Little Sprout Green Lentil Stew (Print Version)

Hearty stew with green lentils, carrots, potatoes, and aromatic herbs for a warm, wholesome dish.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
02 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
03 - 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
05 - 1 celery stalk, diced
06 - 1 cup baby spinach or little sprout greens, roughly chopped

→ Lentils & Broth

07 - 1 cup dried green lentils, rinsed
08 - 4 cups vegetable broth
09 - 1 cup water

→ Herbs & Seasoning

10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
16 - Juice of ½ lemon

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion, minced garlic, and diced celery; sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
02 - Stir in diced carrots and potatoes; cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking.
03 - Add rinsed green lentils, vegetable broth, water, dried thyme, dried oregano, bay leaf, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
04 - Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes, or until lentils and vegetables are completely tender.
05 - Remove the bay leaf from the stew. Stir in baby spinach or little sprout greens and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until wilted.
06 - Add lemon juice to the stew if desired. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or herbs as needed.
07 - Ladle the hot stew into bowls and serve immediately, garnished with fresh herbs if available.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, so weeknight dinner doesn't have to feel like a project.
  • The lentils provide real substance and protein without any fussy techniques or special ingredients.
  • One pot means cleanup is just as easy as the cooking itself.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the lentils; I once skipped this step thinking it wouldn't matter, and the stew had a gritty texture that bothered me the whole meal.
  • The vegetables need to be roughly the same size so they finish cooking at the same moment—uneven chopping leads to some pieces mushy and others still firm.
  • Bay leaf removal is non-negotiable; one guest bit into a piece of bay leaf and I've never fully recovered from the awkwardness.
03 -
  • Taste as you go and don't be afraid to adjust the seasoning; what seems right at the beginning might need a little more salt or acid once everything has simmered together.
  • If you forget to remove the bay leaf before serving, don't panic—just fish it out quickly before anyone takes a spoonful.
Go Back