Traditional lentils with chorizo in a casserole

The traditional lentils with chorizo in a casserole are one of those dishes that comfort you from the first bite, and it's a super easy recipe to make. The step-by-step I leave here is exactly how I make them at home every week, and they come out super tasty with that homestyle aroma that fills the whole house.

In this version, we build the base with a good sofrito, add fresh vegetables, and let the casserole work its magic, achieving a a hearty stew, full of flavor and with an irresistible thick, velvety broth.

The best part is we're talking about a grateful dish, one of those that practically cooks itself and gets much better after resting. Making them today to eat tomorrow is almost mandatory: the lentils settle, the flavor rounds out and that touch from the chorizo —added at the end so it doesn't make it too greasy— blends deliciously into every spoonful.

It's a perfect everyday stew, nutritious and economical, and also ideal when you're looking for a homemade dish that tastes like home, without complications and with guaranteed results. And if you make them in a iron casserole, success is assured: even cooking, gentle heat and that special hint of flavor you only get from this type of pot.

Get ready to enjoy some traditional lentils full of flavor, with tender vegetables, a tasty broth and just the right balance of spices. Seriously: you're going to love them.

You can see how we make them live here.

Ingredients

• 1 leek
• 500 g of cooked lentils
• 2 carrots
• Sweet chorizo (1.5 palm-lengths long, or to taste)
• 1 medium onion or 1/2 large
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cc of salsa harissa or of choricero pepper (optional)
• Sweet paprika to taste
• 1 pinch of hot paprika
• Salt to taste
• Vegetable broth (about 800 ml approx.).

Preparation

1. Put the casserole over low heat with a good glug of oil.
2. Peel and finely chop the onion and the leek, and add them to the casserole. Let them sweat for a few minutes.
3. When the leek and onion start to change color, add the chopped garlic. Stir and let brown for a couple of minutes.
4. Add the peeled carrots cut into large, rough pieces.
5. Add 2 bay leaves, and stir with a spatula to coat everything with the oil.
6. Add the teaspoon of salsa harissa and mix, then add the lentils. Salt and pepper to taste, add a teaspoon of sweet paprika, a little hot paprika and mix all the ingredients.
7. Add the vegetable broth until it completely covers the lentils and let simmer for 20 minutes over medium/low heat.
8. Add the chorizo sliced into rounds, and let cook for another 10-15 minutes.
9. Remove from the heat, let it lose its heat and let rest. When it's warm, store in the fridge until the next day.
10. It is highly recommended to eat these lentils the next day: the flavors and texture are absolutely on another level after a few hours of resting! When you're ready to eat them, heat in the same casserole or serve on plates and heat in the microwave if you're in a hurry.

You'll see how delicious they are!

Notes:

• Chorizo always at the end: adding it in the last 10-15 minutes prevents the stew from becoming too greasy and keeps the texture better.
• Resting until the next day: lentils are infinitely better after a few hours of resting. The flavor rounds out and the broth thickens.
• A drizzle of raw oil when serving makes it perfect.
• For the bravest or lovers of spicy food, they can substitute the sweet chorizo (or part of it) with spicy chorizo... but if you do, I recommend not using the harissa sauce to avoid making it excessively spicy.
• I indicated about 800 ml of broth, but add more or less depending on how thick you like them (remember, though, that with resting the lentils will absorb a bit more of the remaining liquid).