Latin American · 55 min · Easy · 4 servings

Peruvian Lentil Stew

Name: Peruvian Lentil Stew
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 red onion, finely diced; 5 garlic cloves, minced; 2 carrots, diced; 1 red bell pepper, diced; 2 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp paprika; ½ tsp ground turmeric; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1½ cups brown or green lentils, rinsed; 1 can chopped tomatoes; 4¼ cups vegetable stock; 1 potato, peeled and cubed; 1 lime, juiced; 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped; salt, to taste; black pepper, to taste

A thick, gently spiced lentil stew softened with squash-sweet carrot and finished with a hard squeeze of lime. Everyday Peruvian home cooking — cheap, filling and quietly excellent.

~480 cal per serving — Calories are approximate, per serving — a guide only.

gluten-freesoy-freenut-freehigh-protein

Plan it:

Method

1
Make the sofrito
⏱ 12 min
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook the red onion until soft and sweet. Add the garlic, carrot and bell pepper and cook until everything has softened.
2
Toast the spices
⏱ 2 min 30 sec
Stir in the cumin, paprika and turmeric and cook until fragrant, then add the tomato paste and let it darken against the bottom of the pot.
3
Simmer the lentils
⏱ 35 min
Add the lentils, chopped tomatoes, stock and potato. Bring to a boil, then simmer, partly covered, until the lentils are soft and the stew has thickened. Stir now and then so nothing catches.
4
Finish
Season generously with salt and black pepper, squeeze in the lime juice and stir through most of the cilantro. Scatter the rest over to serve.

Notes

Salt the lentils only once they are tender — early salt can keep them firm. It thickens a lot as it sits, so loosen leftovers with a splash of water. Traditionally eaten with rice.

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Method

Make the sofrito

Toast the spices

Simmer the lentils

Finish

Notes