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Home » Recipes » Soup & Stew Recipes

Moroccan Lentil Stew

Published: Aug 16, 2022 · Modified: Aug 8, 2024 by Brooke Fajcz · As an Amazon Influencer, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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Have you been noticing that your eating patterns are a bit off track?  Get back into the groove by serving our Moroccan lentil stew for supper tonight. It's vegan, gluten free and absolutely delicious!

If you love eating healthy meatless soups, you'll want to try our Panera autumn squash soup and our copycat Panera creamy tomato soup.

person holding a bowl of Moroccan lentil stew
Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Variations
  • How to Make Moroccan Lentil Stew
  • Recipe FAQs
  • Serve
  • Expert Tips
  • Other Soup Recipes You'll Love
  • Recipe
  • Comments

Ingredients

glass bowls of ingredients for Moroccan lentil stew

Our Moroccan lentil stew is made with pantry staples that are easy to find at the grocery store. Let's talk about some of the key ingredients.

  • Vegetables: We used onions, carrots, sweet potatoes, and diced tomatoes. You could also try butternut squash, pumpkin, or cauliflower.
  • Protein: We used green lentils.
  • Spices: We used garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric, sweet paprika, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. We also used fresh cilantro as a garnish.
  • Liquids: We used vegetable broth, lemon juice, and water.
  • Greens: We used fresh spinach, but you could also try kale, Swiss chard, or beet greens.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

  • Want it creamy?  Add 1 cup of coconut milk.
  • Want to add a grain?  Try quinoa.
  • Want dried fruit?  Try adding raisins, dried apricots, or dates.
  • Want to add meat?  Try cubed beef or lamb.

How to Make Moroccan Lentil Stew

Gather all the ingredients. Chop the onion, mince the garlic, and dice the carrots.  Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into bite-sized pieces, then squeeze the lemons.

sauteeing the veggies and adding the spices
  1. Let the oil heat up in a Dutch oven over medium high heat, then sauté the onions and carrots until softened, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant. (image 1)
  2. Add all the dry spices and cook for one minute, stirring constantly.  This will intensify the spices' flavor. Deglaze the pot by pouring in ½ cup of broth and scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden turner. This will add more flavor to the Moroccan lentils. (image 2)
adding lentils and broth to the soup
  1. Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juice, the cubed sweet potatoes, and the rinsed lentils. (image 3)
  2. Pour in the 4 ½ cups of vegetable broth. Keep the remaining 2 cups for later to thin the stew. (image 4)
adding spinach, kale, and cilantro to the stew
  1. Cover the Dutch oven and bring the Moroccan lentil stew to a boil, then simmer covered for 45 minutes, stirring once and a while to prevent the vegetables from sticking to the bottom. (image 5)
  2. During the last 10 minutes of cooking the Moroccan lentil stew, pour in 1-2 cups of vegetable broth. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, stir in the spinach so it will wilt. Mix in ½ cup of chopped cilantro. (image 6)
holding a ladle and serving Moroccan lentil stew
  1. Add the lemon juice at the end of cooking, and stir until well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings for the Moroccan lentil stew; we added another ½ teaspoon of salt. (image 7)
  2. Serve the Moroccan lentil stew hot and garnish with the last ½ cup of chopped cilantro. (image 8)

Recipe FAQs

Is Moroccan lentil stew healthy?

Yes, it most certainly is, so feel free to have seconds. It has 293 calories in a 1 ¼ cup serving. This recipe is high in vitamins A and C from the spinach and sweet potatoes, and high in iron from the lentils. It also has turmeric in it, so it will provide many antioxidants which are great for improving your cellular health. For more nutritional facts, scroll past the recipe card.

What type of lentils should I use for Moroccan lentil stew?

Green or brown lentils would be best for this recipe. Try to use dried lentils, as they cook quickly, and avoid using canned lentils.

Green: These lentils have the longest cooking time at 45 minutes and are tender when cooked, but don't break apart.  They have a peppery taste.
Brown: These lentils have a cooking time of 30-45 minutes and hold their shape when cooked.  They have an earthy flavor.
Red: These lentils cook the fastest at 10 to 15 minutes, but tend to break apart when cooked.  They're best in purees and dips.

