• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Dominican Cooking logo

  • START HERE
  • RECIPES
  • COOKERY
  • COOKBOOKS
  • ❤
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Start here
  • Recipes
  • Cookery
  • Cookbooks
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes

    Our free content is supported via ads and affiliate links. Thanks!

    Lentejas Guisadas (Stewed Lentils Recipe)

    Lentejas guisadas (stewed lentils) with rice, sweet plantains and avocado.

    En Español Recipe ↆ

    Lentejas guisadas is our favorite lentils recipe, an amazing flavorful dish that can make up half of the meal on its own. The inexpensive and nutritious lentil is one of the noblest and most versatile legumes, and lends itself to wonderful dishes, simple or complex. Enjoy it.

    Lentejas guisadas (stewed lentils) with rice, sweet plantains and avocado.
    Lentejas guisadas (stewed lentils) meal.

    JUMP TO: show ↓
    1. Why we ❤️ it
    2. Lentil varieties
    3. Nutrition
    4. How to cook lentils
    5. Vegan lentils
    6. What to serve with it
    7. About this recipe
    8. Recipe
    9. More lentil recipes
    10. History of lentils
    11. Fun facts about lentils
    12. FAQs

    Why we ❤️ it

    Lentils stand out as a very versatile ingredient, and they are also a firm favorite among vegans and vegetarians. For this dish I've prepared in our favorite type of beans/legumes dishes: guisados. But there's more to it than that, I show you how to make it a vegan dish, or include meat in it.

    It seems like a very simple dish, but as comfort food goes this cannot get any more complex. There is also some essential information about lentils and everything you need to know about it.

    Lentil varieties

    Different types of lentils, which can be yellow, orange (officially known as red lentils), green, brown, and black, are generally considered to be one of the healthiest foods in existence.

    Nutrition

    Lentils are high in protein, including two essential amino acids, isoleucine and lysine, fiber, folate, B vitamins, and minerals. Lentils are also gluten-free.

    How to cook lentils

    One of the advantages of lentils compared to other legumes is that they don't need to be soaked overnight. You can soak them for 20 minutes or so prior to cooking, and the cooking time is usually less than half an hour, depending on the variety of lentils. If you cook them in a pressure cooker or an instant pot, it'll be even faster. 

    Don't salt the lentils until you've finished cooking them; otherwise, they will remain tough in texture. 

    Another plus is that lentils can add texture to sauces and soups, especially the varieties that disintegrate when cooked, like red lentils.

    Stewed lentils (lentejas guisadas).
    Lentejas guisadas dominicanas.

    Lentejas guisadas with rice, concón, fritos maduros and avocado.

    Vegan lentils

    In this recipe I've provided the option of adding meat to the lentils, as well as making them into a flavorful, nutritious, filling vegan lentejas recipe.

    What to serve with it

    As you can see in the pictures, with this lentil dish I served the typical Dominican array that goes with stewed beans: Rice (arroz blanco). Some slices of avocado, and fritos maduros balances greatly the meaty taste of the lentils.

    And if you're lucky, you can get some concón with it (as in the pictures).

    About this recipe

    For this stew, I added thyme. Thyme, uncommon as it is in some regions of our country, it is an essential part of legume and bean dishes in the northwestern region of the country, where it is known as "ditén", a word of Haitian origin. Thyme, to me tastes somewhere between aniseed and mint, a flavor that cannot be found in another herb.

    Tia Clara

    Recipe

    This awesome free recipe contains Amazon affiliate links, we receive a small commission from any purchase you make at no extra cost to you. Thanks!

    Lentejas guisadas (stewed lentils).
    Keep screen on while cooking

    How to Cook Lentejas Guisadas (Stewed Lentils)

    By: Clara Gonzalez
    Learn how to make lentejas guisadas. This lentil recipe is no lacking in veggies, and flavors, but the 'smokiness' of the lentils is never overpowered. It seems like a very simple dish, but as comfort food goes this cannot get any more complex.
    5 from 4 votes
    Save for Later Send by Email Print Recipe
    Prep Time 2 hrs
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 2 hrs 30 mins
    Course Dinner, Lunch
    Cuisine Fusion
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 406 kcal

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups dry brown lentils
    • 2 smoked pork chops, cubed (optional)
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 large red onion, cut into eighths
    • 2 potatoes, cut into cubes
    • ½ pound auyama (kabocha squash), [0.48 kg], cut into cubes
    • 1 diced bell peppers
    • ½ teaspoon mashed garlic
    • 4 sprigs thyme
    • 2 tablespoons minced cilantro, (or parsley)
    • 1½ teaspoons salt, (or more, to taste)

    Instructions
     

    • Boiling
      Rinse the lentils. Soak the them in abundant water for 20 - 60 minutes in a dutch oven or pot.
      Boil the lentils for 15 minutes over medium heat. Sieve the lentils until all the water has been drained. Set aside water and lentils.
    • Cooking
      In a dutch oven (caldero) heat the oil over medium-high heat. If you are adding pork chops, cook them stirring until they brown, otherwise continue with the instructions below.
      Add the onion to the pot. Cook and stir until the onion becomes translucent. Add the potatoes, pumpkin, bell pepper, garlic, and thyme.
      Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
    • Adding lentils
      Add the lentils (without the water) to the pot, and cook and stir for a minute.
      Add 4 cups of the water you had reserved, stir.
    • Simmering
      Cover and simmer over low heat until all the ingredients are cooked through. Add more water as it becomes necessary (use clear water if you run out of the water from boiling the lentils)
      Remove the thyme sprigs, and stir in the cilantro. Season with salt to taste.
    • Lentejas guisadas (stewed lentils dish).
      Remove from the heat and serve per suggestions above the recipe.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 406kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 28gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 613mgPotassium: 1223mgFiber: 22gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1207IUVitamin C: 47mgCalcium: 66mgIron: 6mg

    Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.

