Of course, I’m one of those people who lives in a cold Midwestern city but hates being cold. Once it hits 60 degrees F, I throw on fuzzy socks, whip up a cozy stew, and always have something baking in the oven (to warm the house and make it smell like heaven 24/7).
When the cold breeze hits, that means it’s soup season, and this Moroccan-spiced lentil stew is definitely one of my all-time favorite recipes to make during the cooler months. It’s cozy, full of nourishing, seasonal ingredients, and just so happens to be plant-based.
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Ingredients in this Moroccan-spiced lentil stew
This stew is filled with incredible flavors and nutrients thanks to all of the cozy spices, squash, and two sources of protein. Is it just me, or is the combination of chickpeas, lentils, and butternut squash in a tomato-based broth a little enchanting? Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- Oil: you’ll need a bit of olive oil or coconut oil to cook down the onion, garlic, and spices.
- Spices: we’re using a mix of cumin, cinnamon, ground turmeric, cayenne pepper, and some salt & pepper.
- Crushed tomatoes: you’ll need a 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes to give this stew the right texture and flavor base.
- Vegetable broth: be sure to use a low-sodium vegetable broth so that you can control the amount of salt you like in the stew. Feel free to also use chicken broth if you’re not eating vegan or vegetarian.
- Protein: as I mentioned, we’re adding both chickpeas and green lentils for our plant-based protein and fiber! Lentils pack tons of delicious fiber as well. I would not suggest using red lentils as they tend to have a mushier texture.
- Butternut squash: you’ll love the tender bites of butternut squash in every bit of this delicious stew. Plus, it adds a great source of vitamins A & C. Learn exactly how to peel & cut a butternut squash here!
- For topping: I highly recommend adding a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and some chopped cilantro to bring out all of those flavors. Yogurt is also amazing, especially if you plan on dipping some naan in!
Customize your stew
There are a few super easy ways to make this Moroccan lentil stew your own:
- Switch up your squash. Feel free to use sweet potato, cubed pumpkin, or acorn squash if you’d like! You can also use pre-cubed butternut squash for ease.
- Add a meat protein. If you’re not vegan or vegetarian, feel free to add cooked, ground turkey or chicken, or cooked, shredded chicken for an extra boost of protein.
- Add your fav toppings. Add a delicious sweetness with a drizzle of coconut milk or a little tang with cool, creamy yogurt. Yum!
A tip for cooking with lentils
Be sure to rinse and sort your lentils before adding them to the stew, as many bags of lentils have some dust and dirt in them. This is normal, and is just because lentils are a whole, natural food! After discarding any “extras,” you can add them straight to the stew as directed in the recipe (no need to soak them).
Nourishing Moroccan lentil stew in 4 steps
-
Cook down the onion & garlic. Heat the oil in a large pot or dutch oven, then cook the garlic and onion until softened.
- Add the spices. Stir in all of those cozy spices until they’re nice and fragrant.
- Simmer the soup. Add the crushed tomatoes, broth, proteins, and squash. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat, and simmer until the butternut squash and lentils are tender.
-
Garnish & serve. Stir in lemon juice and sprinkle with cilantro and basil. Then serve it up with your fav sides and extra toppings!
Our favorite sides to serve with this stew
- Naan or garlic naan
- Thick pieces of a baguette or your favorite crusty bread
- Fluffy Coconut Rice
- Gluten Free Cornbread Muffins
- Winter Butternut Squash Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad
- The Best Garlic Bread You’ll Ever Eat
- Brussels Sprouts Kale Honeycrisp Apple Salad with Maple Cider Dressing
Storing, freezing & reheating tips
- To store: store this healthy Moroccan-inspired lentil stew in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
- To freeze: let the stew completely cool and then transfer it to a freezer-safe container (or multiple containers for meal prep purposes). Freeze for up to 2 months.
- To reheat: first let the stew thaw in the refrigerator, then heat it in the microwave or on the stovetop.
More soups and stews you’ll love
- Vegan Coconut Tomato Lentil Soup
- One Pot Moroccan-Spiced Chicken Stew with Sweet Potato & Couscous
- Creamy Tomato Orzo Soup with Mini Turkey Meatballs
- Butternut Squash Green Chile Chicken Soup
- Lightened Up Cheddar Cauliflower Broccoli Soup
Get all of my soup recipes here!
I hope you love this incredible Moroccan-inspired lentil stew recipe! If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Butternut Squash, Chickpea & Lentil Moroccan-Spiced Stew
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive or coconut oil
- 1 medium white or yellow onion, chopped
- 6 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 ½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 4 cups cubed butternut squash (from about 2 pounds butternut squash)
- 1 cup green lentils, rinsed well
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- fresh juice of 1/2 a lemon
- ⅓ cup chopped cilantro
- Optional: a few basil leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook a few minutes or until the onion becomes softened.
