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This single serving Lentil Stew is packed with flavor from bacon, vegetables, and tender lentils simmered in a rich, seasoned broth. It’s a simple one-pot meal that comes together easily and can be customized with whatever vegetables you have on hand.
Enjoy a bowl of hearty lentil stew with French Bread or Butter Swim Biscuits. For a complete meal, serve it with Brown Rice and a Tomato Salad.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Adaptable: Use whatever vegetables you have on hand. No need for a special grocery run.
- One-Pot Meal: Everything cooks in one pot, which means less cleanup—always a win in my book.
- Quick & Easy: Green or brown lentils cook fast, so dinner is ready in no time.
- Easily Doubles: I love making extra for the next day—this stew reheats beautifully.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch lentil stew recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Bacon: Consider using center-cut bacon for a leaner option. Bacon adds flavor and provides the cooking fat for the vegetables. If you have extra, use it in Clam Chowder, Pasta Carbonara, or Crustless Quiche Lorraine.
- Vegetables: This stew includes onions, garlic, carrots, kale, and tomatoes, all cooked in the bacon drippings for extra depth. Swap kale for spinach or use other vegetables you have on hand, keeping quantities the same. For tomatoes, substitute 8 cherry tomatoes with 1 Roma or half of a large tomato.
- Seasonings: A simple mix of Italian seasoning, black pepper, and salt gives this stew plenty of flavor.
- Lentils: Green or brown lentils hold their shape best in this stew. Red or yellow lentils will break down more, creating a thicker texture.
- Chicken broth: For a vegetarian version, skip the bacon and use vegetable broth. In this case, sauté the vegetables in a tablespoon of olive oil. We use chicken broth in many recipes, including White Bean Soup and Curried Carrot Soup. It’s also used in Risotto and Chicken Stew.
Recipe Variations
This lentil stew is easy to customize with different flavors and ingredients. Here are a few ways to make it your own:
- Spicy Lentil Stew: Add a pinch of cayenne or a splash of hot sauce for extra heat.
- Loaded with Vegetables: Stir in zucchini, bell peppers, or cubed butternut squash.
- Seafood Version: Add shrimp or white fish chunks near the end of cooking to keep them tender.
- Creamy Stew: Stir in a spoonful of Greek yogurt or coconut milk for a richer texture.
How To Make Lentil Stew
See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
Cook the bacon in a 2-quart saucepan until crisp, then set the bacon aside on a paper towel-lined plate. In the same pot, sauté the onions, carrots, and kale in the bacon fat until softened. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and pepper, cooking briefly until fragrant. Stir in the lentils and tomatoes, then pour in the chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt, stir in the crumbled bacon, and serve.
Expert Tips
- Rinse the Lentils: Run them under cool water in a fine-mesh sieve to remove any dust or debris.
- Season at the End: Add salt after the lentils are fully cooked to keep them from turning tough.
- Use the Right Pot: A 2-quart saucepan works best for this recipe, ensuring even cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Warm the stew over low heat on the stove, adding a splash of broth or water if needed. You can also microwave it in short intervals, stirring in between.
Yes, cook the bacon separately, then add all ingredients to a 1.5-quart slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this single serve lentil stew recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Lentil Stew For One
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 slice bacon
- ¼ cup chopped onions
- 1 small carrot -chopped
- ¼ cup chopped kale
- 1 clove garlic -minced
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup dry green lentils
- 8 grape tomatoes sliced in half or use 1 medium tomato, chopped.
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- ⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese -optional for topping
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat until crispy. Transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the drippings in the pan.
- Add the onions, carrots, and kale to the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes until slightly softened. Stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the lentils, tomatoes, broth, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 18-20 minutes until the lentils are tender.
- Stir in the salt and crumbled bacon. Serve warm, adding grated or shredded Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Rinse the Lentils: Run them under cool water in a fine-mesh sieve to remove any dust or debris.
- Season at the End: Add salt after the lentils are fully cooked to keep them from turning tough.
- Use the Right Pot: A 2-quart saucepan works best for this recipe, ensuring even cooking.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Best lentil stew I’ve had!
Thank you!
More os a soup than a thicker stew, but good!
I really enjoyed the soup. I didn’t have bacon but I substituted ground turkey sautéed and a little olive oil. It came out very delicious. I will be making this again.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it. Thank you so much for your feedback.
I basically made as per the recipe but did substitute cherry tomatoes for the grape tomatoes and used baby spinach for the kale which I added (1 cup of) just before serving and also added some zucchini, all up I used 3 cups of vegetables and ended up with 1 1/2 serves which was extremely filling and delicious and as my late dad would say it is only a stew if you can eat it with or fork or it is a soup if a spoon is needed well mine turned up in between the two and made a delicious, filling dinner which was lo-carb. Thank you.
could i make this with the red lentils i have. if so are any time adjustments needed. this recipe sounds sooo good. thank you
I really recommend using green or brown lentils in this recipe because they hold their shape better than red or yellow lentils do. You can use red lentils though and cook them for between 15-20 minutes.
I don’t see where you add the bacon back in. Do you just use the bacon fat?
I do love the work you put into these recipes. Most are the best you find out there. Thanks for your hard work.
Hi Carol, Add the cooked and crumbled bacon after the lentils have simmered (Step 3). I added this information to the recipe, thank you.
Love this recipe! I am so glad I found this site 🙂 I have tried several recipes and all of them are great.
I’m so happy you enjoyed the stew! Thank you so much, Theresa.
Looking to try this again in the future. I’m not sure what error I made, but after 22 mins, the lentils still seemed just a tad undercooked.
It sounds like the lentils needed to be cooked longer. Next time, add maybe another 5 minutes to your cooking time to see if that helps.
I made this as a side dish with chicken and cauliflower steaks. It was my first try at cooking lentils and the recipe turned out great. I added red and green peppers as well as celery. I will definitely be making this again. Thank you for sharing this.
The peppers and celery sound like a delicious addition. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe.