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Mediterranean-inspired · Easy

Tomato & lentil stew with brown rice

A comforting bowl of lentils, tomatoes, and spinach over brown rice. A practical plant-based dinner that reheats well for tomorrow’s lunch.

VeganVegetarianDairy-freeGluten-free
15 minPrep70 minTotal, including resting4Standard portions
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AI-generated illustration: lentil tomato spinach stew alongside brown rice

Let’s make it

Amounts below match your selected batch. Follow each short step, and use timers as reminders to check the food.

Equipment

Stovetop · Two saucepans with lids · Sieve · Wooden spoon

  1. 1

    Wash and prepare the produce

    Wash 6 medium whole tomatoes, remove the cores, then dice evenly into 1 cm pieces. Keep any juices with the prepared tomatoes.

    Wash 200 g spinach, drain well.

    Peel 150 g onion and dice evenly.

  2. 2

    Finish the vegetable preparation

    Peel and finely mince 12 g garlic.

  3. 3

    Prepare the remaining ingredients

    Measure 240 g dry lentils. Pick out any stones or damaged lentils, rinse in a sieve, and drain.

    Measure 240 g brown rice, rinse in a sieve and drain.

  4. 4

    Measure and set out

    Measure 20 g olive oil.

    Measure 3 g table salt.

    Measure 1,450 ml water.

    Keep these measured amounts nearby. The cooking steps below specify how much to use at each stage.

  5. 5

    Start the rice

    Put 240 g rice, 750 ml water, and 1.5 g salt in a saucepan.

    Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low, and cook gently for 35–40 minutes or according to the rice package.

    Set the rice check timer and continue with the next step while it cooks. When the timer rings, go to step 12 to check the rice and step 13 to rest it, even if the other component is still cooking. Then return to where you left off. The timer is a reminder to check, not a guarantee that the rice is ready.

  6. 6

    Build the stew

    While rice cooks, warm 20 g olive oil in the second pan over medium heat.

  7. 7

    Soften the onion

    Cook 150 g onion for 5 minutes until softened, stirring often.

  8. 8

    Warm the garlic

    Add 12 g garlic and stir for 30 seconds.

  9. 9

    Build the stew

    Add 240 g lentils and the remaining 700 ml water.

    Bring to a gentle boil, then cover loosely and simmer for 20 minutes.

  10. 10

    Add tomatoes and finish

    Stir in 6 diced fresh tomatoes with their juices and 1.5 g salt.

    Simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes soften and lentils are tender throughout.

  11. 11

    Wilt the spinach

    Add a little water if the stew becomes dry before the lentils soften.

    Stir in 200 g spinach and cook for 2 minutes until wilted.

  12. 12

    Check the rice

    When the rice check timer rings, check a few grains: they should be tender.

    If firm and dry, add 30 ml water, cover, and cook on low for another 5 minutes, then check again. Repeat only if needed.

    If there is still water in the pan, keep cooking on low and check again in 5 minutes. Once tender, follow the rice-rest step.

  13. 13

    Rest the cooked rice

    Once the rice is tender, turn off the heat and leave the saucepan covered for at least 5 minutes. If you already rested it when the rice timer rang, continue to the next step.

  14. 14

    Portion and serve

    Fluff the rice.

    Divide rice and stew into 4 portions.

  15. 15

    Store leftovers safely

    For packed lunches, cool promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate; do not leave rice standing at room temperature.

Make it work for you

For kids & different preferences

Offer the components separately if preferred. Let caregivers choose portions and suitable textures; appetites vary.

Substitutions

Red lentils break down into a softer stew and usually cook faster; begin checking after 12 minutes. Nutrient matching here uses generic dry lentils.

Storage & packed lunches

Refrigerate in shallow covered containers within 2 hours (within 1 hour above 90°F / 32°C). Keep at 40°F / 4°C or colder and use within 3–4 days. Freeze portions intended for later in the week. Keep packed lunches cold with ice packs until eaten.

Freezing & reheating

Freeze promptly in meal-sized airtight containers for up to 2–3 months for best quality. Thaw in the refrigerator.

Reheat leftovers throughout to 165°F / 74°C. Stir microwave portions and check several places with a food thermometer.

If something looks different

Check the food itself as well as the clock. Equipment, batch depth, and ingredient size affect timing. Fresh tomatoes vary in juiciness. If too watery, simmer uncovered a little longer; if sticking before tender, add water a spoonful at a time.

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Version 4 · Updated 2026-10-21

Bethany’s Kitchen · /recipes/lentil-stew · Original instructions prepared for this project; no third-party recipe prose or photography reproduced. Not kitchen tested.