Sweet Potato Lentil Stew — The Lighter Sunday

The recipe Sunday was sweet potato lentil stew from Cookie and Kate. Red lentils simmered with cubed sweet potato, an onion, garlic, ginger, curry powder, garam masala, coconut milk, vegetable broth, fresh cilantro, lime.

The math: red lentils $1.49, a sweet potato $0.69, coconut milk $1.79, vegetables and spices. Total: about $4.40 for four meals.

The recipe is below. The trick is the red lentils — they break down into the broth.

Sweet Potato Lentil Stew

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 50 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 1/2 cups red lentils, rinsed
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups fresh spinach or chopped kale (optional)
• Juice of 1 lemon

Instructions

1. Sauté the aromatics. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4–5 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more, until fragrant.
2. Build the stew. Add the sweet potato cubes, rinsed lentils, diced tomatoes with their liquid, and vegetable broth. Stir to combine.
3. Season. Stir in the cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Mix well so the spices are evenly distributed.
4. Simmer. Bring the stew to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover partially and simmer for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are completely soft and the sweet potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
5. Finish and serve. If using greens, stir them in during the last 2 minutes of cooking until just wilted. Squeeze in the lemon juice and stir. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot, with crusty bread or over rice if desired.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 275 | Protein: 14g | Fat: 3g | Carbs: 50g | Fiber: 11g | Sodium: 490mg