Serious Eats / Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Why It Works

• Briefly cooking the tomato paste before adding broth deepens the stew’s savory flavor.
• Adding the escarole just before serving lets it wilt without losing its color or texture.

Hearty and comforting, this lentil, sausage, and escarole stew is built for easy weeknight cooking. It builds richness and body using pantry staples and a streamlined one-pot method that develops flavor quickly. Lentils give the stew structure, sausage adds savoriness, and escarole brings a welcome bitterness that keeps the broth balanced and lively.

The recipe comes from our Birmingham, Alabama test kitchen colleague Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman. She begins by browning fresh chorizo in olive oil, rendering fat and building a savory base, then softens onions and carrots in the same pot, allowing them to absorb the sausage’s flavor. Tomato paste, sugar, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, and smoked paprika are stirred in next and cooked briefly, allowing the tomato paste to caramelize and deepen the stew’s umami before the liquid ingredients are added. This brief cooking time also blooms the spices. The combination brings subtle sweetness, earthy warmth, gentle smokiness, and depth to the stew.

As the stew simmers, the red lentils break down and thicken the broth, giving it body without the need for long cooking. For an even faster meal, you can use canned lentils instead. Once the lentils are tender, chopped escarole is stirred in and allowed to wilt just until soft, adding freshness and a gentle bitterness that balances the richness of the chorizo. If you can’t easily get your hands on escarole, feel free to sub whatever leafy green you have on hand, such as kale, collards, chard, or mature spinach. A splash of sherry vinegar stirred in at the end brightens the stew, sharpening its savory notes and adding a final layer of complexity before serving.

Garnishing the stew with fresh parsley just before serving adds a bright contrast to its earthy lentils and savory sausage. It’s a straightforward, low-effort dinner well suited to weeknights and just as good reheated for lunch or dinner the next day.

This recipe was developed by Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman; the headnote was written by Laila Ibrahim.

Keep Screen Awake

2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound (454 g) fresh chorizo sausage, casings removed

1 medium yellow onion (8 ounces; 227 g), chopped

2 medium carrots (8 ounces; 227 g total), peeled and chopped

4 large cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons (30 ml) tomato paste

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 cup dried red lentils (about 7 ounces; 200 g), picked over and rinsed (see notes)

6 cups (1.4 L) homemade chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth

1 (14.5-ounce; 411 g) can diced tomatoes

1 medium bunch escarole (1 pound; 454 g), stem end trimmed, wilted leaves discarded, chopped into bite-size pieces, and washed very well in multiple changes of water (see notes)

2 teaspoons (10 ml) sherry vinegar

Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems, for serving

In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add sausage, onion, carrots, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up sausage into medium pieces with a wooden spoon, until sausage is no longer pink and vegetables begin to soften, 4 to 5 minutes.

Serious Eats / Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley 1.

Add tomato paste, sugar, salt, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, and paprika. Cook, stirring occasionally, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add lentils, broth, and tomatoes. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until lentils are broken down and tender, about 20 minutes.

Serious Eats / Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley 1.

Add escarole and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted and tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Off-heat, stir in vinegar. Divide stew among serving bowls and top with parsley. Serve.

Serious Eats / Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Special Equipment

Large Dutch oven

Notes

For an even faster recipe, use canned lentils instead of dried. Use two (15-ounce; 425 g) cans, rinsed and drained, and simmer lentils until the flavors meld, about 10 minutes.

If you can’t find escarole, you can substitute kale, chard, collards, or mature spinach, adjusting the cooking time as necessary.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

To freeze, transfer stew to a freezer-safe container, leaving about 1/2 inch of headspace. Freeze for up to 1 month, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of water as needed to loosen the stew if needed; adjust seasoning to taste.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
583	Calories
37g	Fat
32g	Carbs
30g	Protein

×

Nutrition Facts Servings: 6 Amount per serving Calories 583 % Daily Value* 37g 48% Saturated Fat 12g 62% 74mg 25% 1792mg 78% 32g 12% Dietary Fiber 9g 31% Total Sugars 12g 30g Vitamin C 18mg 88% Calcium 119mg 9% Iron 5mg 27% Potassium 1243mg 26% *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)