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
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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
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Heat a large deep fry pan or a stock pot with a medium heat and add in 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Transfer the lentil stew into shallow bowls and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley, enjoy!
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21 . Oct . 2024adila
Nice, hearty, and nutritious! I added 1/2 cup of quinoa on top of the 1 cup of brown lentils. I should have added it in the later stages, like 5-10 mins after adding the brown lentils because the quinoa got a little mushy. I also added green beans, 3 dried chilis, rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, and added 1/2 tsp cumin because I need to use it before expiry date. I used tomato puree and added water to dilute it. Adding boiled egg when serving is also recommended for more protein.
Overall amazing, thank you so much!
16 . Sep . 2024Spain on a Fork
Sounds great! Much love 🙂
17 . Sep . 2024Bethiah
02 . Aug . 2024The whole family loved this so much! I’ve made it several times now! I made several different lentils stews over thr course of a few weeks. I had to eat the leftovers until I made yours. Now I have to double or triple this so we can have any leftovers! Everyone loves this stew!!!!
Spain on a Fork
So happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
03 . Aug . 2024Jim Sweeney
08 . Jun . 2024Made this dish for my family and they loved it!. So I decided to make for my Father who is a soup fanatic. Not only did he love it by my Brother in law took some home and pronounced it “The best soup he had ever eaten in his life”. This recipe is a real winner. Thank you so much!
Spain on a Fork
So happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
10 . Jun . 2024Jaime
A truly excellent dish! Every spoonful is perfection. The flavours are absolutely spot on! I have a new-born enthusiasm for traditional Spanish cooking and can’t wait to continue the exploration!
17 . May . 2024Much gratitude!!
Spain on a Fork
Happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
18 . May . 2024Stephanie
14 . May . 2024This was delicious! We ate lentil stew when we walked the Camino de Santiago and my husband said this tasted exactly as he remembered. I’ll be making this again!
I had to sub celery for the green pepper and chicken broth for the vegetable broth becuz that’s what I had.
Spain on a Fork
Happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
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20 . Jan . 2024Kathleen
We’ve never made lentil stew before, but we have made lentil soup, which I adore it’s actually my favorite soup. This lentil stew was sensational! I truly mean that. It was so delicious the flavors were spot on, needless to say we LOVED it, and we’ll make it again and again. Thank you so much for a quick and easy wonderful lentil stew.
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So happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
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12 . Nov . 2023A. Cleary
08 . Nov . 2023I made this for my grandchildren, ages 9 and 6 years old when they spend the weekend with us and they LOVED it! They arrived on Friday, had some with dinner, then on Sat. for lunch & dinner and by Sunday my husband was fighting them for the last bowl! What a hit! My DIL is always saying what picky eaters they are, but I guess we’ve found their sweet spot! Thank you for sharing this!
Spain on a Fork
So happy to hear that!! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
09 . Nov . 2023issai
01 . Nov . 2023Love all your recipe! Always checking your recipes when I don’t know what to cook for my Spanish BF and he is always surprised and amazed on how I know how to cooked it. Thanks a bunch!
Spain on a Fork
So happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
02 . Nov . 2023Wayne
15 . Oct . 2023This recipe is fantastic. I used 50/50 green and Puy lentils as that is what I had. I will make this again and again this autumn and winter. I need to try some of the other recipes on here, if they as good as this one, I am in for a culinary treat.
Spain on a Fork
So happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
16 . Oct . 2023Sahin
17 . Sep . 2023Thank you very much. Most appreciated.
Spain on a Fork
Thanks for the comment! Much love 🙂
18 . Sep . 2023Emily
15 . Aug . 2023Even my pickiest eaters enjoyed this! Definitely making it again and super easy.
Spain on a Fork
So happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
15 . Aug . 2023arj
12 . Aug . 2023I love this soup so much! It’s so nourishing and nutritious. I make it all the time. Thank you for a simple, healthy, delicious recipe!
Spain on a Fork
Happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
12 . Aug . 2023Ramon
How long would you boil the lentils if cooked separately and combined it later?
09 . Jul . 2023Spain on a Fork
Between 15 to 20 minutes 🙂 Much love
10 . Jul . 2023Linda
Can you still use soaked lentils?
20 . Jun . 2023Spain on a Fork
Absolutely, though the cooking time might be less than stated 🙂 Much love
20 . Jun . 2023Steve
03 . Jun . 2023I made this tonight, and many times before. This is a fantastic meal, so tasty, so healthy, and part of our regular rotation! Thank you for such a wonderful recipe!
Spain on a Fork
So happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
04 . Jun . 2023John
13 . Feb . 2023Great dish. I live in Spain, so no problem getting the ingredients ha ha.
Spain on a Fork
Yes!!! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
14 . Feb . 2023Kevin
12 . Feb . 2023Brilliant recipe .Thank you so much for all your efforts
Julie
I had a Spanish housemate last year during school who made something like this every week.
