Smoky Lentil Stew With Leeks and Potatoes Recipe (2024)

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Cooking Notes

Vince

Good flavor combinations, but seriously, 3 different pots? This needs exactly one pot. Cook onions, add potatoes and lentils, and other ingredients, and done.

lynn

Did all in one pot. Added six carrots, one yellow pepper. Used a little less than two tablespoons of Smoked paprika (two not quite full spoons). Used can of roasted tomatoes. Used coconut vinegar instead of sherry vinegar. Used dried thyme. Used Aleppo pepper instead of cayenne. Started with 1/8 teaspoon and ended up sprinkling more. Two cloves of garlic. Started with leaks. Added garlic. Then carrots. Then can of tomatoes. Then potatoes. Then lentils. Instead of 8 cups of water, I used 4

TCB

Nice, very flavorful stew. A few things: 1) I like stewed onions. Why would I remove one? It's delicious. 2) I'm done with discarding the green part of leeks, especially in stews. I pay by the lb for these things, so why throw them out? Trim off the frayed parts, Wash them. Slice thinly, and include with the rest. They're delicious. 3) Why peel the potatoes? 4) The saffron. I had it, so I included it. It was lost in this dish. I'll omit it next time. And, there will be a next time.

Suzanne

What would be a good substitute for the saffron?

Mo

The different pots let you control the cooking of the potatoes - otherwise, it's trickier to get the right cook on the potatoes without making the lentils mush. And you have to saute the leeks and spices and tomatoes to bloom the flavors, so I DO think the three pans are justified. I used Yukon Golds, but next time I will try Russets, which will break apart in a more satisfying way. Go big with the paprika and saffron and DEFINITELY use your best olive oil to finish. A solid keeper. And vegan!

Nytasha

Also modified cooking order to minimize pots and pans. Added some sweet peppers to the leeks. Definitely double vinegar. Would probably reduce water and increase tomatoes next time. Added tomato paste and fish sauce to bump up the umami. Salt aggressively; the potatoes demand it. A fine recipe for riffing, but would not prepare as written.

Rosabird

I cooked onions and spices in oil first to release flavors, then added lentils and liquid, then potatoes, all in one pot.

Mardee

This looks absolutely delicious, but before I make it, I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations for a good zesty fruity olive oil.

Carina

This was the perfect winter dinner! Repurposed the leftovers as such - stew into a 9x9 baking dish, covered with a sheet of store bought puff pastry (a staple in our freezer), brushed egg onto the pastry and baked in a 425 degree oven until golden and served with an arugula salad. The review from my house was this elevated an already delicious dish.

sli

Used one pot. 1/2 onion chopped 1 leek. Added spices, new potatoes (halved), 6 carrots and lentils, tomatoes. 6 c water. Substituted oregano for the bay leaf and chipotle powder instead of cayenne.Set the heat at medium low and headed out to the neighborhood Halloween parade. 45 min later it was ready and so good. This will be a keeper.

Ashley

Made this in the instant pot. Sautéed leeks, onions then spices and garlic, added everything then manual for 10 min. I think it would be better with broth than 8c water. I ended up adding some bouillon, salt, and tomato paste at the end (because I used water).

Marissa

We really loved this recipe as written. I was able to swing cooking it in the morning, so we let it sit all day before reheating in the evening. It was delicious, and I will make it many more times this winter- very warming and incredibly satisfying for a vegan dish! The chunky potatoes are an especially nice touch. Pay attention to your salt and pepper and taste along the way. And don’t skip the olive oil drizzle. A dollop of tangy dairy would also work very well here IMHO.

Kalpana

Made this many times, and used Instant Pot. Sauteed the onion, leeks, and garlic in olive oil, and then added the rest of the ingredients except for the paprika and the saffron. Pressure cooked in the Instant Pot for 12 minutes on high. Then added the paprika and saffron just before serving. Delicious!

Karen in Montreal

For that smokey spicy flavour, here it's easier to get/use some piment d'Alep, plus regular or Hungarian paprika.

Joel

great hearty meal with a salad and crusty bread.Followed recipe but paid attention to the notes: used 4 Cups water; doubled the sherry vinegar, generous with the garlic, left the onion in. I would use a little less potatoes next time . Enjoy

Mary

I made this in my Instapot, sauting the onion, leeks, garlic first. I didn't need to cook the lentils or potatoes separately. Added a bit of vegetable broth and stirred it all up before cooking as a soup. 30 min. and done.

smoky lentil stew

Basically start with steps 3 and 4

Katiemcraepdx

Perfect as written, except I kicked up the cayenne a bit for my crew and added some chopped ham. Definitely will be on a regular rotation both with and without added meat.

Ed S

Terrific stew! A big hit with the family. I added some chopped carrots for a bit of sweetness and veggie chorizo for a meaty addition, while staying true to veggie intent.

DawnB

Honestly, I don't understand how so many delicious ingredients can add up to a bland, boring stew. I don't see any way to save this one. Skip it.

ck

2large leeks is enough; don’t need to add the onion too. Cooked in the soup pot instead of using 3 pots - sauté leeks, add water, lentils and other ingredients except the potato and cook 20 mins. Add potato.

Dish

I made it exactly as written, except I added a couple bites of well-browned sweet Italian sausage. Crazy delicious on a chilly wet night, especially with some nice fat toasty chunks of country bread to dip into it.

Holli

A wonderful winter soup!

pauline

Happily surprised by this tasty recipe. Not usually a lentil person but really liked this smoky, rich stew. Substituted leftover roasted Yukon gold potatoes, used a full can of tomatoes, and added a carrot and extra garlic.

