Bites In The Wild

  • About
  • Health
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Health
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Health
    • About
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Spanish

    The Best Spanish Lentil Stew (Lentejas Recipe)

    1 July 2023 by alicia gonzalez tome 6 Comments

    ↓ Jump to Recipe
    ↓ Jump to Video

    This traditional Spanish lentil stew recipe (Spanish lentejas) is the real deal! With chunks of chorizo and pork belly, it's incredibly flavourful and easy to make following some simple steps. Recipe from my mum, I promise this authentic Spanish recipe it's THE BEST!

    Spanish lentil stew in a pot

    Growing up in Spain, my mum would always cook this Spanish lentil stew (sopa de lentejas) on cold days. We say "lentejas, o las tomas o las dejas", which means "lentils, you eat them or you leave them". I was an eater, they're the best thing!

    For another cozy Spanish soup try this Spanish chicken soup. And for more traditional Spanish recipes, you might also want to try this Spanish meatball family recipe, this Hake recipe with red peppers sauce, this Spanish pork chop recipe or this Spanish tortilla made healthy.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • How To Make This Spanish Lentil Stew
    • Substitutions & Variations
    • Why This Is The Best Lentil Soup Recipe!
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Top Tip To Make The Best Lentil And Chorizo Stew!
    • FAQ
    • More Spanish Recipes
    • The Best Spanish Lentil Stew (Lentejas Recipe)
    • See what other people think about this recipe!

    Ingredients

    All the ingredients for this hearty lentil soup can easily be found in the grocery store!

    Spanish lentil stew ingredients
    • Leek sliced
    • Carrot diced in small cubes
    • Red pepper diced in small cubes
    • Green pepper diced in small cubes
    • Garlic cloves (peeled but whole)
    • Potatoes cut into big chunks 
    • Brown lentils**
    • Pork belly
    • Regular or spicy chorizo
    • Bay leaf
    • Paprika (smoked paprika or sweet paprika)
    • Salt
    • Ground black pepper
    • Olive oil for cooking

    See recipe card for quantities.

    How To Make This Spanish Lentil Stew

    Preparing this traditional Spanish lentil stew is really easy following the instructions below.

    Cook all the veggies until they are soft

    Pour a generous amount of olive oil into a large pot on medium heat. You should cover the entire base with approx. ½ cm of oil. Add the leek, green & red pepper, carrot, salt & pepper, and stir well to combine. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the veggies are soft.

    While the veggies are cooking, soak the lentils.

    Add the rest of ingredients to the pot

    Rinse the lentils.

    Add the rest of the ingredients: soaked lentils, garlic cloves, potatoes, chorizo, pork belly, bay leaves, paprika and salt to the pot. Fill up with cold water. Make sure there is enough water, the water should be around 2 fingers above all the ingredients. Stir well to combine, set the stove in high heat, and cover with a lid.

    Once it starts boiling, lower to medium heat and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Check that the lentils are cooked, and if necessary cook for a bit longer.

    Chopped chorizo and pork belly. Fat removed from the pork belly

    Take out of the pot the chorizo and pork belly. In a chopping board, cut the chorizo in bite-size chunks, and the pork belly in small pieces. I recommend discarding the fat of the pork belly.

    Ladle with spanish lentil stew

    Put all the meat back into the pot, combine, and enjoy!!

    Hint: After 45 minutes of cooking time, I recommend trying the lentils to see how cooked they are. Don't overcook them, or they will end up mushy. Add more water if required to adjust the amount of liquid of the stew.

    Substitutions & Variations

    • Make it vegetarian - don't add the chorizo and pork belly. You can add a larger quantity of veggies. Other veggies like zucchini and mushroom work great too.
    • Add yellow onion - this recipe doesn't use onion, however is always a good addition.
    • Meat - if you're to skip one type of meat, I recommend skipping the pork belly. The chorizo is key in the flavour of this stew.
    • Ground cumin - it's also a good addition
    Bowl of Spanish lentil stew and hand grabbing spoon

    Why This Is The Best Lentil Soup Recipe!

