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.