Do I need to blend Moroccan lentil stew?

No, this recipe is meant to be chunky, but if the texture or look isn't what you are after, you can blend half the soup.

Is Moroccan lentil stew gluten free?

Yes, our recipe is gluten free. Check the label on the vegetable broth to make sure it doesn't contain yeast extract, as that is made with wheat.

How do you store Moroccan lentil stew?

Make Ahead: Yes, you can our Moroccan lentil stew the night before. Since the lentils absorb liquid easily, you might want to add a bit more vegetable broth or water to the stew before serving and then adjust the spices.

Leftovers: Our Moroccan lentil recipe can last up to 5 days in the fridge, as along as it is it cooled completely and stored in an airtight container. Keep in mind that the turmeric in the stew will stain plastic containers or zip-top bags.

Freeze: Our Moroccan lentil stew freezes well. Remember to allow it to cool completely before transferring to a glass airtight container or freezer zip top bag. Keep in mind that the stew will permanently stain plastic utensils or containers.

Reheat: To reheat, allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight and warm up on the stovetop over medium low heat until heated through.

Serve

If you are looking for more food ideas to round out the Moroccan lentil stew, try adding naan bread or pita. If you are a rice lover, serve the stew on top of a bed of rice. A low carb option is adding a crunchy green salad to the menu and some dates or figs for dessert.

If you're looking for other soup recipes, try our recipes for Dublin coddle, Brunswick stew, Mulligan stew, and lentil and sausage stew.

holding a spoonful of Moroccan lentil stew.

Expert Tips

  • Want other garnish ideas?  Try a drizzle of olive oil, dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt.
  • Have leftovers? If you have leftovers, you'll want to add a bit more broth/water and then adjust the seasonings because lentils absorb liquid the longer the stew sits.
  • Want it spicy?  Add 1 tablespoon of harissa (a North African hot red chili paste) or ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes.

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    Georgia Brunswick Stew
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    Panera Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
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Recipe

bowl of Moroccan lentil stew with a wooden spoon

Moroccan Lentil Stew

Moroccan lentil stew is a gluten free dinner that's super healthy! This hearty stew is full of sweet potatoes, lentils, turmeric, and vegetables.  Make this healthy stew in your crock pot or on the stovetop and get your clean eating goals back on track fast.
5 from 5 votes
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Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Moroccan
Prep Time: 35 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes
Servings: 10 cups
Calories: 293kcal
Author: Brooke & Emma

Ingredients
 

  • 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups onion, chopped
  • ½ cup carrots, finely diced
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 2 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 ½ teaspoons turmeric
  • 1 ½ teaspoons sweet paprika
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 7 cups organic vegetable broth, reserve 2 cups for the end
  • 15- ounce can petite diced tomatoes
  • 3 ½ cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
  • ⅓ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1 ½ cup brown or green lentils, rinsed
  • 4 cups spinach
  • 1 cup cilantro, chopped (reserve ½ cup for garnish)
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Instructions

Stovetop Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat until the oil shimmers.  Add the carrots and onions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the garlic and saute for one minute, stirring constantly.
  • Add all the spices and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.  This is called blooming, and will intensify the flavor of the spices.
  • Pour in ½ cup of broth to deglaze the pot by scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden turner.
  • Pour in 4 ½ cups of broth, the cubed sweet potatoes, rinsed lentils, and diced tomatoes and mix until well combined.
  • Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 45 minutes with the lid on, stirring occasionally to prevent the stew from burning.
  • In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add 1-2 cups of vegetable broth to thin the stew. 
  • During the last 5 minutes, slowly stir until all the spinach until it is wilted.
  • Remove from the heat. Mix in ½ cup of chopped cilantro and the freshly squeezed lemon juice to brighten the flavors. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. (We added ½ teaspoon of salt.)
  • Serve warm.  Garnish each bowl of soup with the other ½ cup of chopped cilantro.

