Oi Gente!!
This lentil stew with sausage and pork is a classic Brazilian New Year tradition. At the same time, it’s an easy and fantastic recipe to enjoy all year long. This easy, one pan pork lentil stew is made with tender pieces of pork tenderloin and smoked pork sausage, plus a few other everyday ingredients. Serve it all by itself with a drizzle of olive oil and a splash of lime, or over rice for a delicious hearty meal all year long.
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Lentilha da Sorte – A Brazilian New Year Tradition
Green lentils are a Brazilian New Year tradition, and many of us Brazilians make sure our first meal of the year is a nice bowl of lentils, whether it’s in a salad, lentil rice (arroz de lentilha), or as a meaty stew, such as this one.
In Brazil, as well as other cultures, it’s believed that lentils bring good luck, prosperity and fortune. If this is true or not, I have no idea, but I don’t know a lot of Brazilians willing to skip their New Year lentilha da sorte (lentils of luck). I sure don’t!
Rumor has it that this tradition was brought to Brazil by Italian immigrants, who believe Lenticchie a capodanno, franchi tutto l´anno (Lentils on New Year, Money All Year). Money all year!!!? Yes, please!!!
Brazilian Good Luck Food
Another new year ritual we have in Brazil surrounding food is to not eat any poultry New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day. Many Brazilians choose to only eat fish (because they swim forward), or pork or steak because these animals take firm and sturdy steps.
Birds on the other hand, scratch the ground throwing dirt backwards. What this weirdness means is, we don’t want to leave anything behind. We rather ring in the year “swimming” forward, and taking firm steps ahead.
I can’t confirm this lentil stew with sausage and pork will bring you any money or luck next year, but I can totally assure you they are delicious and absolutely worth eating on New Years day, and all year long. Serve it with some white rice, or just by itself, with a little drizzle of olive oil and a splash of lime and you’ll feel lucky!
Bom Apetite & Feliz Ano Novo!!
Beijinhos!! xoxo
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How to make lentil stew
For this recipe, I like to use this 6-qt cast iron cocotte. You can definitely use any other dutch oven pot with lid, or even a heavy bottomed regular pan (which is how my mom makes this recipe).
Here’s how you make it:
Step 1 – heat the pan and brown the sausage with the olive oil. When they are browned, remove the sausage, and set them aside.
Step 2 – Sauté half of the onion, and half of the garlic in the sausage fat.
Step 3 – Then add in the tenderloin pieces and brown them. The tenderloin pieces don’t need to cook all the way, they’ll finish cooking with the lentils. The goals here is to seal in all the juices inside all the tenderloin pieces, so they stay nice and tender as they cook.
Step 4 – When the tenderloin has browned, add in the carrots, the rest of the onions and the garlic. Sauté a few minutes until the onions are transparent.
Step 5 – Then, add the lentils and the bay leaves.
Step 6 – Then cover it with water and let it cook until the lentils are soft. Be sure to check the pan every 15 minutes or so to make sure the lentils are always under water. If needed, add a bit more water as you go.
When the lentils are cooked, season them with salt, pepper, the lime juice and the dry spices. Then, simmer for about 10 extra minutes, and you’re all set!
Lentil Stew with Sausage and Pork FAQ
This lentil stew with sausage and pork is great by itself with a a drizzle of olive oil and a splash of lime juice, but it’s even better when served over rice!
Absolutely! You can freeze cooked lentils for about 3-6 months.
Other lentil dishes to try:
- Instant Pot Lentils
- Slow Cooker Lentil Soup
- Rosemary Honey Pork Loin with Warm Lentil Salad
- Red Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk
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Green Lentil Pork Stew
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork tenderloin cut into chunks
- 13 oz smoked pork sausage cut into chunks
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus more for serving
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 tsp of Brazilian sofrito or 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1-2 large carrot diced
- 1 lb green lentils
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp of fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp of mustard powder
- a little pinch of cayenne pepper
- lime wedges for serving optional
Instructions
- Season the tenderloin chunks with salt and pepper, and set aside.
- Heat a dutch oven or heavy bottomed pan, on stove top over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp of the olive oil, heat it up, about 30 seconds. Add the sausage and cook until browned.
