One-Pot Ham Lentil Stew (Print Version)

A robust blend of smoky ham, lentils, and vegetables simmered together for a hearty meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 9 oz cooked ham, diced

→ Legumes

02 - 1.25 cups dried brown or green lentils, rinsed

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 medium onions, finely chopped
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Liquids

07 - 5 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock

→ Spices & Seasonings

08 - 1 bay leaf
09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Finishing

12 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery, sautéing for 6 to 8 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add diced ham and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Add lentils, bay leaf, thyme, smoked paprika, stock, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil.
05 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender and flavors meld.
06 - Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with fresh parsley, and serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's genuinely one pot—no saucepans, no baking dishes, just grab the Dutch oven and you're done with cleanup.
  • The smoked paprika and ham do the heavy lifting on flavor, so you're not standing there adding pinches of this and that to make it taste like something.
  • You can prep everything in fifteen minutes and then just let it bubble away while you read or do something else entirely.
02 -
  • The smoked paprika is not decoration—that half teaspoon is what separates this from tasting like watery lentil soup, so don't assume you can skip it or reduce it.
  • Brown lentils hold their shape where green ones sometimes split, and green lentils are earthier if you prefer that flavor; they both work here, just know the difference.
  • Bay leaves need to come out of the pot because biting into one is genuinely unpleasant and memorable for the wrong reasons.
03 -
  • Dice your vegetables roughly the same size so they cook evenly and the stew feels put together rather than haphazard.
  • Don't skip rinsing the lentils because they can be dusty from storage, and nobody wants grit in their stew.
  • Smoked paprika is worth buying from somewhere that sells good spices because cheap paprika tastes like bright red sadness, while good paprika actually tastes like smoke and depth.
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