Spanish · dinner, lunch
Lentejas: Classic Spanish Lentil Stew
Video by Spain on a Fork on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Vegan
- Gluten-free ingredients
- Nut-free
Contains: none of the common allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
Brown lentils give each bowl about 16 g of plant protein and 14 g of fibre, plus iron and folate; with potato, carrot and peppers it is a filling vegan meal made with just 2 tbsp of oil.
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Ingredients 15
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- Heat the olive oil in a deep pan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the onion, both peppers and the garlic and sauté about 6 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is translucent. 0:52
- Stir in the smoked paprika quickly, then add the tomato sauce. Raise the heat to medium-high and simmer about 3 minutes until it thickens. 2:20
- Add the rinsed lentils, potato pieces, carrot rounds and plenty of black pepper and mix well. 3:25
- Pour in the vegetable broth, add the bay leaf and bring to the boil. Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer 30–35 minutes until the lentils and potatoes are tender but still holding their shape. 4:00
- Season with sea salt only at the end (salting earlier toughens the lentils), simmer 1–2 minutes more and serve, sprinkled with parsley if you like. 4:59
Tip. Use waxy potatoes so they keep their shape, and brown, green or black lentils (red lentils turn mushy). Keeps 4 days in the fridge and thickens as it sits; loosen with a splash of water.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 4
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 52%
- Protein 23%
- Fat 25%
For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here
Lower-carb idea. About 43% of the 37 g of net carbs come from the uncooked brown lentils. To cut carbs, try a smaller portion with extra leafy or other non-starchy vegetables.
One serve has about 50% of a day’s sodium. Use less salt, stock or sauce, or a reduced-salt version, to bring it down.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Folate High70%
281 µg a serve, mostly from uncooked brown lentils (85%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Vitamin C High61%
55 mg a serve, mostly from red bell pepper (44%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Vitamin B6 High38%
0.6 mg a serve, mostly from uncooked brown lentils (37%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Iron High34%
6.1 mg a serve, mostly from uncooked brown lentils (71%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Vitamin K High26%
31 µg a serve, mostly from parsley (53%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Potassium High25%
1180 mg a serve, mostly from uncooked brown lentils (41%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Vitamin A High23%
205 µg a serve, mostly from carrot (71%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Magnesium High21%
89 mg a serve, mostly from uncooked brown lentils (53%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Zinc High20%
2.2 mg a serve, mostly from uncooked brown lentils (76%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Vitamin E Source14%
2.1 mg a serve, mostly from virgin olive oil (46%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Selenium Source10%
5.2 µg a serve, mostly from uncooked brown lentils (70%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
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Omega-38%
0.1 g a serve, mostly from uncooked brown lentils (42%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Calcium6%
79 mg a serve, mostly from uncooked brown lentils (31%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Vitamin D0%
0 µg a serve. Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Vitamin B120%
0 µg a serve. Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by Spain on a Fork; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.