- Remove the browned sausage from the pan, and set aside.
- Add half of the diced onions to the pan, and sauté them in the sausage fat, until transparent – about 2 mins.
- Add half of the garlic, and saute until fragrant – about 2 mins.
- Add the loin chunks, and stir – about a min.
- When the loin is cooked and browned, add another Tbsp of olive oil to the pot and add the remaining onions, the carrots and the sausage, stir and sauté about 2 mins.
- Add the remaining garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 2 mins.
- Add the lentils, the bay leaves and water to cover about an inch over the lentils. Cover the pot and let it cook covered over medium heat until the lentils are soft, approx 40 mins, checking on them every 10-15 mins to make sure the lentils are always under water. If needed, add a bit more water.
- When the lentils are cooked, season with salt and pepper to taste. Add lime juice, cayenne and mustard powder and let it simmer for 10 or so more mins.
- Serve with lime wedges and a drizzle of olive oil, or over rice.
Yum! I never knew such a delicious Brazilian New Year tradition exist. This lentil stew with sausage and pork is making me super hungry. Looks really scrumptious!
I love learning about different cultures and how they celebrate with food. This will be so good over brown rice, so hearty and filling. Thank you!
I love this New Year tradition! My German husband has to eat pork and sauerkraut and I really don’t like it at all. This dish is fantastic and I love all the tips and steps!
This is a perfect comforting meal for a cold day like today! I need a bowl of this stew right now!) Saving the recipe!
I would definitely enjoy this stew all year long. It is rich, warming and absolutely inviting. Fabulous dish to enjoy in the end of the day – yum!
I’ve already pinned the recipe. It sounds so good. My mamma used to tell me about a custom they had when she was little that involved lentils. I’m making this for New Years — sounds so flavorful. What a great way to start the New Year.
There is nothing more comforting than lentil stew on a winter’s day! This looks absolutely delicious and reminds me of the one my mom would make when I was little ^_^
I had never heard of lentils for luck – but I will totally take it! Cuz this dish is amazing and hearty. So good!
Yeah girl! At the very least, we feel lucky to have a bowl!! ahaha
Stew is perfect for this weather. Your spice list awesome, I never added mustard powder to the stew, next time I will remember to add mustard powder.
Lentils are my favorite protein and the best way to eat lentils is in stew form. Love the flavors in this stew with pork in it. Sounds great.
I can literally smell this recipe!! I love lentils and I love pork sausage even more! I can’t wait to try this out.
This looks so hearty and filling. I will have to try this very soon. It looks perfect for the cold weather.
Stewed lentils keep me alive in the winter. I definitely want to try your recipe, but I’ll have to skip the tenderloin and swap in Beyond Sausage to make it vegan friendly.
I love a good stew and this looks so good!!
I can’t stop admiring how great this looks! I absolutely cannot wait to try and I know the family will truly appreciate it.
We’re a pork free house but making this and subbing turkey. I’m excited!
I am on a huge lentils kick right now–this looks SO good! Great job!
All of your recipes are so wonderful! This one as well!
This is delicious comfort food. I’m recreating it with chicken!
Does it work if you soak the lentils first?
Hey Ross, lentils don’t really need to be soaked, but you can still certainly can soak them first to reduce cooking time if you’d like. Enjoy!!
Thanks aline 🙂 I have some lentils I soaked the other day that I wanted to use… so I will give it a try and I’ll let you know how it turns out… I just don’t want it to be too mushy so I’ll watch that. It sounds a bit like a french cassoulet … without the beans ..
haha true! I feed a Frenchman daily at home, and this is one of his favorite dishes!! I’m sure you’ll love this! And yes, if your lentils have been soaking a while, they’ll cook super fast – keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t mush up. And if they do, call it soup and eat it anyway ahaha all the flavors will be there! Beijos, Ross!! Keep me posted!
I love your attitude (and advice)… beijos back to you… 🙂
I am cooking my own lentils for New Year’s for the first time, and your recipe is amazing! It’s also super helpful that’s in English, because I was able to show it to my husband and have him help out and understand the steps. Thank you and good wishes for 2023! E feliz ano novo!