- Next stir in cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, cayenne; cook for 30 seconds to a minute until spices are fragrant.
- Add tomatoes, broth, chickpeas, butternut squash, lentils, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes or until butternut squash is tender and lentils are fully cooked.
- Stir in lemon juice and sprinkle with cilantro and basil, if desired. Serve with a dollop of yogurt if you aren't vegan. Makes 4 servings - about 2 cups each.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on September 25th, 2018, republished on October 26th, 2020, and republished on October 20th, 2026.
Delicious and easy. Makes it a win win. Thank you.
So glad you enjoyed!
Would be nice for the rest of the world if quantities were given in ml & grams as well as cups!!
it amazes me when people complain on recipes provided for free.
Check Google for the metric equivalent!
Outstanding recipe. One of the most delicious meals I’ve made. Prep time is 15 minutes for peeling and cubing the squash alone, but all the prep is straightforward as can be.
The cinnamon makes this dish shine. I used only half the canned tomatoes called for and liked that it didn’t come out soupy.
I should add that I wasn’t sure the butternut squash would cook thoroughly, so I pre-roasted the chunks with olive oil in the oven and added them at the very end.
So happy you loved it! One of our favorite cozy meals 🙂
Great recipe but where is all of that protein coming from, i have added up all the ingredients and im at 10g protein per portion sadly
Glad you like it! I’ve re-calculated and the nutrition information is correct – both chickpeas and lentils are high in protein.
You lose a lot of credibility when you suggest two pounds of squash, a cup of lentils, a can of chick peas, a large can of tomatoes, and 2 cups of stock will make only four servings. This a huge pot, here.
Feel free to divide it into 6, 8, however many servings you’d like! It’s meant to be a filling main dish — you’ll get 4 cups of squash after cutting a 2 pound squash, and 1/4 cup lentils, 1/4 can of chickpeas, etc. doesn’t feel like too much to me. But everyone is different and can enjoy as much or little as they’d like 🙂
I would like to try this recipe but I have a food sensitivity to tomatoes. Can you suggest a substitute for them. Thanks in advance.
The crushed tomatoes are essential for the broth in this stew, so unfortunately, I can’t recommend a swap here. Try this curry instead!
I’m looking forward to making this stew; but I can’t find french lentils, Can I use a different lentil? Thank you.
Hi! Brown lentils should work!
Can I use another type of lentil besides the green variety? Thank you.
That should work but please note that different lentils cook more quickly than others, so be mindful of the cook time!
This is so flavorful! A great vegetarian meal. Easy to whip up too!
So happy you loved it!
My gosh! This recipe did not disappoint! This recipe is packed with flavour and seemed to taste even better as leftovers. I made a big pot and froze some of the servings for lunches on busy weeks, it froze very well – the texture was still excellent.
Amazing! So glad you enjoyed!
This was one of my favorite go-to recipes from when I was a vegetarian for years. I can still taste how delicious it was even all these years later🤤 I’m super excited to re-visit it and introduce it to some veg friends!
Just one question– Do any of the instructions change when subbing the squash for sweet potato?
I remember I used to make that sub and it was DIVINE but I don’t remember if I had to change anything.
Thanks in advance!! <3
One of my favorites, too! And nope, feel free to swap them 1:1 🙂
After cooking this for an hour it’s still hard. Also there is way too much liquid in this, it’s a soup not a stew. I recommend soaking the lentils over night and baking the squash before following this recipe.
Use 14oz of crushed tomatoes and 1 cup of broth.
Very strange – I’m not sure what could’ve happened here! Bringing it all to a boil and then simmering while covered should definitely cook the squash and lentils in well under an hour.
Love this recipe! I made it on christmas eve as a side soup and the whole family loved it. Left overs hold up nicely. I am making it for dinner tonight and am adding some ground turkey in as well. Thanks for an awesome dinner!
Delicious! Great idea to serve it as a little side dish 🙂
I really enjoyed this recipe. I was surprised truth be told at how good it tasted. Some modifications I made was that I chopped up and used real tomatoes(I used 3),low sodium chicken broth because that’s what I had, I used dried basil and cilantro, lemon juice from the bottle, jarred minced garlic, my Butternut squash was still a bit frozen when tossed in, I also used about 3 cops of the squash b/c my pot was getting full, and about half the onion with additional onion powder and minced onion for the same reason as the squash, Cumin right before I put the lid on to simmer because I couldn’t find it, I ended up adding the salt and pepper at the end because I missed that part. I added a bit more salt than what was called for. A whole teaspoon instead of half I believe. I sprinkled at least 1/2 teaspoon. On top of the pot and stirred in, and then a dash for each bowl. Definitely eating the leftovers tomorrow 😋
P.S looking forward to trying with Greek yogurt next time.
