Cuban Lentil Stew Bowl (Potaje de Lentejas)

About This Recipe

Potaje de lentejas is a staple of Cuban home cooking, the kind of pot that simmers on the back burner every week in many households. Unlike the drier lentil salads found elsewhere, Cuban lentil stew is brothy and rich, built on sofrito and often a little Spanish chorizo or bacon for smokiness, plus potato and calabaza (Caribbean pumpkin) for body. A pinch of turmeric or a splash of annatto oil gives the broth its golden-orange color. The technique is straightforward but the order matters: sofrito first, so the fat carries flavor into everything that follows; then the lentils go in with plenty of liquid, since they need a long, gentle simmer to turn creamy without falling apart into mush. Potato and pumpkin are added partway through so they finish cooking right as the lentils reach the right texture -- soft but still holding their shape. Served in a bowl over white rice with the broth pooling around it, this is comfort food that Cuban families eat on rainy days and weeknights alike, often finished with a splash of vinegar at the table for brightness.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1.5 cupsbrown or green lentils(rinsed)
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 3 ozSpanish chorizo or bacon(diced, optional)
• 1onion(finely diced)
• 1green bell pepper(finely diced)
• 4 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1tomato(diced)
• 0.5 tspground turmeric
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1bay leaf
• 1potato(peeled, cubed)
• 1.5 cupscalabaza or butternut squash(cubed)
• 6 cupswater or broth
• 1 tbspred wine vinegar
• 2 cupscooked white rice(to serve)

Instructions

1. 1

   Render the chorizo

   Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook chorizo or bacon until lightly crisp, about 4 minutes, then remove and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.

2. 2

   Build the sofrito

   Add onion and pepper to the pot and cook until soft, 6 minutes. Stir in garlic, tomato, turmeric and cumin, cooking 2 more minutes.

3. 3

   Simmer the lentils

   Add lentils, bay leaf and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes.

4. 4

   Add the vegetables

   Stir in potato and calabaza, along with the reserved chorizo. Simmer 15 to 20 more minutes until lentils and vegetables are tender but not falling apart.

   Check lentils by tasting, not just timing -- freshness of the lentils affects cook time by up to 10 minutes.

5. 5

   Finish and serve

   Stir in vinegar, remove the bay leaf, and adjust salt. Ladle over rice in bowls, keeping the broth generous.

Variations

• •

  Vegetarian: skip the chorizo and add a smoked paprika pinch to keep the smoky note.

• •

  Spicier: add a small diced aji cachucha or a pinch of cayenne with the sofrito.

• •

  Heartier: stir in sliced carrots along with the potato for extra vegetables.

Storage

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

Frequently Asked Questions