Red lentils are the smart cook’s secret weapon, delivering all the savory nutrition of beans in 20 minutes of cooking time. Tender sweet potatoes melt into the soup, giving it an earthy, all-natural sweetness. Moroccan spices add an exotic flavor and fragrance that makes the dish seem much richer. Currants and pistachios add little explosions of chew and crunch, for extra excitement. Serve this as a vegetarian main dish or a hearty side.
Active time: 10 minutes | Total time: 40 minutes
Red Lentil Tagine With Pistachios
Ingredients
- 1 cup (192g) red lentils, sorted and rinsed
- 4 cups (532g) cubed sweet potato (about 3 medium potatoes)
- 2 cups (320g) chopped onion
- 8 cups (1896g) water
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp paprika
- ¼ cup dried currants
- ¼ cup shelled pistachios, chopped
- 1 lemon, quartered
Directions
Place the lentils, sweet potato and onion in a 1 quart pot and add the water. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low; cook for 20 minutes, stirring halfway.
After 20 minutes, the lentils should be tender. Uncover and raise the heat to medium. Stir in the salt, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, paprika and currants. Cook about 7 minutes, stirring, until the soup is thickened and fragrant.
Serve topped with pistachios and a lemon wedge on the side to squeeze over the top, to taste.
Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 2 cups
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 362; Total Fat: 5g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 674mg; Carbohydrate: 68g; Dietary Fiber: 12g; Sugar: 18g; Protein: 16g
Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 1072mg; Iron: 33%; Vitamin A: 335%; Vitamin C: 59%; Calcium: 12%
Originally published October 27, 2018; Updated March 2026
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