This is a great starter. You can make it with a bit more water and you get somewhat of a soup, or let it cook and eat it with a plate of rice.
I had to add more liquid as it cooked and I added chicken broth instead of water. My Colombian boyfriend said it was like his mother's. :)
Read MoreThis was ok, but a bit bland. I found that I had to add a lot more water to it. I also added some garlic, some pepper and some chili sauce, and garnished with green onions. It was pretty decent, but I don't think I'll make this again.
Read MoreI had to add more liquid as it cooked and I added chicken broth instead of water. My Colombian boyfriend said it was like his mother's. :)
Love this dish! the cumin makes it great. I also added 2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes, 3 cloves of garlic and a stalk of celery. Instead of regular tomatoes, I added cherry tomatoes. Red potatoes in the skin give this dish a little bit more bite. Really enjoyed this dish a lot!
Great side dish! I only wish I would have doubled the recipe so I could have leftovers. Thanks for the recipe!
This is very good. I followed the recipe exactly, except for adding some minced garlic on the advice of another reviewer. I did have to add 1/2 cup more water when I added the potatoes, just like the other reviewers. I served it as a side dish, but I can see how it could make a great soup or be lovely served over rice as a meatless meal. I will definitely make this again, thanks for the great recipe!
My family loved this! I have made it several times but have changed the seasoning to give it a different flavor. Replacing water with chicken broth and cumin with thyme made for a tasty side dish with chicken.
I'm new to cooking lentils, and this looked intriguing. Noting that the author called this a "starter" recipe (she recommends modifying it to your own pleasure, yes?) I made the following changes: (a) Instead of the potatoes, I used 1/2 cup corn and 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper. (b) Like Kitchenwitch, I sauteed everything in the oil before adding the water. (c) I served the lentils over big steamy baked potatoes with a dollop of sour cream & chopped cilantro garnish. What a *wonderful* dish -- thank you!
This was ok, but a bit bland. I found that I had to add a lot more water to it. I also added some garlic, some pepper and some chili sauce, and garnished with green onions. It was pretty decent, but I don't think I'll make this again.
I made this last night and it was GREAT! Everyone loved it as a main dish served over rice. I added a few frozen green peas at the end and I also sauteed the lentils and potatoes with the onion and some garlic before adding the water. I also used curry powder for the seasoning, along with black pepper and sea salt. EXCELLENT!
I used to eat lentils in Spain but never knew how to make it their way... so I'm glad to have found this recipe :) Maybe they borrowed it from the Colombians. I did have to double the water for some reason, but I was happy with the results.
Yum!! Made no changes except for the addition of garlic, and it turned out great. I served it over quinoa for a healthy and comforting meal. For those who felt this recipe was bland or needed something, a squeeze of lemon juice is a nice touch. Thanks so much for sharing. I will be making this again soon!!
This is just like Mama used to make when we were kids; the taste just brought back memories of this staple at our dinner table. My family loved it, it's healthy and it'll become a staple for our table as well. Put some arepas on the table and our dinner time will probably double.
I didn't have a problem with the amount of water like some other reviewers. I did add 2 small diced carrots, just for more color. Flavor is really good. I will be making this again. I don't think I would change a thing.
Wonderful! I subbed cauliflower for the potatoes because I am avoiding starches. It was great!
DELISH!! I didn't change a thing. The cumin really makes this tasty. I had plenty of water & a nice 'gravy." Served it over brown rice for a healthy meatless meal. Thanks caro0888 for sharing.
awesome recipe!! i added a cup of chicken broth when i added the potatoes but only cuz i doubled the recipe to make sure i had leftovers. i also added about two tbsp of minced garlic to the recipe due to some reviews. it came out delish, will have to do again but i might just do the amount asked because i had a lot of leftovers. the cumin is such a strong spice, i could smell it all over the house but it was awesome, i wouldn't trade it for anything else. thanks for the recipe caro!!
So yummy! And so easy to make! I didn't change a thing and I served it over rice. It's great as a meal in itself. My fiance and I loved it!
Very tasty. With some changes, this is a 5 star recipe. It definitely needs more liquid and time to cook, if you don't want hard lentils and potatoes. I used 1 cup vegetable broth and 1 1/2 cups water, and added carrots, garlic, thyme and cayenne pepper. Next time, I might try this in the slow cooker!
Made this recipe this evening and was very pleased at the result! I would recommend that the potatoes be 1/2" cubes rather than just "cubed"....they were still a bit crunchy at the end of the cooking time. Otherwise, yummy!
This was so good! I did not add potatoes, so I didn't add extra water. Otherwise I followed the directions and it came out perfectly!
Five stars for being an inexpensive, easy, and delicious meal. I doubled the recipe, added a couple cloves of minced garlic, and used a can of Rotel tomatoes with green chilies. We will be making this again. Thanks!
