Quick lentils with vegetables and potato
A quick, comforting stew of cooked lentils with potato, onion, carrot and pepper, simmered in chicken stock with paprika and garlic powder. An easy way to include pulses in everyday meals, without processed meats or excess fat, providing filling fibre and lasting energy.
At a glance
- Prep15 min
- Cooking30 min
- Total45 min
- DifficultyEasy
Allergens
- None of the fourteen declarable allergens
Who this recipe is for
A traditional spoon dish without saturated fat, suitable for a weight-loss plan and for anyone looking for comforting, satisfying pulse-based meals.
Ingredients
Step by step
- Peel and dice the onion, carrot, pepper and potato.
- In a saucepan with a little olive oil, cook the vegetables over medium heat for a few minutes.
- Add the paprika and garlic powder, stirring quickly so the paprika does not burn.
- Cover the pan and cook gently for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften.
- Add the cooked lentils (drained and rinsed) and mix with the vegetables.
- After sautéing for about 5 minutes, cover the ingredients with hot chicken stock.
- Cook over medium-low heat for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the potato is tender and the stock has thickened.
Adaptations
How to change it depending on the day. Each change keeps the dish, it does not replace it.
For a 100% vegetarian or vegan version
Use homemade vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
If you want to reduce the amount of potato
Use less potato and add diced courgette or green beans to the pan.
To make pulses easier to digest
Add a bay leaf or half a teaspoon of ground cumin during cooking.
How to store it
The stew keeps for 3 days in the fridge. The next day it will be thicker. Add a little water or stock when reheating, until it boils. If you plan to freeze it, it is better to do so without the potato, which turns grainy.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Jarred lentils taste of tinned food and make the stew salty if they are not rinsed. Drain them, rinse them and taste before adding salt, especially with shop-bought stock.
- As they are already cooked, they fall apart if they boil hard. After adding the stock, keep it at a gentle simmer.
- The potato stays raw in the centre when the cubes are large. Cut them small and test them with a knife before switching off.
Variations
- With chopped spinach or chard in the last 5 minutes.
- With chopped fresh garlic in the sofrito, instead of garlic powder.
- With smoked paprika instead of sweet, for a more intense stew.
Frequently asked questions
How long does this lentil stew take to make?
About 45 minutes in total: 15 of preparation and 30 of cooking. It is quick because it uses ready-cooked lentils. With dry lentils you would need to add the time to cook them first.
Do you need to rinse jarred lentils?
Yes. The liquid in the jar is usually salty and tastes metallic. Drain them in a colander and rinse with cold water before adding them to the sofrito.
Which potato is best in a lentil stew?
A potato that breaks down a little, such as a floury variety, thickens the broth. A waxy, firm-fleshed one keeps its shape. Choose according to whether you want a thicker or thinner broth.
What it provides
Lentils provide slowly absorbed carbohydrates, dietary fibre and plant-based protein, helping with prolonged satiety. Pairing them with vegetables rich in vitamin C (such as pepper) and beta-carotene (carrot) supports absorption of plant-based iron. Using stock and leaving out processed meats reduces the saturated fat content.
The dietitian's tip
Using ready-cooked tinned lentils cuts the preparation time in half without reducing their nutritional value. To thicken the stew without flour, blend a couple of tablespoons of lentils and potato with a little stock and stir the mixture back into the pot. If you use shop-bought stock, check the label: it may contain celery, gluten or sulphites. Homemade stock removes the doubt.
It is one of our recipes for weight loss. Other pulse-based ideas: wholemeal couscous with chickpeas and vegetables and beef meatballs with peas.
What a recipe is not
This recipe fits into a plan; it does not replace one. It cures nothing and it is not calculated for one particular person: the quantities are indicative and will need adjusting to your case.
If you have a medical condition, take medication or follow a prescribed diet, check with your doctor or your dietitian before changing anything.
Where this recipe comes from
The main guide
Weight-loss diet: how to lose fat and keep it off
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