Sparkle Kitchen: Lentil & Pumpkin Stew
All this talk of “pumpkins” in the new Martin & Sylvia Halloween story, "Part Two: Jack-O-Lanterns" inspired me to find something pumpkin-y to make for dinner. But I didn’t want pumpkin pie. I wanted pumpkin in our main course. So then what?
Lentil & Pumpkin Stew!
I searched my favorite sites for good recipes — and used Pinterest too. But I couldn’t find one that was perfect. So I combined parts of three recipes into one that I think is perfectly yummy! (And relatively simple.)
Lentil & Pumpkin Stew
Ingredients:
2 cups of dried lentils
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small pie pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½″ chunks
1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 tbsp paprika
4 cups of vegetable stock
sea salt and pepper to taste
⅛ cup minced parsley
Directions:
Pick through the lentils, rinse and then cover with water. Allow them to soak at least 4 hours. (Overnight is fine too!)
Drain the soaking water, place the soaked lentils in a pot, and cover with water so that the water is 1 inch above the top of the lentils. Bring to a boil, and then cook over a low heat for 20-25 minutes, until the lentils are soft.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large soup pot, and add the diced onion and a pinch of salt. Sauté over a medium heat until the onions begin to turn translucent. Add the minced garlic and the pumpkin, and stir until the pumpkin is coated with oil. Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, rosemary, paprika and vegetable stock. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20-25 minutes, until the pumpkin is soft.
Drain some of the cooking liquid from the cooked lentils, and add to the stew. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Finally, toss in the parsley and stir to combine.
It’s a lovely warming stew for a cool autumn day!
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About the Author
Lisabeth Sewell
Lisabeth Sewell has worn many hats at Sparkle over the years, from Sparkle Kitchen Blogger to Editorial Director to Doer of All Odd Jobs. Her primary role is as CEO.