Easy meal to make! I eliminated the salt and the oil. I cooked the potatoes at the same time as the lentils to make the dish quickly.
I now like lentils as much as meat! I used white potatoes and coriander and curry to substitute. I also included one yellow pepper and a pinch of black pepper.
Hello!!! I’m so excited to be rating my first dish on here. I made this recipe with the help of my mom. We modified a few things because I didn’t want much salt or vegetable oil. The cumin season is the perfect touch! I must admit I’m new to cooking but I love eating and my mom is a great cook. We both loved this recipe and will be making it quite often. I’m trying to stay away from meat and I’ve found lentils and beans to be the perfect replacement, which is why I chose to go with this recipe in the first place. Thanks for the recipe :)
This was delicious served over rice with a little cheese and avocado. I did change it up a little though: I doubled the recipe used 2 1/2 cups of lentils, vegetable broth instead of water, canned diced tomatoes, only two teaspoons of cumin, a bunch of minced garlic, some cilantro, a teaspoon of paprika and coriander, a can of corn and used red potatoes. YUMMY!
I really enjoyed this and find it quite hearty. I like to add a fried egg to the top, a vegetarian hash of sorts.
This is really good, but it is even better and more "Colombian" if you sautee some chorizo cut up in small pieces and add it to the "lentejas" YUMM!
Fantastic and healthy recipe that you will become addicted too. I used whole green lentils, which have a great earthy flavour but will stay hard if you add the salt at the beginning of cooking, I added the salt when I put the potatoes in. I also added 4 extra Half cups of boiling water during the cooking. I read another review before trying this and they said they wish they had had made double, "I agree", this recipe is for 3 small starter sized portions which actually served me and my Son as a main with some crusty bread. I would have added a photograph but it has all gone, still, it won't be long before I make a double portion of this again. One little tip; Grind whole cumin for the best flavour, I always do and it makes a massive difference.
Love this recipe!! Made it a little spicy with some habanero pepper and red pepper flakes! Didn’t have potatoes so I used more veggies (corn, peas, carrots etc) added chopped celery and topped it off with some crispy bacon and fresh basil Definitely making this again in my slow cooker!
We are currently on the Daniel Fast and this was a great recipe for a meal! I added garlic and also used a can of petite diced tomatoes and added some bell pepper since this was for a meal. I plan to make this again and experiment with other veggies.
Very yummy. I doubled the recipe. Very tasty. However, mine came out too salty because I used the prescribed amount of salt AND added vegetable bouillon. Next time I'll use one or the other
Added celery, garlic, a lot more potatoes, a lot more cumin (to taste), a few red pepper flakes and some pepper. Delicious!
Very good recipe.. I love cumin so it was up my alley.. added a bit of garlic, pepper, and pinch of chili flakes to "up it". It needed extra water as many have commented just to keep from going dry. Also, around my house this was only a healthy ONE serving.. not three.. LOL..(I did use it as the "main" dish with a bit of yogurt) Keep up the good work. I used sweet potatoes instead of yellow just because I needed to use it. A good, easy, quick dish.
Great flavor and consistency. I used a can of Ro-Tel fire roasted tomatoes and chilis and vegetable stock and added hot sauce at the table. Delicious!
Great! And easy! I added about a cup of water but delish! Used bouillon instead of just water so I didn't add salt.
Very tasty, but nothing too spectacular from any of the other lentil soups or stew I've made. The main thing setting this dish apart is the (IMO) large amount of fat added to it - which of course makes everything better! :) I don't think I'd make this again, as I have other favorite lentil dishes that have more flavor and less fat. But it was good to try.
I took others' advice and used chicken broth in place of the water and added fresh garlic. Also topped with a dollop of sour cream. It was delicious!
Used 2 parts vegetable broth to 1 part water. Definitely needs more liquid than called for. Keep a close eye on it so the lentils don't burn to the bottom of the pan. Served over jasmine rice. Good flavor.
This is really good and simple to make. I took the advice from the other reviews and kept a close watch on the soup and added more water as needed.
I doubled the lentils and potatoes, and replaced the water with 3 cups of unsalted chicken stock. I added 3 garlic cloves and a package of pre-cooked chicken sausages. I played around with the seasonings, adding turmeric, a bay leaf, and chipolte powder. Delicious! I will definitely make it again.
Okay, I didn't make this yet, just found the recipe. A friend of a friend made this for us many years ago. She was from Columbia and learned the recipe from her mom. I remember her using chicken broth and tomato sauce instead of a tomato but not the potatoes. It was many years ago though and I could have forgotten ingredients. I have been searching for a recipe for it for years now so I am definitely going to try this one. Hers was kind of a mashed potato consistency. Thank you for sharing this with us. I'm rating it a 5 only because I have been searching for this recipe for so long and am very happy to have finally found this one!
