Potaje de Lentejas (Cuban Lentil Soup)

Name: Potaje de Lentejas (Cuban Lentil Soup)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 12 ounces Dry Lentils (picked through and rinsed (use brown or green lentils)); 1 tablespoon Olive Oil; 1 Medium Onion (finely diced); 1 Carrot (diced); 3-4 Garlic Cloves (minced); 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste; 1 teaspoon Salt (plus extra if needed at the end); ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano; ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin; ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper; 1 pound Smoked Pork (use smoked ham shanks or ham hocks, rinsed); 4 cups Chicken Broth; 4 cups Water; 1 Bay Leaf; 1 Large Potato (peeled and cut into 1-2 inch pieces); 1 pound Pumpkin (peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-2 inch pieces)

This potaje de lentejas (Cuban lentil soup) is a filling, flavorful soup that is popular in Cuban cuisine. It’s loaded with lentils, smoked ham, potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, and spices making it a wholesome, hearty meal.

An image of the potaje de lentejas served in a white bowl and served with sliced bread.

In Cuban cuisine potajes typically include vegetables, beans, and a cheap cut of meat. Lentils are a common ingredient in potaje. They are one of my favorite beans because they are versatile, wholesome, and they cook quickly. Try this bacon lentil soup and this chicken lentil soup for easy weeknight dinners.

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Frequently asked questions

What is a potaje?

Potaje (in English potage or pottage) is a thick soup or stew consisting of beans, grains, vegetables, or a combination thereof. It also may contain beef, chicken, fish, or other protein. Bean potajes are popular in Cuban and Spanish cuisine as a nourishing and affordable lunch or dinner.

What can I add to lentils for flavor?

Flavor lentils with herbs, spices and aromatics like oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, onions, carrots, celery, and garlic to name a few. Smoked ham, bacon, and sausage also flavor lentils beautifully.

What to serve with lentils?

Serve the lentils with white rice, fried green plantains, a piece of crusty bread, or crackers for dipping.

Ingredients

Lentils – Use brown or green lentils since other varieties will cook too quickly, breakdown, and will not get us the thick consistency we want.
Oil – We use olive oil, however any oil that is suitable for sautéing will work. Use your favorite.
Vegetables – Onion, carrots, and garlic add flavor to the base of the lentil soup. Potatoes and pumpkin work with the lentils to get a thick, delicious soup.
Herbs, spices and more – Dried oregano, ground cumin, salt, pepper, and tomato paste are used for the sofrito. A bay leaf adds another layer of flavor to the broth.
Meat – We use sliced smoked ham shanks, but ham hocks will work just as well. A leftover meaty ham bone can also be used.
Liquid – We use water and chicken broth, if you want to use only broth watch the salt. If you have to use only water, add flavor by adjusting the seasonings to taste.

Recipe tips

Peeling a pumpkin can be tricky. Their irregular shape and thick peel render a peeler useless. It is much easier to cut it into chunks and use a knife to cut thin slices of the peel off.
Sort through the lentils and remove any foreign objects, like small stones. I frequently find small stones when sorting, they’ll put a hurting on a tooth, so don’t skip this step.
Rinse the smoked ham shanks or ham hocks because they are usually salty. This will make it easier to control the salt in the soup.

The lentil soup served in a white bowl with sliced bread and lime wedges in the background.

Instructions

An image of diced onions and carrots in a large blue pot.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the onions and carrots. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

An image of onions, carrots, garlic, tomato paste, and spices in a large blue pot.

Add the tomato paste, garlic, salt, oregano, cumin, and black pepper. Cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.

An image of three sliced ham shank pieces on cooked vegetables in a large blue pot.

Place the ham shanks in the pot.

Chicken broth being poured in to the pot.

Pour in the chicken broth and water; add the bay leaf. Simmer the soup for 10 minutes.

Lentils added to the broth in a large pot.

Add the lentils to the pot, cover and cook for about 20 minutes until the lentils start to soften, stirring occasionally.

Cut potatoes and pumpkin pieces added to the broth for the soup.

Remove the ham from the pot and add the potatoes and the pumpkin to the lentil stew.

Bring the liquid back to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the lentils, potatoes, and pumpkin are tender.

When the ham shanks cool down take the meat off and discard the fat and bones. Chop the ham and return it to the pot.

Cooked, sliced ham shanks on a black cutting board.

Remove the bay leaf and discard. Taste the lentils and add salt if needed. As a reference we added 1 teaspoon to ours.

Top tip

Keep the broth at a simmer. If it is boiling too vigorously too much broth will cook out. Raise or lower the heat as needed. Stir occasionally.

A close up image of the potaje de lentejas being scooped with a slice of baguette bread.

Serving and storing

Serve the potaje de lentejas with crusty bread like we do or with a side of white rice, green plantains, or crackers for dipping. Store leftovers in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze 2-3 months.

Reheat the soup in a saucepan or the microwave until heated through and steamy (to a temperature of at least 165°F). Add 1-2 tablespoons of chicken broth while reheating if the soup is too thick. Stir well and add more if needed.

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Check out the Web Story for this Cuban style lentil soup for a quick visual on making this delicious recipe.

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