If you watch the video for this recipe, my enthusiasm for lentils might not fully show. Trust, however, I have a passion for lentils that sometimes gets a bit much for others. Lentils are one of the perfect ingredients in my pantry.
They require no soaking but still cook within 30 minutes, they adapt to different flavors, and they can make so many different meals. For example, my favorite lentil bites that have made an appearance yearly on the site. This soup is just one of many lentils in my arsenal. However, the beauty in this recipe are within the spice blend. Winter is the perfect time of year for a savory cinnamon dish!
The stars in this recipe are the spices. It's such a wonderful way to use spices traditionally reserved in American cuisine for sweet dishes. Below are a few swaps you could make but I highly recommend trying the stew as-is first!
Tomato-free: If you're avoiding nightshades, you can skip the tomato sauce. It adds a nice level of flavor but could easily be left out.
Lentil Varieties: Use black or French lentils in place of the brown lentils. You could use red but they will break down more than the brown.
Sweet Potatoes: Use diced sweet potatoes in place of the potatoes.
Lentils are a must in my pantry. I keep red lentils on hand for quick soups, stews, and creamy meals while I have brown lentils on hand to make my favorite lentil bites. Black and French lentils tend to rotate but both hold up well in salads, tacos, enchiladas, and most places you might use chickpeas. A few of my favorite lentil recipes include:
Mediterranean Wrap with Lentil Bites
Spicy Lentil Vegan Sloppy Joes
Curried Lentils and Rhubarb Chutney
This looks great. Thanks for sharing! I've saved it to Pinterest! -Joe
Mmm. This is going on next week's menu. I love lentils-- cheap, easy, nutritious. I have a quick question, though: in the last step, you reference adding juice, which is not one of the ingredients. I assume that it's lemon juice, probably a few tablespoons. Can you clarify? TIA!
Yes! Fixed- I used 2 tablespoons but it's really a to-taste kind of thing!
Thank you! We made this for supper last night, and I just finished a bowl for lunch. It was delicious. The lemon juice adds a nice brightness.
Hi Erin! I saw your recipe and knew I had to make this today. So I did. 🙂 And it is absolutely delicious! Thank you so much for your recipes and inspiration!
Could you add mild curry powder instead in here for a little different flavor and heat? And if so would you reduce any of the other seasonings?
Loved the note about using sweet potatoes. Looks great! Can't wait to try it.
Honestly, if you want to add curry powder, I'd probably cut out the other spices completely given each curry blend is different (and it's hard telling how well the flavors would work together!)
Made this today and it's heavenly, especially for cold winter nights. Thank you so much!
Do you think carrots would be a possible addition here, just for the extra veggies, or would they introduce a conflicting sweetness?
It's interesting you ask that- I thought about adding carrots but I felt the flavor would have been too much (part of the reason I went with regular potato.) However, I think they could work but the level of spices/lemon juice might need to change.
I just cooked this and its delicious! The depth of flavors with the cardamom and cinnamon, yum. Also, I added double the amount of lemon juice as I thought it needed some freshness in the end. Lovely recipe!
I have made this recipe countless times -- always a favorite. I tried using sweet potatoes and carrots instead of fresh celery, and use dried celery instead. I adjust the spices a bit, add a bit more cinnamon.
Love this recipe and it has become a staple in our house!