Lentil stew with root vegetables and sausages, served steaming hot Cuban-style.

 

Creole Lentil Stew: Flavorful and Nutritious

A comforting Cuban stew with root vegetables and sausages, perfect for sharing with family.

🫘 Ingredients:

  • 1 pound lentils (2 cups)
  • 1 medium onion
  • ½ green bell pepper
  • ½ red bell pepper
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • ½ can tomato sauce
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 pieces of smoked ham
  • 2 chorizos
  • 1 blood sausage
  • 2 pieces of salted bacon
  • 1 piece of pumpkin
  • 2 medium potatoes
  • Black pepper to taste
  • ½ gallon water
  • 1 teaspoon vinegar

 

 

🌙 Pre-Cooking Preparation:

Sort and rinse the lentils to remove any impurities. No soaking required; a good rinse is enough to prepare them for cooking.

🥄 Initial Prep:

Finely chop the onion and bell peppers. Crush the garlic with a pinch of salt using a mortar. Cut the potatoes and pumpkin into even cubes.

🔥 Sofrito Base:

Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Brown the bacon to release its fat. Add onion, peppers, and garlic; cook until softened and fragrant.

🌶️ Intensifying Flavors:

Add bay leaves, cumin, a pinch of black pepper, and the tomato sauce. Stir until the sofrito is uniform and slightly thickened.

🫕 Main Cooking:

Transfer the sofrito to a pressure cooker (“reina”). Add the smoked ham and chorizos, then the lentils and water. Close the cooker and cook under pressure for 20 minutes.

🍠 Adding Root Vegetables:

Carefully release the pressure, open the cooker, and add the pumpkin, potatoes, and whole blood sausage. Stir in vinegar and sugar; adjust salt to taste.

Continue cooking uncovered over medium heat until the vegetables are tender and the broth thickens slightly.

🔪 Finishing and Serving:

Remove the smoked ham to debone and cut into pieces; slice the blood sausage if preferred. Return everything to the stew, mix, and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

ℹ️ Additional Information:

  • Servings: 8
  • Estimated Time: 30 min (prep) + 35 min (cooking) + 10 min (rest)
  • Category: Stews & Broths
  • Cuisine: Cuban

💡 Tip:

An extra drizzle of olive oil enhances the flavor just before serving.

Did you try making it? Share your tips or variations in the comments so other readers can benefit too.

🏷️ Tags: lentil stew, Cuban cuisine, root vegetables and sausages, traditional stews, homemade recipes

For the original version in Spanish, visit: Potaje de Lentejas al Estilo Cubano: Sabroso, Sustancioso y Fácil.