the rinsed lentils, 2 small potatoes that have been cut into small 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) pieces, 1 carrot that´s been thinly sliced and season with black pepper, mix together, then add in 5 cups vegetable broth and 1 bay leaf, mix together and bring to a boil, then place a lid on the pan and lower the heat to a low heat, simmer for 30 to 35 minutes or until the lentils are fully cooked through, then remove the lid, season with sea salt and simmer for 1 to 2 more minutes
-
Transfer the lentil stew into shallow bowls and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley, enjoy!
Disclosure: At Spain on a Fork, we offer affiliate links to help you find what you need to re-create our recipes. If you like what we do, you can support us through our chosen links, which earn us a commission, but you still pay the same price. Learn more here.
You May Also Like
Liz Gmehling
18 . Nov . 2021Wow!!! The flavour is outstanding!! That smoked spanish paprika really packs a punch in the flavour department! This stew was fast and easy to make in the morning before work. What a treat to come home, reheat, toast some nice ciabatta and sit down to a great meal. Very satisfying and is now added to my staple of soups/stews to make on a regular basis. Yum!!
Spain on a Fork
So happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
18 . Nov . 2021Lentejas: a classic cold-weather stew from Spain - Good Living
[…] ingredients and written instructions, click here. View the original […]
18 . Nov . 2021Jen
This looks so delicious and comforting! The señora I lived with while studying in Sevilla was a very strange lady, but she made a mean lenteja! I’ve long hoped to recreate her dish, and I am excited to try your version.
15 . Nov . 2021Spain on a Fork
Sounds great! Much love 🙂
15 . Nov . 2021Lola.B
14 . Nov . 2021Excellent !
Spain in a plate 🙂 Soooo good !
Peter
I enjoyed this meal very much.
Simple and flavorful.
Years ago I lived in Spain and your channel brings back memories.
When I lived there, a friend taught me how to cook many Spanish dishes. For tomato sauce, we usually cut a tomato in half and then used a grater to essentially pulverize it. We then would add the grated tomato to our recipe.
Did you do that with tomato sauce in this recipe? Could that be an option to get the tomato sauce for the recipe?
Enjoy your channel. Thank you.
12 . Nov . 2021Spain on a Fork
Yes, the tomato sauce I used I made by finely grating fresh tomatoes 🙂 Thanks for the comment! Much love
13 . Nov . 2021