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Quick Smoky Red Lentil Stew

From: Pretty Simply Cooking: 100 Delicious Vegetarian Recipes to Make You Fall in Love with Real Food by Sonja & Alex Overhiser

SERVES: 4

NOTES: Sonja and Alex suggest topping this stew with some plain Greek-style yogurt, chopped cilantro or parsley, and a squeeze of lemon. I didn’t have either of the herbs or any coconut milk yogurt on hand, so I just tore up some dill, added a sprinkle of Aleppo pepper, a drizzle of good olive oil, and the little lemon spritz.-I went completely by the book for this recipe! Just added one packed cup of chopped kale at the end and let it wilt into the stew.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 large carrots, small dice

1 medium yellow onion, small dice

2 stalks celery, small dice

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons smoked paprika

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 ¼ cups red lentils, rinsed

4 cups vegetable stock

sea salt & ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from ½ a large lemon)

chopped fresh herbs for serving (see headnotes)

Instructions

In a large pot or deep braiser, heat the olive oil over medium heat. 

Add the carrots, onion, and celery. 

Stir and saute until the onion is translucent, about 5-6 minutes.

Add the garlic to the pot and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 

Then, add the balsamic vinegar, smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne, and lentils, and give everything a big stir.

Add the vegetable stock, salt, and pepper to the pot. 

Stir and bring the stew up to a simmer. Cover the pot halfway with a lid and let the stew simmer for about 7-10 minutes, depending on your preferred doneness of the lentils. I went the full 10 minutes because I was aiming for a creamier texture.

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