Perfect! So happy you enjoyed 🙂
I made this today. Really, really good! I will definitely be making this part of our go to meals. I used Beluga lentils because I was out of the green, and I only had chicken broth. The combination of spices was amazing! I was a little worried about the amount of cinnamon, but it was perfect! I did add 1/2 tsp of coriander pwd & 2 bay leaves. Thank you so much!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
Made this for dinner. Very easy recipe and tastes delicious! I soaked the lentils in hot water while chopping vegetables as someone recommended and they came out perfect. Definitely will make again.
Made some tweaks based on what I had and the time I had. Sautéed onion with some stew meat (beef), added the garlic then spices, then transferred to a crock pot and added the rest of the ingredients (except subbed frozen carrots for the squash). Cooked on high for 5 hours. Soo good!
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
I would like to try your delicious recipes but on your nutrition list you do not show the sodium mg count. I am limited on my salt count to 1500 mg a day because of High blood presure.
Hi! I don’t include the sodium because it can really vary depending on the brands of products used. I recommend omitting any added salt to help reduce it!
This was good, good, Good! I didn’t have squash so I used a can od pumpkin instead. I ended up throwing in a cup of frozen basil leaves and wowzers, that really popped the overall flavor to the next level!
Perfect! The extra basil sounds delicious!
I love your recipes so much!! How do I make this in a crockpot??
I’m so glad! Follow the recipe through Step 2, then transfer the onion, garlic, spice mixture to your crockpot. Add the rest of your ingredients (besides the toppings) to your crockpot and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7!
People in the comments keep talking about saffron but there is no saffron listed in the ingredients. What gives?
It does not have saffron! Originally it did, but I updated the recipe 🙂 You can add it if you’d like.
This was amazing! The spice level was perfect. We did add sour cream and that made it even better.
Love a little sour cream on top!
While I love the idea of this recipe, I found it to be quite bland. I had to add about 2 tablespoons of curry powder at the end to try to give it a reasonable boost of flavor.
Sorry to hear that! It should be well seasoned with all of the spices listed. Did you add enough salt? That really helps bring the flavors together.
Honestly, I wasn’t even going to try this recipe. I’m not a fan of chickpeas and just didn’t think I would like it. But, I had half of a butternut squash that needed to be used. With deep reservations, I gave it a whirl. OMG – it’s soooo flavorful! I ended up using a combo of butternut squash and sweet potatoes to make the 4 cups. Precisely followed the rest of the recipe. The flavors were so amazing that I only knew those chickpeas were in there by their texture. I am a HUGE fan of all of Monique’s soups and one pan meals. ♥️
Amazing!! So glad you ended up giving this a try!
I didn’t make this recipe yet but from the list of ingredients it looks like a five star for sure. I just wanted to let everyone know that Costco sells a 2 pound package of precut organic butternut squash which comes to 4 cups.
Aw, thank you, Darlene! I can’t wait for you to try it. And good to know about Costco!
I just made this the other day as the weather turned colder! It is rich and delicious and makes the house smell wonderful as it’s cooking. I did use fresh butternut squash, just cooked it ahead of time. The last time I made this it took forever for it to fully cook, so I made a note to precook it. I completely forgot the lemon juice, at the end which I didn’t notice, but did remember the fresh cilantro. It seemed to me that raisins would bring out the sweetness and flavours a bit more so I added a cup or so of Thomson seedless at the end. Hubs said it was a lovely touch.
Hi! So glad to hear you both loved it! Thank you for sharing ❤️
My gal and I start craving food containing any warming spices when the temperatures start dropping. We really loved this stew! We added a pinch more cayenne and had an acorn squash on hand. Homemade naan is straightforward so we whipped some up. We’re having this again for breakfast with a fried egg.
So perfect! Glad to hear this recipe turned out great for you and it was a hit, Ryan. Thanks so much for your comment 🙂
So I made this today and it was delicious. However, it ended up not having any broth in the end and I even used half of the squash so I’m not sure where I went wrong! If I make it again I may have to do a minimum of 3 cups of broth.
Hi! Oh strange, I haven’t had that issue. But good call to add extra broth next time!
Hi Monique
Your recipes are amazing and what you do is amazing. So diverse and different. Your family are the luckiest on the planet to have a mum/ wife like you.
Unfortunately I have recently been diagnosed with stomach erosions/ gastritis so cannot eat a lot of foods that are in most of your recipes. e.g.
onions, tomatoes, hot spices etc. these make up the back bone of most flavoursome recipes. Could you possibly pass on a few recipes that I could safely cook and eat? I would be most appreciative if you could. Sending love.
