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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artzybasheff
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!
Spain on a Fork
Sounds great! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love
15 . Jun . 2022Classic Spanish Lentil Stew | One of Spain´s Most Iconic Dishes - My Home Chef Recipes
[…] FULL RECIPE HERE: https://spainonafork.com/classic-spanish-lentil-stew-recipe […]
12 . Apr . 2022Classic Spanish Lentil Stew | One of Spain´s Most Iconic Dishes - Happy Apples Recipes
[…] FULL RECIPE HERE: https://spainonafork.com/classic-spanish-lentil-stew-recipe […]
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
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