Crockpot

  • Sauté the carrots, onions, and garlic in olive oil until soft.
  • Bloom the dry spices by toasting them for a minute along with the onion mixture. Deglaze scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden turner.
  • Transfer the onion mixture to a crock pot. Stir in the tomatoes, sweet potatoes, lentils, and the 4 cups of vegetable broth. Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours, or on low for 6 to 8 hours.
  • Turn off the slow cooker, stir in the lemon juice, spinach, and cilantro.  Let the greens wilt for 30 minutes before serving. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Video

Notes

  • A drizzle of olive oil, or a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt would be other tasty garnishes.
  • Lentils absorb liquid the longer the stew sits.  If you have leftovers, you'll want to add a bit more broth/water and then adjust the seasonings.
  • Want it spicy?  Add 1 tablespoon of harissa (a North African hot red chili paste) or ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.25cupCalories: 293kcal (15%)Carbohydrates: 49.7g (17%)Protein: 12.2g (24%)Fat: 6.2g (10%)Sodium: 1054.4mg (46%)Fiber: 8.4g (35%)Sugar: 9.6g (11%)Vitamin C: 13.8mg (17%)Calcium: 67.5mg (7%)Iron: 4.4mg (24%)

Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rachel

    September 19, 2024 at 8:16 pm

    Has anyone tried freezing this?

    Reply
    • Emma Fajcz

      September 20, 2024 at 7:26 am

      This stew does freeze really well, but it will stain any plastic containers or bags because of the turmeric in the soup. Enjoy!

      Reply
  2. Doris

    April 23, 2023 at 8:26 am

    This is by far the best recipe I have found and have made and enjoyed it each time! I love that I can enjoy it the day after since the flavors are so much stronger the day after.

    Reply
    • Emma

      April 23, 2023 at 8:44 pm

      We're so glad you enjoy this recipe, Doris! Thanks for your review!

      Reply
  3. Kate

    April 11, 2023 at 7:44 pm

    Do you need to pre-soak the dried lentils?

    Reply
    • Emma

      April 12, 2023 at 4:48 am

      Kate, There is no need to pre-soak the dried green or brown lentils for this recipe. If you want to pre-soak them to increase the mineral absorption, soak in cold water for 4 to 24 hours then rinse with cold water.

      Reply
  4. Colin

    February 09, 2023 at 7:56 pm

    How many people does this serve as a in?

    Reply
    • Emma

      February 09, 2023 at 8:03 pm

      Colin, This recipe makes 10 cups. A serving size is 1 1/4 cups. Hopes this helps.

      Reply
  5. Petra

    August 26, 2022 at 12:41 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious

    Reply
    • Emma

      August 27, 2022 at 7:10 am

      We're glad you enjoyed it, Petra!

      Reply
  6. Anita

    August 25, 2022 at 7:23 pm

    5 stars
    Wow! This stew has so much flavor and is very filling. Enjoyed it!

    Reply
    • Emma

      August 26, 2022 at 4:27 am

      Anita, we are so glad you enjoyed this stew. Thanks for letting us know!

      Reply
  7. Elizabeth

    May 11, 2021 at 9:50 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious

    Reply
    • Emma

      May 12, 2021 at 6:35 am

      We're so glad that you enjoyed the stew, Elizabeth!

      Reply
  8. Beth

    September 12, 2019 at 6:50 am

    5 stars
    This soup is a beautiful blend of sweet potatoes, lentils, and spinach. The citrus is lovely with the soft sweet potatoes, and the lentils are great with the hints of spices.

    Reply
    • Emma

      September 12, 2019 at 10:43 am

      Thank you, Beth! I really enjoy eating this lentil stew. It's delicious!

      Reply
  9. Alex

    September 10, 2019 at 5:28 pm

    5 stars
    The spices blend well together, and the spinach adds a bright color and good taste. The broth is warm and spicy, and packed with lentils.

    Reply
    • Emma

      September 10, 2019 at 5:29 pm

      I agree--this is a very tasty stew. Thanks for your comment!

      Reply

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We're Brooke & Emma Fajcz, the mother-daughter team behind Savor the Flavour. Increase your kitchen confidence with our recipes, instructional photos, and helpful tips and facts. Our recipes have been featured in Oprah Magazine, The Guardian, Parade, Insider, Delish, and BuzzFeed.

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