This Mediterranean eggplant stew has a great balance of nutrients and will give you enough energy to complete your day. Ready in less than an hour, serve it with a slice of bread to soak in that delicious sauce or some crumbled feta cheese on top. Enjoy!

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Lentil, Orzo, And Roasted Eggplant Stew Recipe

Why you should try my recipe

• A dish is full of flavor and very aromatic.

• Nutritious, full of vitamins from all the vegetables, and protein from the lentils and pasta gives you that energy boost.

• Great as a side dish or main with some bread and cheese on the side.

• Stores well in the fridge for up to 3 days.

• Freezes well for up to 3 months.

• Nice way for babies and little children to eat more veggies and legumes.

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INGREDIENTS

• Eggplants

• Onion

• Garlic

• Carrots

• Peppers

• Dried lentils

• Orzo pasta

• Fresh parsley

• Tomato passata

• Bay leaf

• Chili flakes

• Olive oil

• Salt

• Pepper

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METHOD

1. Before I start preparing and chopping all the vegetables, I fill in a big jug or bowl with water and add the lentils. Soaking the lentils in water for 15-30 minutes will help to ease digestion and reduce cooking time. That is of course if you are using dry lentils like me. If you prefer to use canned ones, you could simply rinse them and add them to the stew.
2. Now it’s time to prepare and chop all the vegetables. There are quite a few in this lentil, orzo, and roasted eggplant stew, so preparation might take 10-15 minutes, but it’s so worth it. All these veggies are what give it this delicious flavor on its bite. As usual, I cut the onion into cubes and finely chop the garlic cloves. I peel and cut a couple of carrots into cubes, and the same with 2-3 small bell peppers. Where I live, it’s easy to get hold of small bell peppers that have a sweet peppery flavor. If you can only find large peppers or longhorn peppers then feel free to use one of those and cut it again into cubes after removing the seeds and any hard parts.
3. I leave the eggplants for the end, as they brown easily when exposed to the air. I cut the hard stem and then cut each one into large cubes. Then, I place them on a lined tray and drizzle them with some olive oil. Then, I put the eggplants in the oven to get roasted for 20 minutes while I cook the stew in the pot.
4. Now it’s time to make the stew in the pot. I start by sautéing the chopped onion for a few minutes until it’s translucent and all the sweetness is out. Then I add the garlic, peppers, carrots, and lentils.
5. I give it a good mix and then add the tomato passata and season with salt, ground pepper, some chili flakes, and a bay leaf. The chili flakes are optional but highly recommended as they give a nice kick to the eggplant stew. I add a big glass of water and cook for 15 minutes. The lentils and vegetables need to be cooked ahead of the orzo pasta as they are hard and the pasta will go too soft and melt if everything is put together in the pot at the same time.
6. When the vegetables start to get a bit softer, I add the orzo pasta to the stew and some more water. The pasta will need around 10-15 minutes to cook and will absorb most of the sauce and water in the pot. So do keep an eye on it in case you need to add some more water and keep stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking at the bottom of the pot.
7. When the pasta is almost ready, I add the chopped parsley. I like to add parsley and any other green herbs towards the end of my stews as in this way they keep their flavor and aroma. I leave it to cook for about 5 minutes or until the pasta is cooked.
8. When the stew is ready and all ingredients cooked, I turn off the heat and add the roasted eggplant. I give it a good stir to incorporate the eggplant and now it’s ready to serve. I don’t want to continue cooking the eggplant in the pot as it will get too soft and soggy and the flesh will melt. By adding it in the end, after I turn off the heat, it keeps its shape and that roast flavor.

Serving suggestions

As with most stews, we love to have this Mediterranean lentil, orzo and roasted eggplant stew with a generous slice of bread on the side to soak all the sauce. If you are not vegan, you could have it with a little bit of feta cheese or any other cheese you like. I find the tangy taste of feta cheese with the sweet and juicy stew and the pasta, a great combination!

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Storage

You can store any leftovers of the lentil, orzo, and eggplant stew in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just warm it up in the microwave or a small pot for a couple of minutes and serve. If you prefer the stew a bit saucier then you could add a little bit of water to the pot before warming it up.

You could also store the roasted eggplant stew in the freezer for up to 2 months. Leave it in the fridge overnight to defrost and warm it up until piping hot before serving.