Colombian Stewed Lentils Bowl (Lentejas Guisadas)

About This Recipe

Lentejas guisadas are a common weekday meal across Colombia, a simple pot of lentils built on the same sofrito base -- onion, tomato, garlic, cumin -- that underlies most Colombian stews and rice dishes. Unlike a brothy soup, these lentils are cooked down until the liquid thickens into a light stew, meant to be spooned generously over rice rather than eaten from a bowl on their own. The technique is forgiving: sofrito first, to build a flavor base, then lentils simmered with enough liquid to cook through and enough time for the sauce to reduce and concentrate. A carrot and a potato are common additions that add sweetness and heartiness without overcomplicating the pot. Colombian cooks often finish the dish with a squeeze of lime and a spoonful of hogao, a tomato-onion relish, though a simple fresh tomato and onion mix does the job just as well at home. Served over rice with sliced avocado, this bowl is inexpensive, protein-rich comfort food that shows up on Colombian family tables regularly, especially as a budget-friendly midweek dinner.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1.5 cupsbrown lentils(rinsed)
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 1onion(finely diced)
• 1tomato(diced)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1carrot(diced)
• 1potato(peeled, diced)
• 4 cupsvegetable broth or water
• 1bay leaf
• 1scallion(sliced)
• 1lime(juiced)
• 2 cupscooked white rice(to serve)
• 1avocado(sliced, to serve)

Instructions

1. 1

   Build the sofrito

   Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Cook onion until soft, 5 minutes, then add tomato, garlic and cumin, cooking 3 more minutes until the tomato breaks down.

2. 2

   Add the lentils

   Stir in lentils, carrot, potato, broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil.

3. 3

   Simmer

   Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils and vegetables are tender and the liquid has reduced to a stew-like consistency.

   If it's still soupy once the lentils are tender, simmer uncovered a few extra minutes to concentrate the sauce.

4. 4

   Finish

   Remove the bay leaf, stir in scallion and lime juice, and adjust salt to taste.

5. 5

   Serve

   Spoon over rice in bowls and top with sliced avocado.

Variations

• •

  Add a spoonful of hogao (tomato-onion relish) at the end for a more traditional Colombian finish.

• •

  Smoky version: stir in a small piece of smoked ham hock or bacon with the sofrito.

• •

  Spicier: add a diced aji amarillo or a pinch of cayenne with the cumin.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days; the stew thickens as it sits, so add a splash of water when reheating on the stovetop over low heat. Freezes well up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions