Lentil Potato Stew

This is my first vegetarian recipe post.

Would you believe I was a pescatarian for 6 years? That’s a vegetarian who eats fish… spell-check doesn’t even recognize the word. Uh-huh. A very naughty pescatarian who ate Wendy’s spicy chicken sandwiches when he was feeling peaked. If I knew how to cook back then I might not have been invisible standing sideways. Clearly that’s not a problem now, but thanks for mentioning it!

This is comfort food at it’s finest and healthiest. I would call this a fairly affordable meal, as well.

Heads up to those with stomach/intestinal disorders like IBS: lentils are healthy but do contain a type of fiber that is a little harder to digest, so I would recommend not eating this back to back or every day… freeze some and pace it out a bit.

If you don’t have stock or broth in the house this can be made with just water – step up your seasonings a bit and add some more tomato paste.

Print Recipe

Lentil Potato Stew

Great healthy comfort food – perfect for meatless Monday or poor-as-frig Friday!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: lentils, potato, stew

Author: Kenny MacKenzie

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups lentils
• 6 cups vegetable stock or broth
• 1 onion chopped
• 2-4 carrots chopped
• 12 oz potatoes about 3 good sized russets
• 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 TBSP fresh rosemary minced
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 TBSP tomato paste
• 1 TBSP soy sauce (optional)

Instructions

• Heat a 5 to 6 quart saute pan on medium heat.
• Add olive oil to the pan when hot.
• Let oil warm up for a minute or two. Once it begins to shimmer, toss in your chopped onion. Stir so all the onion gets covered with oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Lower heat a little. Add garlic on top of the onions, let cook until fragrant 60-90 seconds.
• Add tomato paste and stir in until incorporated.
• Toss in carrots and rosemary, stir and cook for a minute.
• Add cumin and then stir in the potatoes. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
• Stir in the lentils.
• Raise heat to med-high and add 6 cups of broth or stock. Stir.
• Add fresh thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
• Bring to a gentle boil and then lower the heat and allow to simmer for 30-40 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender and lentils are completely cooked. (If adding optional leafy greens, wait til everyone's cooked and then throw in a few handfuls; cook for another 3-5 minutes!)
• Serve and enjoy! Lasts in fridge 5 days, freezer 3-4 months.

Video

Notes

Some folks make lentil potato stew with just water instead of broth. Recently I made it with roughly half stock, half water – came out delish!

Music to cook by: Freddie Hubbard “Here to Stay”

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