Moroccan Spiced Lentils with Warm Pita

A deeply aromatic and spiced lentil stew with hearty vegetables, served with warm whole wheat pita for dipping and a cool dollop of Greek yogurt.

• Prep: 15 min
• Cook: 15 min
• Total: 30 min
• Servings: 4
• Cuisine: North African
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $3.28/serving

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• Egg-Free
• Pescatarian
• Vegetarian
• High-Protein
• High-Fiber

Tags

• quick
• savory
• spicy
• comfort food
• one-pot
• healthy

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion (chopped)
• 2 carrots (diced)
• 2 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (grated)
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 0.5 teaspoon turmeric
• 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
• 1 can diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 1.5 cup red lentils (rinsed)
• 4 cup vegetable broth
• 4 ounce fresh spinach (roughly chopped)
• 4 whole wheat pita breads (warmed)
• 0.5 cup plain Greek yogurt (for serving)
• 0.25 cup fresh cilantro (chopped, for garnish)
• 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper (to taste)

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped yellow onion and diced carrots. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened.
2. Stir in the minced garlic and grated fresh ginger, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Add the ground cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute until the spices are aromatic.
4. Pour in the diced tomatoes (with liquid) and the rinsed red lentils. Stir in the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until lentils are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
5. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook until wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
6. Serve the Moroccan Spiced Lentils hot with warm whole wheat pita bread. Dollop with plain Greek yogurt and garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 480
• Protein: 30.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 75.1 g
• Fat: 8.7 g
• Fiber: 22.3 g
• Sodium: 750 mg
• Saturated Fat: 1.4 g
• Sugar: 10.3 g
• Cholesterol: 1 mg