Two Purple Figs

Easy and Delicious Gourmet Recipes

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Videos
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
You are here: Home / Recipes / Healthy / Vegetarian / One Pot Meal Of Lentils And Spinach

One Pot Meal Of Lentils And Spinach

March 27, 2017 by Mahy, Updated October 11, 2019 12 Comments

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
North African spinach and lentil stew -pin

This North African lentil stew features a flavorful base of onions, garlic, tomatoes and herbs to which a generous amount of lentils and spinach are added and cooked through. An easy one-pot meal for cold days!

overhead shot of a bowl of North African one-pot lentil stew with spinach next to a flatbread

You know how they say you can’t judge a book by its cover? Well, you can’t judge this One Pot Meal of Lentils and Spinach recipe by its looks. This North African lentil stew is absolutely delicious and heartwarming! 

Why this one-pot recipe for spinach and lentil stew works: 

This thick and savory spinach and lentil stew is as simple as can be. Very few ingredients, all in one pot for less than 30 minutes, and it keeps you full for a long time!

So it’s a must try recipe specially if you’re looking for a vegetarian or vegan meal to sneak in to your busy week.

I’m really excited about this North African-inspired lentil stew recipe. Like many other recipes on the blog—this one pot meal has a special place in my heart.

You see my mom used to make it when I was a kid and I resented tasting it just by the look of it. Horrendous I know.

Especially now that I keep pushing my kids to “just taste” anything even if it doesn’t look familiar. I’m hoping one day they won’t judge food by the look of it like I did lol

a spoon being dipped into a white bowl with North African Spinach and Lentil Stew

This recipe is actually a really old one, and it’s very popular in North Africa so I made it as is without changing or twisting a thing about it.

It’s very unlike me, you know how I always love twisting recipes. But I thought this time, I’ll just watch my mom make it her way. The same way my grandma made it too. And I didn’t feel I needed to change a thing.

This lentil stew is perfect the way that it is— a flavorful base of onions, garlic, tomatoes and herbs to which a generous amount of lentils and spinach are added and cooked through.

Since I’ve been lucky to have my mom stay with me the last couple of months, I’ve been asking her to make those meals I rarely make on my own.

Don’t ask why, I just don’t know. Like those amazing Juicy Spicy Turkish Meatballs, why on earth didn’t I make them for so long! They’re another MUST try by the way if you’re looking to jazz up or swap your everyday meatballs.

a spoon full of North African spinach lentil stew with a bowl of stew and flatbread in the background

What to serve with North African One-Pot Spinach and Lentil Stew? 

Classically this lentil stew with spinach is served with bread. I had some naan bread which I just warmed up a bit and it did the job!

On the side, my lovely mom had made some of her famous pickled lemons—which I promise to have up on the blog too. The recipe is super easy and the lemons seriously addictive!

I just love simple comforting one-pot meals like that—quick, delicious, nutritious and heart warming. You just can’t go wrong.

a piece on naan bread dipped in North African spinach and lentil stew on a wooden board

How to make this North African One-Pot Spinach and Lentil Stew: 

I’ll quickly brief you through the recipe. Just start sautéing the onions and garlic, and add in some tomatoes, cilantro, and parsley with a touch of spice.

Then the lentils and spinach go into your pot. Some more spice, water and a few minutes later it’s done.

Nice and thick, almost like a stew but it doesn’t need to be looked for hours like a stew. Just gather some bread and dig in! Try this classic really old fashioned recipe, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it 🙂

a hand holding a piece of charred naan bread dipped into one-pot spinach and lentil stew

Tips for success: 

  • Sautee your onions and garlic on medium heat and don’t be tempted to rush through this step by turning up the heat. The garlic should not brown as it will make your lentil stew bitter.
  • You can use a cup of canned diced tomatoes instead of fresh tomatoes.
  • Fresh spinach can be substituted with frozen, thawed spinach.
one pot North African Spinach and Lentil Stew
4.23 from 27 votes
Print

One Pot Meal Of Lentils And Spinach

This North African lentil stew features a flavorful base of onions, garlic, tomatoes and herbs to which a generous amount of lentils and spinach are added and cooked through. An easy one-pot meal for cold days! 

Course Main Course
Cuisine North African
Keyword North African lentil stew, one-pot lentil stew, spinach lentil stew
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 239 kcal
Author Mahy

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 Roma tomatoes diced into 1/4 inch dice
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup mixed parsley and cilantro chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried coriander ground
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 3 cups vegetable stock (or water)
  • 1 cup red lentils
  • 5 cups fresh spinach leaves loosely packed
  • 1/4 cup mixed cilantro and parsley chopped

Instructions

  1. In a medium-sized pot, sautee the onion and garlic with the olive oil until soft and nearly golden. Then add the tomatoes and paste and keep sautéing until the tomatoes release all the water, and keep cooking until most of the tomatoes water is evaporated.

