This was one of the first ever Budget Bytes recipe experiments. After browsing the internet looking for ideas, I saw this Spicy Red Lentil and Tomato Soup by Andrea Meyers and it piqued my interest. I changed the spices up a bit back in 2009, and increased them for a little more of a punch this second time around. I also reduced the liquid in this 2015 update because I wanted this Mexican Red Lentil Stew to be less soupy and more stew-like. The result is about 11 cups of a delicious stew, full of color, texture, and vibrant flavor.
If you like my Chicken and Lime Soup, you’ll likely be a fan of this stew as well. I used the same technique of adding fresh lime juice and cilantro to finish the soup, which really brightens up the flavors. You can serve this with tortilla chips, or even a crumbled piece of cornbread. Both soak up the delicious broth and add body to the stew.
This stew freezes great, so go ahead and make an enormous pot of this. Freeze half of it in single serving sized portions for those nights when you’re exhausted and don’t want to do anything more difficult than punch a few buttons on the microwave.
Mexican Red Lentil Stew
Servings 7 (1.5 cups each)Ingredients
- 2 cups dry red lentils ($3.46*)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.16)
- 1 medium onion ($0.37)
- 3-4 stalks celery ($0.79)
- 4 cloves garlic ($0.32)
- 2 14.5 oz cans fire roasted diced tomatoes ($2.38)
- 1/2 Tbsp chili powder ($0.15)
- 1 tsp cumin ($0.10)
- 1/2 tsp turmeric ($0.05)
- 4 cups vegetable broth ($0.52**)
- 10-15 dashes hot sauce ($0.15)
- 1 medium lime ($0.39)
- 1/2 bunch cilantro ($0.50)
Instructions
- Add the dry lentils to a medium pot. Cover with water, swish to rinse, then drain off as much water as possible. Repeat this process until the water remains mostly clear. After draining off the last rinse, add four cups of water, place a lid on top, and bring the lentils to a boil over high heat. Once it reaches a boil, turn off the heat and let sit with a lid on for about 20 minutes.
- While the lentils are cooking, begin the rest of the stew. Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Sauté both in a large pot with olive oil over medium-low heat until soft and transparent.
- While the onions and garlic cook, rinse and dice the celery. Add the diced celery to the pot and continue to sauté for a few minutes more, or just until the celery begins to soften.
- Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), chili powder, cumin, turmeric, and hot sauce to the pot. Stir to combine.
- The lentils should be finished cooking at this point. Drain off as much of the cooking water as possible, then add the lentils to the pot along with the vegetable broth. Stir to combine, then allow the soup to simmer over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes. The lentils will soften and break down further as they simmer, helping to thicken the stew.
- Pull the cilantro leaves from the stems, give them a rough chop, then stir them into the stew. Squeeze the juice of the lime into the broth and stir to combine. Taste the stew and adjust the salt or hot sauce if desired.
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Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make Red Lentil Stew – Step by Step Photos
Red lentils differ from brown and green lentils in that they get very soft, lose their shape, and break down when cooked. This is important to the stew because it thickens it and creates a unique texture. Place two cups of dry red lentils (about one pound) in a medium pot. Cover with water and swish it around to rinse the lentils. The water will likely turn cloudy. Carefully pour off the water and repeat the process until the water remains fairly clear. Once the last of the rinse water is poured off, add four cups of fresh water, place a lid on top, and bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat off and let it sit for 20 minutes to let the lentils soften.
While the lentils are cooking, you can begin the rest of the soup. Dice one onion and mince four cloves of garlic. Add both to a large pot with 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Sauté over medium-low heat for a few minutes, or until the onions are soft and transparent.
While the onion and garlic are sautéing, rinse and dice 3 to 4 stalks of celery. Add them to the pot and continue to sauté until they begin to soften (a few more minutes).
Next add two 14.5oz. cans of fire roasted tomatoes (with juices), 1/2 Tbsp chili powder (NOT hot red pepper powder), 1 tsp cumin, and 1/2 tsp turmeric. Stir to combine.
Also add 10-15 dashes of your favorite hot sauce. I happened to have some Cholula, so I thought that would be quite fitting. You can use Tabasco, Franks, or any type you like. I might be partial, but I even think sriracha would be interesting in this.
By this time the red lentils should have soaked in the hot water for about 20 minutes and they’ll look a little something like this. They have absorbed most of the water, but there is still some pooled in the bottom. Carefully pour off the excess water, then add the lentils to the soup pot.
After adding the cooked lentils, add 4 cups of vegetable broth. Stir the pot, then let it simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes. This will further break down the lentils and help them thicken the pot.
While the soup is simmering, pull the leaves from the stems for about 1/2 of a bunch of cilantro. Give them a rough chop. Cut one lime in half.
Stir the chopped cilantro into the stew and squeeze the juice from the lime into the broth (you can start with half the lime and add more if desired). Taste and adjust the salt or hot sauce if desired.
This is one of those wonderful occasions when “healthy” and “delicious” coexist!
Made this today, just a half batch. Like another red lentil soup recipe I use, I just added the lentils after sautéing the veg and cooked it all together. Came out great! Next time I’ll add extra spices and tomato for a little more kick. And in lieu of fresh cilantro (which I always seem to waste) I stirred in some Trader Joe’s green dragon sauce. It’s killer!! Cilantro and limey with a nice spicy kick, and kasts forever in the fridge. I think it’s like Srirachas green cousin.