Marian (Ireland)
Hi, Marian! Thanks for the love and I’m so happy you’re here ❤️ Some of my recipes will work just fine without onions or hot spices — you can simply leave them out. Tomatoes are a little tough to replace so I’d recommend avoiding those! Here are a few that come to mind:
– Curry Chicken Meatball Bowls (leave out the jalapeño, cayenne, green onion)
– Cheddar Broccoli Cauliflower Gratin
– Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Hope this is helpful!
Love soups and this one looks amazing! I make soup on the weekend, portion in mason jars and freeze. Makes weekday work lunches easy and a warm treat during the day 🙂 One question I have, is I can’t tolerate tomatoes. Is there anything I could sub for tomatoes? I realize the taste won’t be the same, but am sure it will still be delicious.
Hi Deb – you could omit the tomatoes and double one of the other veggies or leave as is. Hope that helps and you enjoy!
Absolutely delicious made exactly as written, and served with Greek yogurt on top. Healthy, easy to make and super tasty.
Excellent! Glad you’re loving this stew and it turned out amazing for you!
I SUGGEST YOU ADD THE SALT AFTER THE LENTILS ARE DONE, WITH SALT THEY SEEM TO TAKE LONGER.
Hi – thanks for the feedback but the salt shouldn’t be the reason why the lentils are take a bit longer to cook.
Yummy flavours and combination of vegetables and pulses. The level of spiciness is just right and the lemon and coriander lift and brighten everything. Will definitely make this one again.
Yay!! So glad it was a hit 🙂 Thanks for commenting!
Rave reviews from my kids.. A bit time consuming with peeling and chopping the squash but otherwise very straightforward and simple. I simmered the lentils in a soup pot while sautéing onions and garlic and adding spices in a pan then adding them to soup pot, just to give the lentils a bit of extra time. Will for sure make this again, maybe even double the recipe and freeze a bunch
Yesss! You know it’s a good one when it’s kid approved. So glad it turned out great for you ❤️
Very yummy! I used one huge sweet potato and a bag of frozen diced butternut squash. This recipe is a keeper!
Make this all the time! Its become a staple in my house. I use what I have on hand, so this time was red lentils, chicken bouillon, sweet potatoes instead of squash,, added in red onions, and forgot to buy garlic so I used a huge scoop of powdered. I also threw in a bunch of tomato sauce to make it a bit more liquidy since I never measure anything it usually comes out extremely thick. Thanks for the inspiration!
I’m glad those swaps worked out well! This one’s great for customizing 🙂
Delicious and easy! But it does take longer than 30 minutes to soften the lentils and squash.
The lentils and squash took waaaaay longer than 20 minutes to cook; after 35 mins I just chucked the whole thing in the Instant Pot for 5 minutes and then it was finally ready! I found this a little to acidic for my liking. I froze the leftovers (about 1/2) and when I reheat will mix in a can of coconut milk.
Thank you for sharing. Not sure why everything took so long to cook, I usually don’t have any issues. Happy you had leftovers though, adding coconut milk sounds delicious.
Delicious, hearty & healthy! i used a turban squash which yielded much less than the required 4 cups, so I just added more lentils & broth. I precooked the squash, just because I find it easier to peel that way. I also used a large sweet onion, because that’s what I had. After cooking the onion, garlic & spices on the stovetop, I put all the ingredients into a crockpot, set it on low, & left it simmering all day (6 hours) The recipe is a keeper!
For the person who can’t eat nightshades, I’d suggest just not using tomatoes & increasing either the squash or chickpeas or both.
Thank you so much for sharing. I’m so happy you’re a fan! 🙂
This is incredibly delicious and hearty! I probably included more spice than the recipe calls for and added ginger, coriander, and red pepper flakes. I also threw in some greens at the very end to amp it up a little bit. I would recommend partially cooking the butternut squash before putting it into the stew to speed along the process. Love this recipe, will definitely make again!
AHHH this is amazing! SO glad you loved this recipe ❤️
The cook time of 20 minutes is extremely unrealistic for this recipe. It took my stew 2 hours to cook, I used butternut squash, so if you plan to use butternut squash, allow much longer for it to cook through. I will try to cut into smaller pieces next time, but that should be specified in the directions.
The flavor is really good, so I will make this again – but I will probably use sweet potato and pre-cooked lentils.
Yes, I would probably recommend cutting into smaller pieces. Sweet potatoes would be great. Let me know how it works out for you ☺️
Recipe is great and easy to use. I did add about 3/4 cup of ground sirloin because we like meat.
We loved it!
Hi!
We love your recipe it’s so good! Do you think adding some curry would be ok? If so, how much would you recommend ? Thanks!
Hi, Jennie! Glad you’re loving it! I think that’s a great addition 🙂 I’d recommend 1-2 teaspoons. Let me know how it goes!
Moroccan stew is brilliant recipe so thank you