Yummy and simple! The only things I changed were using canned petite diced tomatoes and adding 2 large cloves of garlic (for a double batch) as recommended by other reviewers. This will be going on my "make often" list because it was so easy and tasty!
This is really a great base for anything. When I make it I follow the recipe and then just add anything from my veggie drawer that is needing to be used before going bad. Perfect for the end of the week right before grocery shopping.
I added more water. Changes I made: Added 1 small can of corn and 1 can of diced tomatoes (I was too lazy to chop a tomato lol); I used about 2 cups of water and added 1/2 cup of chicken broth to give the soup a little more flavor. I did not add additional salt the chicken broth already has sodium in it. I cooked everything in a 2 quart pot. Final result: Came out well but I think maybe it needed a little more flavor.
I typically eat lentils the traditional Indian way, in a daal, (essentially, lentil soup) but really liked the concept for this dish. I added some green chillies for extra heat, a couple bay leaves for the aroma, and a cup of large shell pasta to make it 'heartier' - the combination was amazing! Will definitely be making this more often!
added corn and carrots, doubled the lentils and water, also added 2 cups chicken broth. Pretty good, healthy and tasty. Nice dish.
Husband (from Colombia) likes it! I added cilantro, next time will add a dash more salt, a bit of pepper and I’ll put the potatoes in sooner so they cook through a bit more. Solid base, especially since no meat!
I’m glad I followed this recipe. I added chicken stock & garlic powder to it for extra flavor.
was craving something late at night, didn't have too much energy to cook, this was perfect. easy, tasty, healthy, satiating.
Have made it twice. First time, adhered to the recipe. Second time, added chicken. Simply delicious, easy, and quick. It was devoured with nothing leftover. Thank you.
This is just how I've learned to prepare it. I learned it from my grandmother when I was a small child. I also add garlic and green peppers and celery and mushrooms all finely chopped along with a touch of turmeric. I cook ground beef and add it as well, or whatever meat I have to make it more like a stew. Brings me back to my grandmothers kitchen.
I make this recipe all the time. I actually use fresh cilantro a small jalapeno pepper and a sliced carrot. I always eat this with rice and the Colombian way, with a fried egg over the lentils. Oh, if I can't get fresh cilantro, I used curry powder and put some raisins in the rice while it cooks. You can be very creative using this as a base recipe.
This is just how I've learned to prepare it. I learned it from my grandmother when I was a small child. I also add garlic and green peppers and celery and mushrooms all finely chopped along with a touch of turmeric. I cook ground beef and add it as well, or whatever meat I have to make it more like a stew. Brings me back to my grandmothers kitchen.
I found this recipe very good. I added beef bouillon for additional flavor plus I put in chili powder. It made the lentils very tasty. We enjoyed them and I liked how quickly they cooked.
Made this 50 times and we love it. I like chopped tomatoes thrown in when I turn off the heat.
Great starter, amped it up some with cumin, curry, red pepper flakes. Had to add more water and cook longer.
I didn't quite make this recipe exactly as stated, but it was great! I used chicken broth instead of water (and left out the salt), which turned out great! I had to add more water when adding the potatoes, like other reviewers said, but it was still not soupy-- I served it over a rice/bulgar mix. Very happy with it! I also added more veggies (peas and carrots), which were very good in it too.
Wow! These were fantastic. They reminded me of my grandmother. Will definitely make them again. All my friends loved them.
This was perfect for our flu. I added/modified to the recipe using 1 cup of lentils. I sauteed onions and cumin seeds, then added garlic, tomatoes, then carrots. Added a carton of stock and lentils. Simmered. Added potato. Simmered. Then seasoned to taste. Salt. Pepper. Dash of turmeric. Half a lemon. Served with warm, rustic bread. Delish.
As written, one star. After adding about four more cups of water than called for in the recipe and cooking for about another 30-45 min to avoid partially raw potatoes, this was finally done. This smells great while cooking but the taste is bland to the extreme. Some recipes are worth "fixing" to your liking, this isn't one of them.
This is our new go-to lentils recipe! Even my 4 yr old likes this dish and she's been going through a picky phase.
Much more liquid was needed than the recipe called for. However it was nice and easy to make
Used my instapot doubled all ingredients added 3 c of chic broth and 2 c of water added 1/2 c corn 1/2 c chopped red pepper set on soup mode came out perfect ... will make again
I am Colombian and I wanted to give my husband and 2 boys a taste of my culture but I couldn’t find my recipe so I went here to see if I could find this recipe and I did and I LOVE IT!!! All thought my husband didn’t want to admit it but he loved it to!!!
