Ingredients
Scale
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (45 ml)
- 2 slices baguette (3/4 inch / 2 cm thick each)
- 8 cloves garlic
- 1 small onion
- 2 medium potatoes
- 2 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika (5 grams)
- 1 tsp ground cumin (3 grams)
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 cup dried green lentils (200 grams)
- 5 cups vegetable broth (1200 ml)
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (8 grams)
- Pinch of sea salt
- Dash of black pepper
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Start by peeling and cutting the potatoes into 3/4 inch (2 cm) bite-sized chunks. Finely chop the onion and roughly chop 4 cloves of garlic. Give the lentils a good rinse under cold water.
- Heat a stock pot over medium heat and pour in the olive oil. Let it warm up for a couple of minutes.
- Add the baguette slices and the 4 whole cloves of garlic (peeled) to the oil. Fry them for about 3-4 minutes until they’re golden all over, turning occasionally. Once done, transfer them to a mortar.
- In the same pot with the flavored oil, add the chopped onion and chopped garlic. Stir continuously for 3-4 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and soft.
- Sprinkle in the smoked paprika and cumin, quickly mixing to coat the onions. Then add the finely grated tomatoes, stir well, and let simmer without stirring for about 3 minutes.
- Once the tomato mixture has thickened slightly, add the potato chunks, rinsed lentils, vegetable broth, and bay leaf. Turn the heat up high and give everything a gentle stir. When it comes to a boil, cover with a lid and reduce to a low simmer.
- While the stew simmers, add the chopped parsley to the mortar with the fried bread and garlic. Sprinkle in a pinch of sea salt and pound everything with the pestle until you get a paste-like texture.
- After the stew has simmered for 20-25 minutes (or until the lentils and potatoes are tender), remove the lid and stir in the bread-garlic paste. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste, gently mixing until well incorporated. Remove from heat.
- Ladle the stew into shallow bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and enjoy!
Notes
- The traditional Spanish method uses a mortar and pestle for the bread-garlic paste, which I think gives the best texture. But in a pinch, you can use a small food processor – just pulse carefully so it doesn’t become too smooth. The slight chunkiness adds character to the stew!
- Spanish cooks often use Pardina lentils, which are smaller than standard green lentils. If you can find them, they’re worth trying, but regular green lentils work wonderfully too.
- Don’t be tempted to add more lentils than called for – they absorb a lot of liquid and will continue to thicken the stew as it sits.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Spanish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approximately 546g
- Calories: 365 kcal
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 1,336mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 62g
- Fiber: 13g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 0mg