  2. Add the herbs and spices and sauté for another couple of minutes until the mixture looks like a thick paste.
  3. Add the stock and bring it to a boil, then add int he lentils and cover the pot. Cook the lentils for 15 minutes until they start to soften up and then add the spinach.
  4. Keep the pot covered and allow it to cook for 10 minutes more until the spinach has wilted and the lentils have cooked completely. Add the remaining herbs. Taste and adjust the salt. Serve right away and enjoy 🙂

Recipe Notes

  • Sautee your onions and garlic on medium heat and don't be tempted to rush through this step by turning up the heat. The garlic should not brown as it will make your lentil stew bitter. 
  • You can use a cup of canned diced tomatoes instead of fresh tomatoes.
  • Fresh spinach can be substituted with frozen, thawed spinach. 
Nutrition Facts
One Pot Meal Of Lentils And Spinach
Amount Per Serving (1 bowl)
Calories 239 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Sodium 1097mg48%
Potassium 887mg25%
Carbohydrates 37g12%
Fiber 16g67%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 14g28%
Vitamin A 4920IU98%
Vitamin C 26.5mg32%
Calcium 87mg9%
Iron 5.3mg29%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

3184shares
  • Share 30
  • Yummly
  • Email

Related Posts

Mexican Style Lentil Detox Salad. The perfect way to cook lentils and to make the perfect detox salad with a Mexican twist drizzled with an AMAZIG guacamole dressing! Vegan and gluten free. www.twopurplefigs.comMexican Style Lentil Detox Salad (Vegan) Default ThumbnailUltimate Mujadara Recipe Orange Lentil Greek Salad. The perfect way to jazz up your Greek salad--make it hearty, filling, nutritious and absolutely YUMMY! Dressed up in an orange olive homemade Greek salad dressing, it's a perfect full meal salad, bbq salad, potluck, picnic, lunch, anything salad! Vegan and gluten free too--make this recipe today!Orange Lentil Greek Salad Moroccan Lamb and Turmeric Lentil Soup. Protein and flavor packed soup infused with lamb, lentils, chickpeas and simmered in a turmeric tomato broth! Super delicious hearty bowl you can not miss!Moroccan Lentil Soup

Filed Under: Dinner, Healthy, Lunch, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: gluten free, lentil meal, lentil recipes, lentil stew, lentils, North African food, North African recipes, one pot, one pot meal, one pot meal recipe, one pot meals, spinach, spinach meals, spinach stew, vegan, vegan meal, vegan one pot meal, vegetarian, vegetarian meals, vegetarian one pot meals

« Cream Cheese Banana Bread Muffins
Easter Colored Cake Pops For My Birthday Girl »

CONTENT

All images and content are copyright protected. Please contact me if you would like to use any images . If you want to republish any of my recipes, please link back to my website and the recipe post

Comments

  1. Laarni C. says

    March 3, 2020 at 1:29 pm

    5 stars
    This is an amazing recipe – easy to cook, tastes really good and very healthy.

    Reply
    • Mahy says

      March 18, 2020 at 1:56 pm

      So happy you made this Laarni!

      Reply
    • Mahy says

      April 7, 2020 at 11:02 pm

      So happy you enjoyed it Laarni!

      Reply
  2. Sparrow says

    September 22, 2019 at 6:09 am

    5 stars
    Delicious! I’m always on the lookout for vegetarian recipes with plenty of protein and not too much in the way of complex preparation or expensive specialty ingredients, yet still with interesting flavor. This hit the spot. I’ve already made it twice in the past month.

    Reply
    • Mahy says

      October 3, 2019 at 10:12 pm

      Yaay Sparrow! You made my day Thank you!

      Reply
  3. jsira says

    September 9, 2019 at 1:30 pm

    do you boil the lentils with the spinach? or do you set aside the spinach mix and combine them when the lentils are soft?

    Reply
    • Mahy says

      October 3, 2019 at 10:20 pm

      I add the spinach towards the end when the lentils have softened.

      Reply
  4. Stacy says

    February 13, 2019 at 4:33 pm

    I tried to cook this and my lentil all burnt to the bottom of my pot. I even switched to a different pot after and the same thing happened. I followed the instructions exaclty. Do you know why?

    Reply
    • Mahy says

      February 18, 2019 at 11:50 am

      Hi Stacy, did you try lowering the heat a bit, or adding a bit extra liquid to the lentils? I think it’s either of these reasons. Sometimes you stove could run high and evaporate the liquids before the lentils are cooked enough so they end up sticking to the pan. Or, the lentils were stored at your grocery store for a while and need a bit extra liquid than usual to cook all the way through. Please try it one more time, keeping an eye on the amount of liquid to cook the lentils all the way through. Just keep adding liquid as needed.

      Reply
  5. Monica says

    October 2, 2018 at 5:23 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious! My husband and I both thought it was great and neither of us eat lentils normally and are not vegetarians. Very pleasantly surprised. Made this to try to eat healthier.

    Reply
    • Mahy says

      October 9, 2018 at 7:07 pm

      Thanks Monica!! You really made my day!! I know the feeling with recipes that don’t look super appealing like this one! So happy you enjoyed it and didn’t judge it hhahahahah 🙂 Hope you try more recipes!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

Recipe Rating




Search for a recipe

Mahy PicHi I'm Mahy, a recipe developer, food stylist, culinary instructor, photographer, wife and busy mom! Welcome to my blog!...Read More

Never Miss a Post!

subscribe and receive fresh recipes to your inbox

Share the Love

As Featured On

Search by category

I'm Mahy, a recipe developer, food stylist, culinary instructor, wife and busy mom! Welcome to my blog!... Read More…

Copyright © ‘2021’ · Private Policy · All images and content are copyright protected. Please contact me if you would like to use any images . If you want to republish any of my recipes, please link back to my website and the recipe post.

»
«