Spanish Lentil Stew (Lentejas) – Vegan Friendly!
Oct 27, 2025
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Growing up with a Spanish mum, Lentejas (Spanish Lentil Stew) was one of those comforting dishes that could make any day better. It’s a hearty, flavour-packed stew made with lentils, lots of vegetables, garlic, smoked paprika and olive oil, everything that embodies Mediterranean home cooking. And this version is also completely vegan-friendly and dairy-free!
Looking for more vegan dishes? You will love my beans and herbs and cherry tomato and basil pasta.
Why you’ll love this Spanish Lentil Stew!
You’ll love this Spanish Lentil Stew because it’s the ultimate comfort food! Warm, hearty and nourishing, like a big hug from Abuela. It’s completely vegan-friendly yet still rich, smoky and full of Mediterranean flavour thanks to ingredients like garlic, olive oil and smoked paprika. Made with simple, affordable ingredients such as lentils, carrots and potatoes, it’s wholesome, satisfying and packed with plant-based protein.
The best part? It tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep or cosy weeknight dinners. This is true Spanish home cooking at its finest and something my Spanish mum and Abuelo would make for me all the time. My abuelo would always add pumpkin to his lentejas and mash it through to naturally thicken the stew. It’s a trick I still use today for the most luscious, velvety texture (and to sneak more veggies into the kids).
Ingredients for Spanish Lentil Stew
This Spanish Lentil Stew is made with simple, wholesome ingredients such as lentils, vegetables, olive oil, and smoky paprika.
- Lentils: The heart of this dish. I like to use brown or green lentils.
- Pumpkin: My abuelo’s secret ingredient! He would always add chunks of pumpkin and mash them through as they cooked to naturally thicken the stew.
- Fresh Tomatoes: We always like to grate our fresh tomatoes! If you don’t have fresh tomatoes on hand, tinned tomatoes work perfectly, just note they’ll give the stew a slightly deeper, richer flavour.
- Smoked Paprika: The signature Spanish touch that gives lentejas their warmth and depth. It adds that gentle smokiness that’s key to any good Spanish stew.
- Garlic and Olive Oil: No Mediterranean dish is complete without these two.
- Sofrito: Carrots, onions and peppers or capsicums form the flavour base and make this stew both nourishing and comforting.
A full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Spanish Lentil Stew
This Spanish lentil stew could not be easier to make!
Step 1: Prep your sofrito.
Step 2: In a large pot on a medium – high heat, bring the olive oil to heat. Once the olive oil is hot, add the onions, capsicums and carrots and fry off for 7 minutes or until soft and fragrant. Add the garlic to the pan and fry for 1 – 2 minutes.
Step 3: Add the paprika and fry off for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, potatoes, pumpkin, lentils, vegetable broth, bay leaves and pinch of salt of pepper. Bring everything to the boil and then reduce the heat until the stew is at a gentle simmer. Pop the lid on and cook for 30 – 35 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
Step 4: Once the stew is cooked to your liking, remove the pumpkin and mash up with a fork. Add it back to the stew and stir through. Ladle into a bowl and serve immediately!
FAQ’s
Brown or green lentils work best because they hold their shape and create a hearty texture. Red lentils will break down more, which can make the stew too mushy.
Follow my abuelo’s trick — add a bit of pumpkin and mash it through the stew as it cooks. It naturally thickens the broth and gives it a creamy, velvety texture without needing cream or flour. You could also cook the stew with the lid off!
You sure can. Fresh tomatoes give a brighter, lighter flavour, while tinned tomatoes create a richer and slightly deeper taste. Both work wonderfully, so use whatever you have on hand.
Yes! This recipe is completely vegan-friendly, relying on olive oil, lentils, and vegetables for its rich, hearty flavour! No meat or dairy needed.
How To Serve
- Serve it hot: Enjoy your Spanish Lentil Stew piping hot with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over the top.
- Add bread for dipping: It’s beautiful with a slice of crusty bread (or my olive-oil-fried bread!) to mop up all those rich, garlicky juices.
- Freshen it up: Add a sprinkle of chopped parsley or a squeeze of lemon before serving for brightness.
- Add chorizo: Fry up some chorizo and add it into the stew (if you’re a meat eater).
How To Store
- Fridge: Store for up to 4 days and reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water or vegetable broth to loosen it.
- Freezer: This stew freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on low until warmed through.
- Better the next day: The flavours deepen over time, so it’s often even more delicious the following day.
More Soups & Stews To Love!
If you make this Spanish Lentil Stew, please tag me on Instagram, Tik Tok or Pinterest so I can see your wonderful creations!
If you have any questions or would like to leave a review, please do so here! I always love answering your food and recipe related questions and hearing your feedback on my recipes.
Spanish Lentil Stew (Lentejas)
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red capsicum, diced
- 1 green capsicum, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 3 tomatoes, grated
- 2 potatoes, diced
- 0.5 lb pumpkin, peeled and sliced into large pieces
- 1 cup lentils
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 3 bay leaves
- salt and pepper
- sourdough, to serve
Instructions
- Fry sofrito: In a large pot on a medium – high heat, bring the olive oil to heat. Once the olive oil is hot, add the onions, capsicums and carrots and fry off for 7 minutes or until soft and fragrant. Add the garlic to the pan and fry for 1 – 2 minutes.
- Add everything else: Add the paprika and fry off for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, potatoes, pumpkin, lentils, vegetable broth, bay leaves and pinch of salt of pepper. Bring everything to the boil and then reduce the heat until the stew is at a gentle simmer. Pop the lid on and cook for 30 – 35 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
- Mash pumpkin: Once the stew is cooked to your liking, remove the pumpkin and mash up with a fork. Add it back to the stew and stir through.
- Serve: Serve immediately with some slices of olive oil fried sourdough and a big drizzle of olive oil.
Video
Notes
- Lentils: The heart of this dish. I like to use brown or green lentils.
- Pumpkin: My abuelo’s secret ingredient! He would always add chunks of pumpkin and mash them through as they cooked to naturally thicken the stew.
- Fresh Tomatoes: We always like to grate our fresh tomatoes! If you don’t have fresh tomatoes on hand, tinned tomatoes work perfectly, just note they’ll give the stew a slightly deeper, richer flavour.
- Smoked Paprika: The signature Spanish touch that gives lentejas their warmth and depth. It adds that gentle smokiness that’s key to any good Spanish stew.
- Garlic and Olive Oil: No Mediterranean dish is complete without these two.
- Sofrito: Carrots, onions and peppers or capsicums form the flavour base and make this stew both nourishing and comforting.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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