Maghrebi Vegetarian Lentils

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Olive oil (for cooking)
• 1 piece Onion (peeled and chopped)
• 3 pieces Garlic cloves (sliced)
• 1 piece Tomato (peeled, seeded, diced)
• 2 tablespoons Fresh cilantro (chopped)
• 1 teaspoon Sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric
• 1 pinch Ginger
• to taste Salt
• to taste Black pepper
• 1 piece Carrot (diced)
• 1 piece Potato (diced)
• 200 g Blond lentils (soaked 1 h then rinsed)
• 500 ml Water (just enough to cover the lentils)
• 1 piece Hot chili (optional, remove before serving)
• 1 teaspoon Ground cumin (added at the end of cooking)
• 1 teaspoon Additional olive oil (for serving)

Instructions

1. Prepare the vegetables

   Slice the onion and garlic, dice the tomato after peeling and seeding, chop the cilantro, dice the carrot and potato.

   Time: PT10M

2. Sauté onion and garlic

   Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the pressure cooker, heat over medium heat, add the onion and garlic, sauté 3‑4 minutes until translucent.

   Time: PT5M

3. Add aromatics and tomato

   Stir in the diced tomato, chopped cilantro, paprika, turmeric, ginger, pepper and salt. Mix and cook 2 minutes.

   Time: PT2M

4. Add root vegetables

   Add the diced carrot and potato, stir 1 minute.

   Time: PT1M

5. Pressure cooking

   Add the drained lentils, add the chili (if using) and cover with about 500 ml of water. Close the pressure cooker lid and cook under pressure 10‑15 minutes depending on heat intensity.

   Time: PT15M

6. Finishing

   Release the pressure, open the cooker, remove the chili, add ground cumin and adjust seasoning with salt if needed.

   Time: PT2M

7. Serving

   Serve the hot lentils, drizzle with a splash of additional olive oil, sprinkle with a little hot paprika and fresh cilantro. Accompany with homemade bread if desired.

   Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

120

Protein

9 g

Carbohydrates

20 g

Fat

2 g

Fiber

8 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Olive oil: sunflower oil, rapeseed oil
• Instead of Onion: shallot
• Instead of Garlic cloves: garlic powder (½ tsp)
• Instead of Tomato: canned tomatoes (200 g)
• Instead of Fresh cilantro: flat parsley
• Instead of Sweet paprika: smoked paprika
• Instead of Turmeric: curry powder
• Instead of Ginger: ground ginger (¼ tsp)
• Instead of Salt: sea salt
• Instead of Black pepper: white pepper
• Instead of Carrot: zucchini
• Instead of Potato: sweet potato
• Instead of Blond lentils: green lentils
• Instead of Water: vegetable broth
• Instead of Hot chili: chili flakes
• Instead of Ground cumin: cumin seeds
• Instead of Additional olive oil: same olive oil

Equipment Needed

• Pressure cooker (autocooker)
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Wooden spoon or spatula
• Measuring spoons
• Soaking bowl (optional)
• Ladle or small spoon (optional)
• Serving plate (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Sauté the onion and garlic until translucent without burning.
• Do not add too much water before pressure cooking.
• Add the cumin only at the end to keep its fragrance.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use fresh spices for a more intense flavor.
• Sprinkle a little smoked paprika at serving time for an extra aromatic note.
• Serve with pita bread or lightly toasted homemade bread.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container 3‑4 days.

Freezer: Can be frozen for 2 months; thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Soak the lentils the night before to save time on the day.
• Cooked lentils store well and can be reheated in the microwave or skillet.