Lentil and Chorizo Stew

This is hands down, the best lentil and chorizo stew you ever had! And my favorite way to beat the cold. Super flavorful with bacon and veggies, it tastes even better the next day and freezes wonderfully!

I might be the only person eating a hearty winter stew when it's 32ºC / 90ºF outside.

The final version of this fantastic lentil stew came together the last few years, tweaking this and that until I found the right combination of spice, vegetables, type of chorizo, bacon, amount of tomato and lentils.

It was originally given to me by a new friend, after eating it at her house. Greedy me would've taken the leftovers home, but since it was my first time at her house, I politely asked for the recipe.

This is a very traditional dish here, and as such, there are endless variations, everyone has their favorite and every house has the perfect recipe. Today you'll have to settle for mine.

It all started years ago.

First, because I simply love lentils, and second because I have an on-again, off-again iron deficiency which compels me to eat meat and things like lentils, spinach, blood sausage.

It's the way to keep the levels normal and avoid that slump bordering depression that happens when your blood doesn't have enough iron. If you ever experienced this you're nodding and if you haven't you're lucky and go on with your life.

Make this stew simply because it's amazing and soul-filling. It has chorizo and bacon, did I mention that?

Main ingredients

• Sausage - it has to have what we here call red sausage, which is Spanish sausage in many countries. It has peppers and pork, a dark reddish color (hence the name), and a very particular flavor. Of course, any kind of sausage you like a lot will work I guess, but I don't know since I don't even bother making this recipe if I don't find red sausage.
• Bacon - thick slices of bacon are diced or cut into strips and added to the lentil stew. The fats render while the pot simmers away and the flavor it lends is unique. It makes the stew rich and smoky.
• Vegetables - we all agree carrots should be part of this recipe. I personally am a huge fan of adding sweet potato, a small one, but necessary to balance the fat and spiciness. Some don't agree. It's an either/or situation among my friends.

That said, the rest is very simple, things like onion, canned tomatoes, smoked paprika, and a few more things.

Different types of lentils

Dry lentils - they need to be soaked in cool water for several hours before boiling them. Otherwise, they take forever and never quite soften as they should. I like to do this with regular brown lentils.

• • Canned brown lentils - there are different types and none are really good for a lentil stew since they need to cook together with the rest of the ingredients for a while and they tend to turn mushy and many may disintegrate.
  • Quick-cooking brown lentils - they are my first option, a compromise between the two types mentioned above. They cook well with the rest of the ingredients, and the flavor is deepened by the broth and fats, but they keep their bite when the lentil stew is done.

Names may vary in each country, but you should not use yellow or orange lentils (the ones labeled Turkish) as they cook too quickly. So go for the sturdy, old-fashioned lentil.

Best tip

My top advice when it comes to lentil stew: Eat it the next day

Stews, in general, are usually better the next day, or even the day after the next. I like to take it even further by cooking it until it's just done until the lentils are almost al dente.

I then leave the whole thing to cool in the pot until the next day, and I cook it again for half an hour or more, depending on how I want the lentils.

• That overnight rest deepens the flavor as only time can. They become friends and exchange subtleties until the flavor is perfect. This is especially important with the chorizo and the bacon. They will lose some of their fat slowly and it will become part of the juices. Simply wonderful.

And lentil stew can be frozen. So keep a few containers with the right servings and enjoy it any time you want!

Other recipes you might like:
2-ingredient Lentil and Butternut Squash Soup
Pastel Azteca
Easy Baked Macaroni and 3 Cheeses
Leek and Potato Soup

Let me know if you make this recipe! I’d love to hear what you think about it.
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Lentil and Chorizo Stew

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

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This is hands down, the best lentil and chorizo stew you ever had! 
Super flavorful with bacon and veggies, it tastes even better the next day and freezes wonderfully!

• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
• ½ small red pepper (seeded and finely chopped)
• ½ cup chopped celery stalks
• 1 medium carrot (peeled and finely chopped)
• About 4 cups veal broth
• 2 cups lentils
• 1 ½ cups canned tomatoes (chopped with juice)
• 4 oz. bacon (coarsely chopped)
• 4 oz. red or spanish chorizo (coarsely chopped)
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Chopped parsley (for garnish)

Instructions

1. In a large pot with lid, heat oil and sweat onion, pepper and celery. Don't brown. Add salt and pepper, carrots and 2 cups broth, and cook, partially covered for 10 minutes over low heat.
2. Add 1 more cup broth, lentils, and tomatoes and cook, covered, for 30 minutes.
3. While this is cooking, in a small skillet cook chorizo and bacon for 2 or 3 minutes, until they are a bit brown and have released some fat.
4. Add them to the pot together with the paprika and another cup of broth. Keep on cooking everything for the thirty minutes specified before.
5. Check to see if the lentils are cooked. Add more broth if necessary, check seasonings and cook more time if the lentils need it.
6. Laddle into bowls, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
7. Or better yet, let it stand until the next day, reheat it and eat it.

Notes

Lentils: don't use quick-cooking lentils as they will probably disintegrate before the rest of the ingredients are done.

My best advice when it comes to lentil stew: Eat it the next day

I cook it until it's just done until the lentils are almost al dente.  I then leave the whole thing to cool in the pot until the next day, and I cook it again for half an hour or more, depending on how I want the lentils.

That overnight rest deepens the flavor as only time can. They become friends and exchange subtleties until the flavor is perfect. This is especially important with the chorizo and the bacon. They will lose some of their fat slowly and it will become part of the juices. Simply wonderful.

And lentil stew can be frozen. So keep a few containers with the right servings and enjoy it any time you want!

• Author: Paula Montenegro
• Prep Time: 30
• Cook Time: 40
• Category: Main dish
• Method: Cooking
• Cuisine: International

Keywords: lentil stew, lentil chorizo stew