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Smoky Red Lentil Stew

4.94 from 83 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
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Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 large carrots, small dice
  • 1 medium yellow onion, small dice
  • 2 stalks celery, small dice
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 ¼ cups red lentils, rinsed
  • 4 cups vegetable stock
  • sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from ½ a large lemon)
  • chopped fresh herbs for serving (see notes)

Instructions

  • In a large pot or deep braiser, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion, and celery. Stir and saute until the onion is translucent, about 5-6 minutes.
  • Add the garlic to the pot and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Then, add the balsamic vinegar, smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne, and lentils. Give everything a big stir.
  • Add the vegetable stock, salt, and pepper to the pot. Stir and bring the stew up to a simmer. Cover the pot halfway with a lid and let the stew simmer for about 7-10 minutes, depending on your preferred done-ness of the lentils. I went the full 10 minutes because I was aiming for a creamier texture. Stir in the lemon juice.
  • Serve the stew hot with chopped fresh herbs and extra lemon.

Recipe Notes

  • From: Pretty Simply Cooking: 100 Delicious Vegetarian Recipes to make You Fall in Love with Real Food by Sonja & Alex Overhiser
  • Sonja and Alex suggest topping this stew with some plain Greek-style yogurt, chopped cilantro or parsley, and a squeeze of lemon.
  • I went completely by the book for this recipe! Just added one packed cup of chopped kale at the end and let it wilt into the stew.
This simple red lentil stew has loads of flavor from smoked paprika, herbs, garlic, and balsamic vinegar. The perfect one-pot meal with some crusty bread.