    • It's a classic Spanish food that will take you to the aromas of Spain! The combo of chorizo, pork belly and Spanish paprika is hard to beat.
    • Super hearty dish!
    • Budget friendly recipe to feed the whole family or a crowd
    • Perfect for meal prep and ideal to make big batches. Lasts almost a week in the fridge.

    Equipment

    All you need to make this Spanish soup is...

    • Sharp knife and chopping board
    • Large pot with lid - you can also use a large dutch oven or pressure cooker
    • Timber spatula
    • Ladle to serve

    Storage

    Leftovers? Happy days! This is the kind of dish that gets better as it sits in the fridge. Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

    This dish is suitable for freezing without the potatoes (the texture of defrost cooked potatoes is horrible!). Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

    Top Tip To Make The Best Lentil And Chorizo Stew!

    A good chorizo is key! It gives so much flavour to the stew. Source a good one from your local butcher or quality supermarket.

    The cooking time of this recipe might depend on the type and quality of the lentils you use. After 45 minutes of cooking time, I recommend trying the lentils to see how cooked they are. Don't overcook them, or they will end up mushy. Add more water if required to adjust the amount of liquid of the stew.

    FAQ

    Do you have to soak lentils before cooking?

    I recommend soaking them. This can be done while you're cooking the veggies. 20 minutes is all you need. It helps to soften them and reduce the cooking time.

    What type of lentils is best for this Spanish lentejas recipe?

    The traditional way to make this lentejas recipe is using brown lentils, however, you could also use green lentils or red lentils. 
    Depending on the type of lentils that you use, the cooking time will increase (for green lentils) or decrease (for red lentils).

    More Spanish Recipes

    Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

    • Gluten free meatballs on large pot
      The Best Spanish Meatballs (Albondigas Family Recipe)
    • Close up of Spanish hake recipe in red peppers sauce in pot feature
      Easy Spanish Hake Recipe With Red Peppers Sauce
    • Spanish pork chops recipe-square
      Spanish Pork Chop Recipe With Potatoes & Onion Sauce
    • Spanish chicken soup recipe
      Classic Spanish Chicken Soup Recipe (Sopa De Pollo)
    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    Ladle full of the best spanish lentil stew

    The Best Spanish Lentil Stew (Lentejas Recipe)

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 4 reviews
    • Author: alicia gonzalez tome
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 90 minutes
    • Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
    • Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
    • Category: Main course
    • Cuisine: Spanish
    • Diet: Gluten Free
    Pin Recipe
    Print Recipe

    Description

    This traditional Spanish lentil stew recipe (Spanish lentejas) is the real deal! With chunks of chorizo and pork belly, it's incredibly flavourful and easy to make following some simple steps. Recipe from my mum, I promise this authentic Spanish recipe it's THE BEST!


    Ingredients

    Units Scale

    3 cups of leek sliced

    2 cups of carrot diced

    1 cup of red pepper diced

    1.5 cups of green pepper diced

    7 garlic cloves peeled

    2-3 large potatoes cut into big chunks 

    2 ⅓ cups of brown lentils

    300 grams of pork belly

    2 regular or spicy chorizos

    2 bay leaves

    ½ tbsp of paprika

    1-2 teaspoon salt

    ¼ tsp of ground pepper

    Olive oil for cooking


    Instructions

    1. Cook the veggies: Pour a generous amount of olive oil to a large pot on medium heat. You should cover the entire base with approx. ½ cm of oil. Add the leek, green & red capsicum, carrot, salt & pepper, and stir well to combine. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the veggies are soft. While the veggies are cooking, soak the lentils.
    2. Add all the ingredients: Rinse the lentils. Add the lentils, garlic cloves, potatoes, chorizo, pork belly, bay leaves, paprika and salt to the pot. Fill up with cold water. The water should be around 2 fingers above all the ingredients. Stir well to combine, and cover with a lid. Cook on medium heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Check that the lentils are cooked, and if necessary cook for a bit longer.
    3. Chop the meat: Take out of the pot the chorizo and pork belly. In a chopping board, cut the chorizo in bite-size chunks, and the pork belly in small pieces. I recommend discarding the fat of the pork belly.
    4. Put all the meat back into the pot, combine, and enjoy!!

