South African Lentil Bredie-Style Bowl

About This Recipe

Bredie refers to a family of slow-cooked South African stews, traditionally made with meat and vegetables simmered together until deeply tender, a cooking style with roots in Cape Dutch and Cape Malay culinary traditions. This vegetarian version applies that same slow, patient simmering technique to lentils, allowing them to fully absorb the onion and tomato base rather than staying separate and soupy. Curry leaves, associated more with Natal's Indian-influenced cooking than the Cape's own bredie tradition, are included here as a nod to South Africa's broader spice heritage, adding a citrusy, slightly nutty aroma when bloomed in oil at the start of cooking. Cooking the onions down until truly soft and sweet, a hallmark of any good bredie, gives the stew its rounded, comforting base flavor. Served over rice, this lentil bowl brings together South Africa's love of long, slow stewing with a nod to its diverse spice influences, making a filling and inexpensive vegetarian meal for a weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1.5 cupsbrown lentils(rinsed)
• 3 tbspoil
• 2onions(thinly sliced)
• 10curry leaves
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 0.5 tspchili flakes
• 400 gcanned crushed tomatoes
• 3 cupsvegetable stock
• 1.5 tspfine sea salt
• 2 cupscooked rice
• 0.25 cupcilantro(chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Caramelize the onions

   Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Cook onions 12-15 minutes, stirring often, until deeply soft and golden.

   Give the onions the full time here — this slow caramelization is what gives bredie-style stews their signature deep, sweet base.

2. 2

   Bloom the aromatics

   Add curry leaves, garlic and chili flakes, cooking 1 minute until fragrant.

3. 3

   Add tomatoes

   Stir in crushed tomatoes and cook 5 minutes until slightly thickened.

4. 4

   Simmer the lentils

   Add lentils, stock and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, partially covered, 30-35 minutes until the lentils are very tender and the stew has thickened.

5. 5

   Adjust and season

   Taste and adjust salt as needed; if the stew is too thick, thin with a splash of hot water.

6. 6

   Serve

   Spoon over rice, garnish with fresh cilantro, and serve hot.

Variations

• •

  Add browned lamb or mutton chunks along with the onions for a traditional meat-based bredie.

• •

  Stir in a peeled, diced potato partway through simmering for a more substantial stew.

• •

  Add a cinnamon stick while simmering for a warmer, slightly sweeter background note, common in Cape Malay-influenced bredies.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days in an airtight container; flavor deepens overnight. Reheat gently over low heat with a splash of water, as the stew thickens considerably when chilled.

Frequently Asked Questions