Red lentils are the smart cook’s secret weapon, delivering all the hearty nutrients of beans in 20 minutes of cooking time. Tender sweet potatoes melt into the soup, giving it an earthy, all-natural sweetness. Moroccan spices give the dish an exotic taste and aroma that makes it seem much richer. Currants and pistachios provide little chewy and crunchy explosions and add extra excitement. Serve as a vegetarian main dish or as a hearty side dish.
Active time: 10 minutes | Total time: 40 minutes
Red lentil tagine with pistachios
Ingredients
- 1 cup (192 g) red lentils, sorted and rinsed
- 4 cups (532 g) diced sweet potatoes (about 3 medium potatoes)
- 2 cups (320 g) chopped onion
- 8 cups (1896 g) 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 liter 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 through.
After 20 minutes the lentils should be soft. Cover the lid and increase the heat to medium. Stir in salt, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, paprika and currants. Cook, stirring, until soup is thickened and fragrant, about 7 minutes.
Serve garnished with pistachios and squeezed over with a lemon wedge if you like.
Servings: 4 | Serving size: 2 cups
Nutritional value (per serving): Calories: 362; Total fat: 5g; Saturated fat: 1g; Monounsaturated fat: 2 g; Polyunsaturated fat: 2 g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 674 mg; Carbohydrates: 68g; Fiber: 12g; Sugar: 18g; Protein: 16g
Nutritional bonus: Potassium: 1072 mg; Iron: 33%; Vitamin A: 335%; Vitamin C: 59%; Calcium: 12%
Originally published October 27, 2018; Updated March 2026
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