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4.9 from 252 votes

Spiced Lentils with Carrots

These warm, sweet, and savory spiced lentils hold up well as leftovers and make the perfect cozy vegetarian meal prep.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings: 4 about 1.25 cups each
Calories: 314 kcal
Course: Main Course , Dinner
Cuisine: Moroccan

Ingredients

  • 1 yellow onion $0.70
  • 4 cloves garlic $0.16
  • 1 tsp fresh grated ginger $0.10
  • 4 carrots (about 2 cups chopped) $0.56
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil $0.44
  • 1 tsp ground cumin $0.10
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon $0.05
  • 1/2 tsp allspice $0.05
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper $0.02
  • 1 cup brown lentils* $0.67
  • 3 Tbsp tomato paste $0.15
  • 1/4 cup chopped dried apricots or raisins** $0.75
  • 3 cups vegetable broth $0.39
  • 1 Tbsp chopped parsley (optional) $0.10

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Dice the onion, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, and peel and dice the carrots.
  2. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, and olive oil to a deep skillet. Sauté over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent (about five minutes).
  3. Add the diced carrots, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, and crushed red pepper to the skillet. Continue to sauté for about two minutes more.
  4. Next, add the uncooked lentils, tomato paste, raisins or chopped apricots, and broth to the skillet. Stir until the tomato paste has dissolved into the broth. Place a lid on the skillet and turn the heat up to high.
  5. Allow the broth to come to a full boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low and let the lentils simmer in the broth with the lid on for 30 minutes, stirring only occasionally.
  6. After 30 minutes the lentils and carrots should be very tender. Give the lentils a taste and add salt or pepper if needed (this will depend on the salt content of your broth, I did not add any).
  7. Serve the spiced lentils with crusty bread for dipping, or over a bed of polenta or mashed potatoes. Top with chopped fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

  • *This recipe is designed for brown or green lentils (not French green lentils, which take much longer to cook). This type of lentil cooks in about 20-30 minutes of simmering, does not require soaking, and they hold their shape when softened. I do not recommend red, orange, or yellow lentils for this recipe because they break down quickly when cooked and will leave you with something more like a mush or porridge.
  • **Raisins are the more economical choice here (golden or purple raisins), but I happened to have dried apricots on hand so I used those instead of buying raisins specifically for this recipe.
  •  

Nutrition Information

Serving 1.25cup Calories 314kcal (16%) Carbohydrates 49g (16%) Protein 14g (28%) Fat 8g (12%) Sodium 851mg (35%) Fiber 18g (72%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4about 1.25 cups each

Amount Per Serving

Calories 314

% Daily Value*

Serving 1.25cup
Calories 314kcal 16%
Carbohydrates 49g 16%
Protein 14g 28%
Fat 8g 12%
Sodium 851mg 35%
Fiber 18g 72%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.