A comforting Peruvian-style lentil stew with rice, topped with a cooling herbed yogurt drizzle.
Lentejas, Peruvian-style lentil stew, is a beloved weeknight staple across Peru, usually served over white rice as a filling, budget-friendly meal. Lentils simmer with a base of onion, garlic, cumin and often a little tomato paste until they soften into a thick, hearty stew rather than staying separate and soupy, a texture closer to a Peruvian guiso than a broth-forward lentil soup. Yogurt isn't part of the traditional dish, so this bowl adds it honestly as a modern, cooling topping, blended here with cilantro and a little garlic for a green, herby sauce that plays off the earthiness of the lentils the way a squeeze of lime traditionally would at a Peruvian table. Served over rice, the way lentejas is eaten in most Peruvian households, this bowl turns a simple pantry stew into a full, satisfying meal that keeps well for lunches throughout the week.
Serves 4
Heat oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrot, cooking 6-7 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cumin, cooking 1 minute until fragrant.
Stir in tomato paste and cook 2 minutes until it darkens slightly and smells rich rather than raw.
Add lentils, water or stock and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, partially covered, 30-35 minutes until the lentils are tender and the stew has thickened.
Check the lentils around the 25-minute mark; older lentils take longer, so don't rely on the timer alone.
Blend yogurt, cilantro, garlic and lime juice until smooth. Season with a pinch of salt.
Spoon rice into bowls, ladle the lentil stew over the top, and drizzle generously with the herbed yogurt.
Cook the tomato paste for a couple of minutes before adding liquid — this removes its raw, tinny taste and deepens the flavor of the whole stew.
Adjust the stew's thickness at the end with a splash of hot water if it's thicker than you like; lentils continue to absorb liquid as they sit.
Blend the yogurt sauce right before serving — it separates and loses its bright color if it sits too long.
Add a diced potato to the stew for extra heartiness, a common addition in Peruvian home versions.
Stir in a spoonful of aji amarillo paste for gentle heat and a more distinctly Peruvian flavor.
Serve with fried plantains on the side, a classic pairing with Peruvian lentil stew.
Refrigerate the stew up to 5 days; it thickens further when chilled, so thin with water when reheating. Store the yogurt sauce separately and make it fresh if possible, since it doesn't keep well more than a day or two.
Lentejas has been a staple of Peruvian home cooking for generations, valued as an affordable, filling dish that stretches simply across a week of lunches, and it remains one of the most common weekday meals in Peruvian households.
Fresh dried lentils are recommended here since the stew relies on them softening and thickening the liquid as they cook; canned lentils would need a much shorter simmer and a thicker starting base.
The base stew doesn't require it, but if adding it, a small amount of a mild yellow chile paste or a pinch of turmeric plus a dash of hot sauce gets reasonably close.
Simmer it uncovered for the final 10 minutes to let excess liquid reduce, or mash a few spoonfuls of lentils against the side of the pot to naturally thicken it.
Per serving (400g / 14.1 oz) · 4 servings total
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