Stewed lentils are one of those dishes that remind us of our grandmothers and that come in handy in winter because they are super nutritious and ideal for warming up. The traditional recipe that of a lifetime includes vegetables, chorizoand ham, as well as spices to enhance the flavor of the dish. However, you should know that you can adapt the ingredients and remove the meat, for example, to achieve a lighter result.
On the other hand, this recipe for stewed lentils that we show is also perfect for those people who want to start making stews and traditional dishes, since it is not very difficult and the final result is spectacular. Next, we explain how to make easy stewed lentils in a simple and practical way. Do not miss it!
Ingredients to make Stewed Lentils:
- 6 cups of water (1440 milliliters)
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 pinch of pepper
- ½ kilogram of lentils
- 1 chorizo cut into slices or cubes (to taste)
- 1 package of ham cubes (can be replaced with pieces of bacon)
- 1 onion
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 carrot
- 1 potato, coarsely diced (better than sliced, “broken”)
- 1 splash of oil
How to make Stewed Lentils:
1.Soak the lentils approximately 12 hours before making the recipe. After this time, wash them and drain them well.
Tip: You can also stew the lentils with cooked lentils from the pot; this will allow you to skip this step.
2.Boil water in a separate saucepan, enough to cook the lentils later (approximately a liter and a quarter). Separately, cook the peeled and chopped potatoes. When they are done, drain them and reserve the water.
3.While the potatoes are cooking, heat a little oil in another pan. Once hot, fry the peeled garlic cloves, which can be whole or minced. When they begin to take color, add the chopped chorizo, the ham also cut and the carrots peeled and cut into medium pieces.
Tip: Remember that you can replace the ham with bacon or pancetta.
4.When the meat is browned, add a bay leaf, add the drained lentils with a peeled onion (or a piece). Depending on whether you like to find pieces of onion in the stewed lentils or not, you should add it chopped, whole or crushed. Another option is to add it whole to add flavor and remove it before serving the dishes.
5.Stir everything a little for a few minutes and then pour in the water you used to cook the potatoes. The water should completely cover the lentils and the rest of the ingredients and exceed about 2-3 fingers. Of course, you could also cook the potatoes here, with the lentils, but doing it separately and while doing other steps saves time. You can also make the recipe for stewed lentils with vegetable or meat broth.
Tip: If you see that it needs more water, you can add it at any time, but it must be hot so that it does not stop the vegetables from cooking.
6.Cook the braised lentils for about 15-20 minutes and taste them to see if they need salt. At this point, add the already cooked potatoes and mix so that they integrate and also absorb the flavors.
Tip: The final cooking time will depend on whether you like your braised lentils thicker or thinner. In any case, the legume must be tender.
7.Cook them a little more and this wonderful recipe for stewed lentils will be done. In any case, the chef’s palate is what will say when the fire can be put out. She sprinkles some chopped parsley on top if you like and accompanies the dish with a few slices of homemade bread.