    Notes

    The cooking time of this recipe might depend on the type and quality of the lentils you use. After 45 minutes of cooking time, I recommend trying the lentils to see how cooked they are. Add more water if required.

    Leftovers? Happy days! This is the kind of dish that gets better as it sits in the fridge. Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

    This dish is suitable for freezing without the potatoes (the texture of defrost cooked potatoes is horrible!). Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag me @bitesinthewild — I can't wait to see what you've made!

    More Spanish recipes you will love!

    • Mango gazpacho
      Mango Gazpacho Recipe (Super Refreshing For Summer)
    • Authentic vegetable paella with lemon wedges
      Authentic Spanish Vegetable Paella Recipe
    • Tuna potato salad
      SPANISH TUNA POTATO SALAD
    • Spinach and tomato cauliflower pizza crust
      SPINACH AND TOMATO CAULIFLOWER PIZZA CRUST

    Comments

      Did you make the recipe? Leave a comment! Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    1. Bob Davidson says

      November 17, 2024 at 1:32 am

      Tried for the first time, in Spain. Loved it. Found this receipe and tried making it at home. As tasty as the Spanish restaurant we ate in. Superb, easy to make stew. Thank You Ali.

      Reply
      • alicia gonzalez tome says

        December 14, 2024 at 1:30 pm

        Thanks so much for your comment Bob! Makes my day to see you loved the recipe 🙂

        Reply
    2. Marta says

      July 02, 2023 at 8:23 pm

      súper, ñam ñam, qué pintaza!!!

      Reply
    3. Ester says

      July 02, 2023 at 6:17 pm

      So tasty! I really like it with the chorizo and veggies, it gives such a perfect taste 🙂

      Reply
      • Joseba says

        July 02, 2023 at 6:48 pm

        Really delicious! I loved the combination of vegetables, lentils and pork.

        Reply
    4. Struart says

      July 01, 2023 at 9:50 pm

      This is the most flavourful lentil stew I've ever made!! My kids LOVED IT!! Very easy to make too, the type of let cook and forget kind of recipe. Will make again for sure.

      Reply
    Alicia Gonzalez Bites In The Wild

    Hello, I'm Ali!

    Welcome to Bites In The Wild!! 😊 In this blog you will discover easy, delicious and healthy gluten-free & dairy-free recipes, and lots of low-carb options too! I'm originally from Spain, so expect a lot of Mediterranean and Spanish recipes as well.

    Learn more about me →

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Facebook

    Superfeast tonic herbs

    Grab a 10% discount on all Superfeast tonic herbs and medicinal mushrooms, using my unique code BITESINTHEWILD10 - click here.

    Superfeast discount thumbnail

    Popular recipes

    • The Best mango Chicken Curry With Coconut Milk served with steamed rice
      Boneless Mango Chicken Curry Recipe (Indian Style)

    • Pulled pork on stove top feature image
      Pulled Pork On Stove Top (Gluten-free)

    • Salmon avocado tartare on blackboard plate
      Salmon Avocado Tartare (With Miso-Tamari Sauce)

    Healthy baking

    • Gluten-free blackberry cobbler
      Healthy Gluten Free Blackberry Cobbler Recipe (Vegan)

    • Toasted sweetened coconut flakes feature
      How To Make Toasted Coconut Flakes Sweet (Crispy)

    • Healthy chocolate puffed rice cereal recipe feature
      Healthy Crispy Chocolate Puffed Rice Cereal Recipe

    • Healthy Carrot Cake With Coconut Flour (Gluten-free)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Info

    • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Recipes

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Bites In The Wild. All rights reserved.

    Say hi! [email protected]