Trudi

Do you think you could use Ruttabaga rather than potato?

bilfro

Has anyone tried this with daikon instead of potatoes?

Mags

I love this stew and have made it a few times and now love to add chicken sausage and crumble blue cheese. Delicious

peter franks

Good flavor combinations, but seriously, 3 different pots? This needs exactly one pot. Cook onions, add potatoes and lentils, and other ingredients, and done.Did all in one pot. Added six carrots, one yellow pepper. Used a little less than two tablespoons of Smoked paprika (two not quite full spoons). Used can of roasted tomatoes. Used coconut vinegar instead of sherry vinegar. Used dried thyme. Used Aleppo pepper instead of cayenne. Started with 1/8 teas

bsj40052

Gave it a try. Came out dryer than we thought. The paprika taste was strong, which we ended up mellowing using some sour cream. Didn't use, but definitely should use chorizo. We'll see how it does for lunch tomorrow.

susan

This surely would have been better using veg or chicken stock, but as written is merely good- hearty enough, but not one I will make again- there are just too many good lentil soups out there.

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Smoky Lentil Stew With Leeks and Potatoes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my potato and leek soup slimy? ›

If you blend or puree the potatoes for too long, the starch inside the potatoes will leak into the broth and create a gelatin-like consistency. It's for this reason, we like to blend the soup in batches (so if we over-blend a little it won't ruin the whole thing!) and only until it's just smooth.

How do you keep leek and potato soup from getting gluey? ›

Sear or roast your potatoes to prevent gummy soup

Searing or roasting your potatoes does more than just add extra flavor to your soup. It can actually prevent your broth from becoming gluey.

Do lentils thicken a broth? ›

You'll find that the lentils mostly breakdown and naturally thicken the soup. But what I like to do to get a really luscious creamy texture is to give the soup a quick whizz with a blender stick (or transfer a couple of cups to the blender) to puree SOME but not all the lentils.

Why is my lentil soup so thick? ›

Go easy—if you purée the soup too much, it will get too thick and you'll lose the integrity of the lentils. If you don't have an immersion blender, transfer a few cups of the soup to a standard blender and purée, then return the blended soup to the pot.

Why does my leek and potato soup taste bitter? ›

Why does my leek and potato soup taste bitter? A bitter taste in your leek and potato soup could come from a few possible sources. One common cause is overcooked or burnt leeks. Leeks, like onions, can become bitter if they're cooked for too long or at too high a heat.

Should I cook potatoes before adding to soup? ›

There's no correct way but some methods provide difference outcomes. I normally dice my potatoes quite small, boil them on their own and add to the soup at the end. That way they are perfectly cooked. On the other hand you can add them with other vegetables and the potatoes will begin to crumble once they are cooked.

Why has my leek and potato soup gone brown? ›

It looks as though some of your potatoes might have got a bit scorched. Did you fry them off before adding the liquid? The colour from the browned potatoes could be what is turning it brown.

How can I thicken my leek and potato soup? ›

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

How do you make leeks not slimy? ›

Leeks should never be browned, or overcooked, because it will turn them into slimy mush. Instead, cook them until they are tender. They need to be cooked carefully and with a watchful eye because it's easy to undercook and overcook them.

Why is my lentil soup tasteless? ›

To avoid a bland lentil soup, use a flavorful broth—whether that's homemade or store-bought chicken or vegetable broth. The other key is building flavor. To do so, use aromatics like onions and garlic, include fresh or dried herbs, and season well with salt and pepper.

Can you overcook lentils in soup? ›

Yes, cooking lentils for too long will cause them to become mushy. Cooking them at a rapid boil will also cause them to get mushy. Simmer them slowly to keep them intact.

Do I need to rinse lentils before making soup? ›

Lentils do not require it but can be soaked in order to reduce cooking time by about half. Before cooking, rinse lentils in cold water, pick over to remove debris or shrivelled lentils, then drain.

Why did my lentil soup turn black? ›

the color change you've observed is from oxidation. If you want to prevent this, lay some plastic wrap over the surface of your lentils to prevent air from getting to them, or add some acid, like lime juice, to the recipe.

What is the white stuff in lentil soup? ›

Those look to be radicles (embryonic stems, the part the root grows from) that have separated from the lentils. If you look closely at the less squished lentils in your soup, you'll probably see some with the radicles still attached.

Can you eat too many lentils in soup? ›

Eating half a cup of cooked lentils gives you lots of essential nutrients and their high fiber content makes you feel full. However, the fiber in lentils can be hard for your body to break down. Eating too many lentils can cause gas, bloating, and cramping.

How do you make potato soup less slimy? ›

This starch will bond with the broth, causing the body of the soup to become slimy. To guard against this, it is best to mash the potatoes into the soup with a potato masher or a large fork, or to run the soup solids through a food mill to crush them.

How do you fix gooey potato soup? ›

You need to dilute by a five parts or so Take a quarter of the soup (a cup full) and dilute it with 5 cups of ideally milk, or otherwise stock or water. You will also need quite a lot of salt and pepper - taste as you go. Reheat, but don't boil if you can avoid it.

Why are my leeks slimy? ›

The young Leek Moth caterpillars burrow within the leaf, leaving brownish-white patches on the outer parts of the leek. As they get bigger, they invade deeper into the core of the leek, causing more significant damage and causing rotting which leads to slimy yellow leaves and the collapse of the plant.

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