Red Lentil Stew with Vegetables
A hearty vegetarian red lentil stew that's packed with vegetables to make a satisfying dinner. Easy to adapt and make-ahead friendly.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 338kcal
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large carrots , small dice
- 1 medium yellow onion , diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 ¼ cups red lentils , rinsed
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- sea salt and black pepper , to taste
- 1-2 cups baby spinach leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice , plus lemon wedges to serve
Instructions
- In a large pot or dutch oven, heat the 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the 2 large carrots and 1 medium yellow onion. Stir and saute until the onion is translucent, about 5-6 minutes.
- Add the 4 cloves garlic to the pot and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon ground cumin, and1 ¼ cups red lentils and stir to coat the lentils.
- Add the 4 cups vegetable broth, sea salt and black pepper to the pot. Stir and increase the heat to bring to the stew to a simmer, then simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until the lentils are soft. Stir in 1-2 cups baby spinach leaves and cook until wilted, then stir in the 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Serve bowls with lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
adapted from The First Mess
- Choose your texture. I happen to love a creamy stew, so I cook my lentils a bit longer. If you want more texture in the stew (meaning that the lentils haven't completely cooked down), pull the stew after about 7-8 minutes of cooking time (or eyeball it).
- Make ahead. This stew loves being made ahead of time, and the flavors develop the longer it sits in the fridge.
- Double the quantity. Easily double the ingredients needed for this stew to make a larger batch. This is helpful when you want to have another meal later in the week or for lunches.
- Can I use French lentils? Yes, you can swap the red lentils for brown lentils, but it will take a lot longer to cook, and the texture will be different from that of red lentils. You may also need to add more broth or water.
- Use water. If you're out of broth, it's totally fine to use water instead. While you won't get that deeply flavorful base from the broth, the onion and garlic, plus the spices, will be plenty flavorful even without the broth.
Nutrition
Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 973mg | Potassium: 762mg | Fiber: 19g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 6816IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 5mg