Here’s A Hearty Spanish Lentil Stew To Keep You Warm This Winter!
Spanish lentil stew is one of the most classic winter and cold rainy day stews in Spanish cuisine because it’s comfort food at its best.
Almost every family has their own version of this stew, some with more meat, some with none at all. This version is made with chorizo and pork ribs and is known in Spanish as Lentejas con Chorizo y Costillas.
Lentil Stew is a classic family dish, usually found on home menus and sometimes on the “menu del día”, but not usually on restaurant menus.
For me it brings back a lot of memories from childhood, having a delicious plate of lentil stew waiting when coming home from school in the winter.
It is an earthy, filling, and comforting stew, and this recipe is the way my mom made it in our family.
Ingredients
To make this Spanish lentil with chorizo recipe, here are the ingredients that you will need.
- Lentils – Preferably Pardina lentils, but any brown or green lentils will work. Avoid red or yellow lentils.
- Water – Liquid base for the stew.
- Chorizo de sarta (Spanish chorizo) – Adds a smoky, spicy flavor. If you can’t find it, you can add extra smoked paprika for flavor.
- Pork ribs – Optional, but a delicious addition to this stew. You can also substitute beef ribs (cut into smaller pieces).
- Carrots – Adds a hint of sweetness and extra texture.
- White onion – For aromatic base flavor. Alternatively, you can use a yellow onion.
- Chard – To balance the richness. You can also use spinach or kale, but remember to adjust the cooking time (see notes below).
- Tomatoes – To make the sofrito; fresh tomatoes are recommended, but you can also use store-bought tomato paste if short on time.
- Garlic cloves – For extra flavor.
- Bay leaves – For extra flavor.
- Salt – Enhances the overall flavor; adjust to taste.
- Smoked paprika – Adds smokiness and depth of flavor; use mild or hot paprika depending on your preference.
- Olive oil – For browning the ribs and sautéing the onions.
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
Before you tackle this recipe for Spanish chorizo lentil stew, have a read through these recipe tips and substitution options:
- This stew can be made on the stovetop using a regular pot or Dutch oven, or in an Instant Pot or other type of pressure cooker.
- This recipe is quite meaty, so don’t skip adding a leafy green to cut some of the earthiness and meatiness. Other than chard, you can also use spinach or kale. If adding spinach, cook for much less; kale needs 10-15 minutes like chard.
- Some people also include potatoes in the mix, so feel free to add a few small potatoes.
- It’s not necessary to presoak the lentils, but if you want, you can presoak them for 1 hour beforehand to shorten the cooking time.
- Spanish chorizo de sarta is important for an authentic flavor. Sarta means it’s U-shaped because it’s been cured hanging like this. Some chorizos are a bit smokier, some are mild, and some are spicy. I prefer the smoky and spicy kind.
- Substitute with extra smoked paprika powder if chorizo de sarta is unavailable.
- Browning the pork ribs before adding them to the pot with the rest of the ingredients is not mandatory, but it gives the dish more flavor.
- You can also add a bit of pimiento choricero meat or ñora pepper meat to the sofrito (flavor base) if you have it available.
- Frying garlic with the skin on enhances the flavor; remove the skin once fried.
How to Make Spanish Lentil Stew – Step by Step Instructions
In this section, we’ll show you exactly how to cook Lentejas con chorizo y costillas. It can be done on the stovetop (shown in this section) or in an Instant Pot (you can find those instructions in an extra section below).
We’ve included step-by-step recipe photos of the cooking process so you can visually follow along as you cook at home.
As always, you can also find the recipe card with all the details at the bottom of this post!
First, prepare the ingredients. Peel and dice the onion. Cut the tomatoes in half and grate them – discard the skin.
Also, slice the carrots. You can peel them if you like, but it is not necessary. Next, smash the garlic cloves – don’t peel them, you’ll do that later.
Wash and cut the chard leaves into smaller pieces, discarding the ends of the stems. Also, slice the chorizo.
Next, heat some olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat.
Season the pork ribs and the garlic cloves with a bit of salt and add them to the pot. Fry them for a few minutes until lightly golden on all sides.
Then remove them from the pot and set aside.
