Ham and Lentil Stew

A bowl of lentil and potato stew with ham, olives and peppers.

5 from 1 vote

This quick & easy hm and lentil stew packs a lot of punch with flavoursome ham, juicy olives, fiery chilli and a generous portion of lentils. Makes a tasty & healthy weeknight supper.

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Total Time50

Course: Main Course, Supper

Cuisine: Worldwide

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 660kcal

Author: Jane Coupland

Ingredients

½ Onion
1 Garlic Clove
100 g Cooked ham a chunk, not thin slices
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 large red peppers
1 large yellow pepper
400 g Tinned Tomatoes (chopped)
250 g New Potatoes (peeled)
90 g Green Lentils (look for ones that cook in 20ish minutes)
60 g Red Lentils
300 ml Vegetable Stock
2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
40 g Olives pitted
¼ teaspoon Chilli Flakes (to taste)
⅛ teaspoon Black Pepper

Instructions

Finely dice the onion and fry them in the olive oil in a large saucepan over a low - medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until they begin to soften.
1 tablespoon Olive Oil, ½ Onion
Mince the garlic and add to the pan. Cook for a further minute.
1 Garlic Clove
De-seed the peppers and chop into 1 cm chunks, then add to the pan and continue to fry for 2 more minutes.
1 large red peppers, 1 large yellow pepper
Cube the potatoes, then add to the pan along with the green lentils and stock. Sprinkle in the black pepper & drop in the thyme. Turn up the heat and bring to gentle simmer.
250 g New Potatoes, 90 g Green Lentils, 300 ml Vegetable Stock, ⅛ teaspoon Black Pepper, 2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
After 5 minutes, stir in the red lentils and tomatoes. Cook for 20 minutes until the potatoes and lentils are all cooked through.
60 g Red Lentils, 400 g Tinned Tomatoes
Meanwhile, quarter the olives and cut the ham into small cubes.
40 g Olives, 100 g Cooked ham
When the potatoes and lentils are cooked, add the ham, olives and chilli flakes. Stir and heat through for a minute before serving.
100 g Cooked ham, 40 g Olives, ¼ teaspoon Chilli Flakes

Notes

Add salt with caution: I find that the ham and olives impart sufficient salt in this recipe to make adding extra unnecessary. I strongly advise tasting your stew at the end of cooking before adding any salt as it may not be necessary.
Stir frequently: Use a wooden spoon to move the contents of the saucepan around every 5 minutes to prevent the lentils from sticking to the base of the pan.
Go vegan: Leave out the ham to make this lentil and potato stew suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
Add more veggies: Stir 2 handfuls of spinach leaves through just before serving.
Ditch the potatoes: Make your ham stew without the potatoes, adding in 250g cauliflower florets in their place. Serve this version with crusty bread.

Nutrition