    READERS SEARCHED FOR how to make lentejas, lentil recipe, lentils dinner, recipe for lentejas
    More recipes with: auyama, beans, potato

    More lentil recipes

    • Vegan Lentil and Pumpkin Dip
    • Vegan Mince for Empanadas and Pastelones
    • Vegan "Meatballs" with Spicy Roasted Eggplant Dip
    • Vegan Spiced Lentils Dinner
    • Mejadra (Rice with Lentils and Fried Onions)
    • Lentil soup

    History of lentils

    This part was written by Aunt Ilana

    The unassuming little lentil (lens culinaris) has a long and illustrious pedigree. Humans have been cultivating and eating them for thousands of years, based on archaeological findings in the Middle East, where vessels containing dried lentils dating back 9,500 to 13,000 years have been unearthed.

    The name for lentil is of Latin origin, derived from the word lens. 

    Vegan Lentil Stew Ingredients

    Fun facts about lentils

    • Lentils are one of the world's oldest known food crops, cultivated and eaten in Ancient Egypt and across the Middle East.
    • Optical lenses get their name from lentils due to their shape.
    • Lentils are outstandingly nutritious: high in protein and fiber, low in fat, and cholesterol-free. Populations with high consumption levels of lentils and other pulses tend to have lower rates of cancer and diabetes.
    • Lentils are believed to symbolize prosperity in some cultures because they resemble coins.
    • Lentils have long been known as a "poor man's meat" and, in more recent times, have become a prominent feature of vegetarian and vegan diets.
    • Lentils are also an environmentally friendly food because, as with other legumes, their cultivation improves soil fertility and reduces the need for harmful fertilizers.
    • Did we leave anything out? Let us know in the comments.

    FAQs

    What are lentils good for?

    Combining lentils with rice is said to provide a complete protein dish. Lentil has a moderate amount of carbohydrates as well, so a lentil stew with some vegetables added is a complete meal.

    What do lentils taste like?

    Lentils have an earthy, smoky flavor, although this varies according to the different types. Some are sweeter and nuttier, and all combine beautifully with herbs, spices, and other seasonings like ginger or lemon juice.

    How long to soak lentils?

    It will depend on the type and freshness of the lentils, but typically it can be as low as 20 minutes, generally, never more than two hours would be enough to shorten the time it takes to boil lentils.

    References

    • Wikipedia
    • Green beans - why pulses are the eco-friendly option for feeding and saving the world. University of Sheffield

    Published Mar 21, 2012, revised Dec 29, 2022

    More Dominican Main Dishes for Every Occasion

    • Liver and Onions Recipe (Higado Encebollado)
    • Pastelón en Hoja al Horno (Easy Pasteles Casserole)
    • Pasteles de Yuca en Hoja (Cassava Pockets)
    • Pavo a la Dominicana (Christmas Dominican Turkey)
    Edited: Dec 29, 2022 | Publish: Sep 8, 2022

    ¡Hola! I am Tía Clara, your host. Thanks for visiting.
    - Any questions or comments about this?
    - Made our recipe? Follow and tag me on Instagram.
    - Subscribe to receive our recipes by email.

    Recipe Rating




    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    21 Comments
    Most Voted
    Newest Oldest
    Inline Feedbacks
    View all comments

    Primary Sidebar

    "Dominican Cooking" is the oldest and largest Dominican cooking website, with Tía Clara's 20-year collection of traditional Dominican recipes, and recipes inspired by the Dominican taste.
    More about us ➜

    • Facebook page
    • Instagram account
    • Youtube channel
    • Pinterest account

    OUR RECIPES IN YOUR INBOX

    Discover hand-picked content and get updates in your inbox, once a week.

    Don't miss

    • Black Beans and Rice Recipe (Moro de Habichuela Negra)
    • Tres Leches (Three-Milk Cake)
    • Lambí Guisado (Stewed Conch)
    • Dominican Bizcocho Cupcakes

    Most popular Most recent

    Footer

    featured on

    Lee este contenido

    En Español

    SIGN UP and receive emails,
    updates, and surprises!

    Or follow us on

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • Pinterest

    Made in 🇩🇴 with ❤️

    © 2022 · LUNCH CLUB BOOKS, LLC
    ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

    DO NOT reproduce without authorization.

    As Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. READ...


    ↑ BACK TO TOP | ABOUT US | BLOG | CONTACT US | WE GIVE | POLICIES | STORIES | PORTFOLIO

    wpDiscuz
    You are going to send email to

    Move Comment