Last semester, I discovered your recipie and now I cook this dish just about every single week as well! It’s true, true perfection. And not only is it simple and simply delicious, it’s nutritious and wholesome and made with affordable ingredients.
Can’t say enough about how much I love it…it’s really dramatic to say but—as a vegetarian grad student, this recipie absolutely changed my life. THANK YOU.
07 . Feb . 2023Spain on a Fork
I am so happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
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27 . Jan . 2023Katie
06 . Jan . 2023The best lentils I have ever had!!
Spain on a Fork
So happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
08 . Jan . 2023Michelle
05 . Jan . 2023Delicious! I didn’t have smoked paprika so in addition to the regular paprika, I put in a little chipotle chili in adobo sauce for a little smoke flavor. My cooking tip is that I sautéed the onions slowly to really caramelize the flavor, then add the garlic and other veggies. It makes a difference in the depth of flavor.
instead of adding chorizo during the sauté, I grilled some chorizos separately and added them to the soup bowl. It also adds a touch of smoke flavor. I like to add some fresh chopped spinach to bowls of soup like a garnish.
As mentioned in a previous comment, I also chopped up super fine a large skinned Roma tomato for the sauce.
Thanks for sharing the recipe with us!
Spain on a Fork
Sounds great! Much love 🙂
05 . Jan . 2023Melanie
This is so delicious!
Thanks for sharing the recipe!
03 . Jan . 2023Spain on a Fork
Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love!
03 . Jan . 2023Sara Mitchell
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Spain on a Fork
So happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
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22 . Oct . 2022Easy, hearty, inexpensive, and delicious! My house smells great right now.
Spain on a Fork
So happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
24 . Oct . 2022Trudi
Just finished making this soup!! I added a good pinch of chill powder for a kick….delish!👌 thank you!
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Sounds great! Much love 🙂
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04 . Aug . 2022Delish! I made this, and flatbread, for my family tonight and it was enjoyed by all but the 7yo…who refused to try it because “it’s soup.” Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Spain on a Fork
lol….Happy to hear that! Much love 🙂
05 . Aug . 2022Elizabeth
I love this lentil dish – making it tonight for probably the 5th time!
20 . Jul . 2022My question is, for the nutritional information, there is no serving size given. Do you happen to know the serving size? I’ve started carb cycling and need to keep track. Thank you!
Spain on a Fork
The recipe makes 4 servings, so the info you see is for 1 serving 🙂 much love
21 . Jul . 2022Paul
Hello, great flavors! Will keep recipe bookmarked. I did substitute baby spinach for the potato, still great flavor
12 . Jul . 2022Spain on a Fork
Sounds great!! Much love 🙂
13 . Jul . 2022artzybasheff
15 . Jun . 2022Excellent as is. Second time, I used a little less broth. I also added a few more herbs. Since it is a vegetarian dish, I stuck with that and added some sliced up tofu wieners just because it sounded good. I loved the result. Thanks for the great recipe!
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Sounds great! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
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06 . Apr . 2022Michelle
08 . Mar . 2022Thank you for this great recipe. Delicious, healthy, and so easy to make! This is a new favorite in our home.
Spain on a Fork
So happy to hear that! Much love 🙂
08 . Mar . 2022Joanne
25 . Feb . 2022This is now on regular rotation in our household, so healthy and delicious. 🙏
candida
22 . Jan . 2022So yam yam
Spain on a Fork
Thank you! Much love 🙂
23 . Jan . 2022Henrietta
Tasty lentles I put a smoked sausage in it. Its a like a little sun in my kitchen. It’s cold in berlin now. Thanks for menu. Hmmmmm
06 . Jan . 2022Spain on a Fork
Sounds great! Stay warm 🙂 much love
08 . Jan . 2022David P Harring
28 . Dec . 2021This is the first dish I have made of your recipes although I have followed your videos for quite awhile. What a fantastic dish! I know you’re vegetarian, but how would chorizo go?
Spain on a Fork
Some chorizo would be great, just sautee it with the vegetables 🙂 much love
28 . Dec . 2021Leigh
26 . Dec . 2021Wow delicious! Easy to make and the nutrient values are really high! Thank you.
Spain on a Fork
Much love 🙂
26 . Dec . 2021Dan Sage
Made this for a neighborhood birthday potluck. A big hit. Love that something so easy pull together in a very short time packs so much flavor. Thanks for the recipe.
14 . Dec . 2021Spain on a Fork
So happy to hear that! Much love 🙂
14 . Dec . 2021Laura Minsk
30 . Nov . 2021I loved this! Reminded me of the flavors of my grandmother’s lentil soup. My grandmother was from Malaga. She did something with the garlic though that I can’t quite reproduce. I think she used to flame the whole head of garlic and then put it in the lentil soup. Do you know anything about that?
Spain on a Fork
She probably roasted the heat of garlic and then added it into the stew, giving the garlic a rich buttery texture, much love 🙂
30 . Nov . 2021Liz 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
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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