Potaje de Lentejas (Cuban Lentil Soup)
This potaje de lentejas (Cuban lentil soup) is a filling, flavorful soup that is popular in Cuban cuisine. It’s loaded with lentils, smoked ham, potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, and spices making it a wholesome, hearty meal.
Servings 6
Calories 561kcal
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Dry Lentils picked through and rinsed (use brown or green lentils)
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Onion finely diced
- 1 Carrot diced
- 3-4 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
- 1 teaspoon Salt plus extra if needed at the end
- ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 pound Smoked Pork use smoked ham shanks or ham hocks, rinsed
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
- 4 cups Water
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 Large Potato peeled and cut into 1-2 inch pieces
- 1 pound Pumpkin peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-2 inch pieces
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, add the onions and carrots. Cook approximately 5 minutes until the onions are translucent, stirring frequently.
- Add the garlic, tomato paste, salt, oregano, cumin, and black pepper. Cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the ham shanks, chicken broth, water, and bay leaf to the pot, stir well. Raise the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil. Then, lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the lentils to the pot, cover and cook for about 20 minutes until the lentils start to soften, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the ham from the pot and let it cool down on a plate or cutting board. In the meantime, add the potatoes and the pumpkin to the lentil stew. Bring the liquid back to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the lentils, potatoes, and pumpkin are tender.
- When the ham shanks cool down take the meat off and discard the fat and bones. Chop the ham and return it to the pot.
- Keep the broth at a simmer. Raise or lower the heat as needed. Stir occasionally.
- Remove the bay leaf and discard. Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference we added 1 teaspoon to ours.
Nutrition
Calories: 561kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 1202mg | Potassium: 1441mg | Fiber: 19g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 8208IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 7mg