Tried this recipe. Burned my tongue. It was surprisingly filling and very good!
I had to modify the tomatoes because I couldn’t find that particular kind but I got some other kind of flavored/seasoned diced tomatoes and it worked just as well. I also had to cobble together chili powder because I found out I just had chili pepper.
Since there is plenty left over, I may go ahead and make the corn bread for it tomorrow.
This looks GREAT!!! If I make this in a slow cooker, would I just omit cooking the lentils first, and add a tiny bit more water to the broth/tomatoes?
Yep, that’s what I would try.
how long do you think this would need to cook in a slow cooker? I am actually putting this in now, but realized it wasn’t exactly a crockpot recipe and I’m one of those people who can’t function without step by step instruction — lol!
Hmm, well, I’ve never actually tried it, but I think a good place to start with most recipes is either 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Since the lentils break down completely in this recipe anyway, you aren’t really in danger of over cooking them. :)
Annoyingly, my husband won’t eat a dish that doesn’t have some sort of meat in it, but as long as it has meat, he will try it (and most likely eat it). I know the point of this recipe (and all your recipes) is to try to keep costs down, but can you recommend an animal protein that would be a good addition?
I think shredded chicken would be awesome in this. :)
This recipe doesn’t sacrifice taste for cost or ease. Although it is very easy and fast to make, it still is very flavorful and healthy. I will be making this again in the future. Thanks!
I made this recipe this week and it’s now one of my favorites. So very flavorful. I will be craving this regularly, I can already see that. I’m new to your blog, and am enjoying it tremendously. So glad I found it.
Awesome recipe! I love your blog! Do you think I can substitute the red lentils for brown lentils? Thank you :)
I think it’s really important to use red, orange, or yellow lentils for this one because they break down so much more than brown or green lentils, which tend to hold their shape. You need the lentils to break down to give the stew it’s thick texture and body.
Unfortunately I haven’t been able to find fire-roasted tomatoes here in Australia. What could I use as a substitute? Would using a dash of liquid smoke in addition to regular tomatoes do the trick? Thanks in advance!
Yes, a dash of liquid smoke or if you can find smoked paprika, that works well too. :)
Thanks Beth! I have smoked paprika in the pantry, so I’ll use that. I love the stuff!
You could also try broiling a few fresh tomatoes at home until the skin blisters, which is basically what they do before canning. But paprika and liquid smoke sound yummy, too.
That’s a great idea! As we’re just coming out of winter here, the only fresh tomatoes available are quite tasteless, but I’ll definitely try that technique when I can get my hands on some good tomatoes. Thanks!
Liquid smoke is beautiful in this. I chucked a dried Chipotle chilli in while it cooked down. Smells and taste so amazing. Even better next day. Well and truly knocked my hangover out the window.
I made this on Sunday for DH and I to take for lunches this week. Made the cornbread too. What a great recipe. I had the onions, garlic and cilantro in the garden, so that was perfect.
Would this freeze well?
Yep, this one freezes great! :)
Hi Beth,
I think it´s great that you set yourself up to this challenge. I do something like this: I take the official budget for food that is recommended for recievers for unemployment compensation here in Germany, multiply it with 1,5 and make it my monthly shopping budget year round. Even with the addition it is way lower than what most people spend for food. It is a good reminder to be thankfull for what you have. Some months I only use the official budget, but since I am doing this longterm, frankly I don´t want to limit myself so severly all the time.
I have a question, though. How can I substitute the fire roasted tomatoes. I have never seen anything like these here in any store and I assume the are integral to the flavour of the dish.
Best wishes
Steffi
I agree! My favorite part of the challenge is that it taught me gratitude and compassion. As for the fire roasted tomatoes, I think the best idea would be to use regular diced tomatoes and add some smoked paprika to the stew.
We live over in MNE and don’t have access to fire-roasted tomatoes either. A good sub is to use a pinch (up to an 1/8th teaspoon) of *smoked* paprika along with a regular can of tomatoes. The paprika will add an underlying current of smokiness–not exactly like fire-roasted, but a more complex flavor profile with it than without. HTH.
very annoying video ads you have popping up on your site…so disappointed as I love your recipes…won’t be visiting your site anymore
I try to block them, but sometimes they slip through. It’s a constant struggle.
Beth, I’d like it if you made a fresh link to this old link so that people who look up your blog would see the new entry of the updated recipe.
Hi Beth!
Do you think it would still be good if I use regular lentils versus the red lentils? I have some on hand and the only reds I can get hold of today are at the organic specialty shop (we’re limited here in Okinawa) and they are quite pricey. If its a make or break, I’ll get them. I have to make this after reading all of the rave reviews!!
I really think red are best for this recipe because they have a slightly more mild flavor and the way they fall apart when cooked helps thicken the soup a bit. :)
Beth, I finally made it tonight. It is to die for. I will make this one over and over. I knew it was good when my son decided to repeatedly taste test it. lol The red lentils and fire roasted tomatoes definitely make this recipe. I’m glad I didn’t try to sub regular lentils. As always, thank you for your wonderful recipes and blog!!!
Im about to rock n roll with this recipe now,, i will roast my own toms though in the over at high temp, four large vines. then i will give them a beating before adding. i will keep you informed. o and a dash of tobasco red.