Vegan Colombian Lentil Stew. Esta receta también está disponible en español.
Legumes are a favorite ingredient for lunch. Most famous are probably the red bean (frijoles), but chickpeas, yellow peas and of couse lentils are popular as well. Tomato, onion and garlic (or hogao) and other vegetables are normally part of these hearty stews. You serve them with side dishes such as rice, plátano or patacones (fried green plantains), potato, and/or a salad.
Looking for more Colombian food ideas? Click here for Colombian vegetarian lunch and dinner recipes!
Vegan Colombian Lentil Stew
There is a specific reason why I like this lentil stew, apart from the delicious hearty flavor to it. In contrast to beans and chickpeas, you don’t have to soak lentils. Also they need 1 hour or less to cook in a normal pot instead of a pressure cooker, making it an easy and relatively fast dish that doesn’t need thinking ahead. Often Colombian-style lentils are prepared with sausage (chorizo) and other vegetables. For this vegan version you will need:
Ingredients
- Lentils
- Green onions (scallions)
- Garlic
- Cumin powder
- Carrot
- Tomato
- Potato
- Cilantro
- Water of vegetable stock
Instructions:
- Cook onion and garlic until soft, add cumin
- Add cubes of carrot and tomato, cook on high heat for 5 minutes
- Add lentils, potato, cilantro, salt and pepper and water/vegetable stock
- Cook the stew for about 1 hour until the vegetables are soft and the stew has a saucy consistency
Serving suggestion for Vegan Colombian Vegetable Stew
Serve it with side dishes of your choice, such as white rice, patacones, potatoes, sliced avocado, and/or a salad. The vegetarians can add a fried egg on top, with a runny yolk that comes oozing out when cutting it open…
Enjoy!
Do you love Colombian food? Click here for more vegetarian recipes!
Links
Patacones (Fried Green Plantain)
Vegan Colombian Lentil Stew
Ingredients
- 250 g lentils
- vegetable oil
- 2 green onions (scallions), chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, chopped finely
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 100 g carrot, peeled and diced in tiny cubes
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 200 g white potato, peeled and diced in tiny cubes
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
- water or vegetable stock
Instructions
- Cook green onion and garlic in vegetable oil for 5 minutes until soft. Add cumin and cook until fragrant
- Add chopped tomato and cubes of carrot and cook on a high heat for 3-5 minutes
- Add lentils, potato cubes and cilantro. Add enough water or vegetable stock so that the mixture is couple of centimeters under water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, turn low and cover with a lid. Let simmer until lentils and vegetables are cooked. This can vary between 20-60 minutes, depending on the type of lentils. When the consistency is too liquid, cook without of the lid. Adjust seasoning
- Serve with side dishes of your choice, such as rice, patacones, avocado and/or rice. Store the lentil stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a maximum of three days
Excellent recipe! I didn’t have the green onions or fresh tomatoes on hand so I had to improvise with yellow onion and diced canned tomatoes. Still came out superb! Made some rice and added an egg on top from one of my pet chickens and it was perfection on a cold winter night. Can’t wait to try the other recipes out!