Quick Summary: A hearty stew of red lentils, Mexican chorizo, chipotle, and roasted red peppers. It’s cheap, filling, and endlessly adaptable, and it fits the slow carb diet. Prep: 10 min | Cook: 35 min | Serves: 6
Jump to: RECIPE | Regular Stew vs Mulligan Stew | A Mexican Version | Step by Step Directions | FAQ
Lentils are constantly being recommended as a good staple for the slow carb diet. Besides being a tasty base for all kinds of proteins and vegetables, lentils are also cheap, nutritious and easy to work with.
This stew combines them with Mexican chorizo, chipotle peppers, and roasted red peppers for a dish that’s both comforting and satisfying. I call it a mulligan stew because it’s made with the odds and ends of what was available in my kitchen.
The Mexican flavor profile comes from the chorizo and the chipotle, both common in the central region of Mexico.
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What Is Mulligan Stew?
In golf, a mulligan is a second chance after a bad shot. In cooking, mulligan stew is a second chance for leftovers and odds and ends.
Mulligan stew originated in hobo camps during the early 1900s. It’s a catch-all dish made with whatever meat, vegetables, and starches are available. There’s no fixed recipe, which is the beauty of it.
I’m calling this lentil chorizo dish a “mulligan stew” because it’s kind of a stew, kind of a hash and kind of a soup. It’s really a mash-up of lentils and chorizo and whatever else is in your fridge or pantry. In my case that was chorizo and red lentils.
The Mexican Version of Lentil Chorizo Stew
The Mexican version uses fresh Mexican chorizo and chipotle in adobo, whereas Spain’s classic lentejas con chorizo uses cured Spanish chorizo and smoked paprika. In this Mexican version of the dish, fresh chorizo melts into the stew and seasons the lentils from the inside, and the chipotle adds smoke and heat.
In the central region of Mexico, chorizo is used in everything from eggs to tacos. The addition of chipotle chile is also characteristic of this area.
For more on chipotles and the other dried chiles I cook with, see my guide to the best chile peppers for traditional Mexican cooking.
I was inspired to make this stew with a Mexican flavor profile by an article about Mexican cooking focused on lentils which I found on the website Mexconnect.
My recipe below is similar to that one but modified to be more in line with a slow carb diet. Key ingredients for the Mexican flavor profile include:
- Mexican chorizo (fresh, not cured Spanish chorizo)
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- Roasted red peppers
- Red lentils (sweeter and nuttier than brown)
- Diced tomatoes (Rotel adds extra kick)
For a deeper, smokier stew, I add a teaspoon of my Smoky blend with the garlic. I sell it at the St. Paul Farmers Market. If you can’t get to the market, chipotle powder works too. Want to make your own? Here’s how to smoke chile peppers at home.
Lentil and Chorizo Stew (Step by Step)
Other Ways to Add Flavor to Lentils
Lentils can be bland on their own. Building flavor is essential. Smoky ingredients, well-cooked aromatics, a little acid, and fresh herbs are the four easiest ways to give lentils more flavor.
- Smoky additions: Smoked paprika, fire-roasted tomatoes, chipotle peppers, smoked salt.
- Aromatics: Caramelized onions and garlic are the foundation. Cook them well before adding lentils.
- Acid: A squeeze of lemon or splash of vinegar brightens the finished dish.
- Fresh herbs: Parsley, cilantro, or mint stirred in at the end adds freshness.
This smoky lentil tomato soup is a recipe that adds smoked ingredients for a rich, comforting flavor profile.
Most of my slow carb recipes were developed with my clients in mind. Slow carb is a very effective diet, and learning to cook simple dishes with high flavor was the key to sustainability. For more details on slow carb and how it works, check out this detailed guide on losing fat through a slow carb diet.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Red or brown lentils?
Can I make this vegetarian?
Yes. Skip the chorizo, use vegetable broth, and add more vegetables. The lentils provide plenty of protein.
Cool it and refrigerate within 2 hours. It keeps 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator (the flavor gets better by day two) or about 3 months in the freezer.
Reader Michelle made it with canned lentils and loved it. I would rinse two 15-ounce cans, cut the stock to 1 cup, and simmer just 10 minutes so they don’t turn mushy. Canned lentils turn mushy when cooked further. Quick-cooking dried lentils are easy and hold their texture better.
Red lentils cook in about 15 to 20 minutes and break down into a thick, stew-like texture. Brown lentils take 25 to 30 minutes, hold their shape, and may need an extra half cup of stock.
Lentils are allowed on the slow-carb (4-Hour Body) diet. They’re not keto-compliant however due to carb content. One cup of cooked lentils has about 40 grams of carbohydrate, but about 16 of those grams are fiber, plus 18 grams of protein. One serving of this stew has about 29 grams of carbs and 12 grams of fiber. That’s why lentils are the go-to carb on the slow carb diet and they can be a good fit for moderate low carb eating.
Yes, as long as you skip the sour cream (dairy is out on slow carb) and check that your chorizo has no added sugar or fillers. See my list of slow carb foods for what else fits.
Yes, but the stew changes. Cured Spanish chorizo is firm and smoky, so slice it, brown it, and add it with the lentils. That makes a version closer to Spain’s lentejas con chorizo.
Yes. Skip the chorizo, use vegetable broth, add a teaspoon of smoked paprika or more chipotle for the smoky flavor, and add more vegetables.
Lentil and Chorizo Stew (Mexican Style, Low Carb)
Equipment
- Dutch oven or large heavy pot
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 pound fresh Mexican chorizo casings removed
- 3 cloves garlic minced or smashed
- 1 chipotle in adobo coarsely chopped
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes Canned (I like Rotel) or fresh
- 1 cup lentils red or brown
- 12 ounces roasted red peppers chopped
- 2 cups chicken stock or water
- ¼ cup flat leaf parsley chopped
- sour cream optional
Instructions
- Heat 1 Tbsp oil in dutch oven or large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute for 3-5 minutes until soft and golden brown. Add chorizo and break it up in the pot. Cook mixture over medium heat until crumbly and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes (160°F).2 Tablespoons Olive oil, 1 onion, 1 pound fresh Mexican chorizo
- Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Stir in chipotle in adobo, tomatoes, lentils, peppers and stock and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until the mixture has thickened slightly.1 chipotle in adobo, 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, 1 cup lentils, 12 ounces roasted red peppers, 2 cups chicken stock
- Stir in parsley and serve in bowls1/4 cup flat leaf parsley
Video
Notes
- Sour cream can be added to mitigate the heat if your stew is too spicy (sour cream is not slow carb however)
- For brown lentils: simmer 25 to 30 minutes and add ½ cup more stock if needed
Delicious! I used canned lentils because I had them on hand and didn’t feel like going to the store and it was great. Thanks so much!!
Hey, thanks so much for commenting and the 5 stars! Much appreciated. Love your email address btw lol. Glad to know it worked with canned lentils….I saw some packaged lentils at Costco that I thought I might try also. Cheers!