Next, we’ll make the sofrito. In the same pot, add a bit more olive oil if needed and add the onion. Fry until golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Add the grated tomato to the pot and cook for a couple of minutes, mixing well and scraping the bottom of the pot so every bit of flavor is released.
Return the pork ribs and the garlic cloves (without skins) to the pot, along with the lentils, chorizo, carrots, paprika, salt, and bay leaves.
Cover with water and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.
Now add the chard to the pot and cook for another 15 minutes or until the chard is soft. If you are using spinach instead of chard, the cooking time will only be a couple of minutes.
Taste and add more salt and/or pepper to taste.
Serve the lentil stew hot. Enjoy!
Instant Pot Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables and chorizo as you would for the stovetop version.
- In the bottom of the pot, add a bit of olive oil and heat it on saute mode. Once hot, season the chopped pork ribs and the garlic cloves with a bit of salt, and fry until lightly golden on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- Make the sofrito: Add a bit more olive oil to the pot if needed and add the onion. Fry until golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the grated tomato and cook for a couple of minutes, mixing well.
- Add the browned pork ribs, garlic cloves (without skins), and water to the pot. Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. Then do a quick release and open.
- Add the lentils, sliced carrots, sliced chorizo, smoked paprika, salt, bay leaves, and chopped chard. Cover and cook for 8 minutes, do a 2-minute natural release, and then quick release.
- Serve hot.
Storage Tips
If you have leftovers, allow them to cool, then store them in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
You can also freeze portions in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. However, keep in mind that lentils might turn a bit mushy when defrosted.
Related Recipes
If you liked this hearty stew, here are some other Spanish recipes – many of which are classic soups and stews:
- Salmorejo (Spanish Tomato Soup)
- Sopa de Ajo (Spanish Garlic Soup)
- Potaje de vigilia (Spanish Cod & Chickpea Stew)
- Pisto (Spanish Vegetable Stew)
- Pollo al chilindrón (Spanish Stewed Chicken)
- Gazpacho (Cold Spanish Soup)
Spanish Lentil Stew with Chorizo and Pork Ribs
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown lentils, ½ cup per person
- 6 cups water
- 1 pound pork ribs, chopped
- 1 whole Chorizo de Sarta, Spanish chorizo; about 1 pound
- 2 medium carrots
- 1 medium white onion
- 1 bunch chard
- 2 tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, mild or hot
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients: Peel and dice the onion. Cut the tomatoes in half and grate them, discarding the skin. Smash the garlic cloves (don't peel). Wash and cut the chard leaves into smaller pieces, discarding the ends of the stems. Slice the carrots and the chorizo.2 medium carrots, 1 medium white onion, 1 bunch chard, 2 tomatoes, 2 garlic cloves, 1 whole Chorizo de Sarta
- Heat some olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Season the pork ribs and the garlic cloves with a bit of salt and fry them until lightly golden on all sides. Remove from the pot and set aside.1 pound pork ribs, 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Make the sofrito: In the same pot, add a bit more olive oil if needed and add the onion. Fry until golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the grated tomato to the pot and cook for a couple of minutes, mixing well and scraping the bottom of the pot so every bit of flavor is released.
- Return the pork ribs and the garlic cloves (without skins) to the pot, along with the lentils, chorizo, carrots, paprika, salt, and bay leaves.2 cups brown lentils, 2 bay leaves, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Cover with water and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.6 cups water
- Add the chard to the pot and cook for another 15 minutes.
- Serve hot.
Notes
- This stew can be made on the stovetop using a large pot or Dutch oven, or in an Instant Pot or other type of pressure cooker (see instructions in text).
- Instead of chard, you can also use spinach or kale. If adding spinach cook for just a couple of minutes, kale needs 10-15 minutes like chard.
- You can add a few small, chopped potatoes if you like.
- Spanish chorizo de sarta is important for an authentic flavor (it has a U-shape). Substitute with extra smoked paprika powder if you can’t find chorizo de sarta.
- Browning the pork ribs before adding them to the pot with the rest of the ingredients is not mandatory, but it gives the dish more flavor.
- You can also add a bit of pimiento choricero meat or ñora pepper meat to the sofrito (flavor base) if you have it available.
- Frying garlic with the skin on enhances the flavor; remove the skins once fried.
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
