This hearty, aromatic stew draws inspiration from the traditional spice blends and slow-cooking techniques of North African cuisine. It is a comforting plant-based meal often prepared in a tagine or heavy pot, typically served alongside couscous or warm flatbread for a nourishing dinner.
Vegan Vegetarian Pescetarian Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Egg-Free Soy-Free
Nutrient score: Excellent
Goodness for its calories, 25 to 100.
How is this worked out?
The nutrient score shows how much goodness a recipe gives for its calories, from 25 to 100. Every recipe gets at least 25. It is the same for everyone.
It adds up how much of 11 nutrients people need the recipe gives for its calories: protein, fibre, vitamins A, C and E, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, folate and zinc. Each counts up to a full day’s worth for the calories. It then takes points off for saturated fat, added sugar and sodium above a fair share for the calories.
75 and over: Excellent. 60 to 74: Very good. 45 to 59: Good. 35 to 44: Fair. 25 to 34: Low.
The formula (from the recipe’s values per 100 g):
- Share of the day: the recipe’s kcal per 100 g ÷ 2,000 (under 40 kcal per 100 g, such as a herb or tea, counts as 40 kcal).
- 11 nutrients to encourage: protein (50 g), fibre (28 g), vitamin A (900 mcg), vitamin C (90 mg), vitamin E (15 mg), calcium (1,300 mg), iron (18 mg), potassium (4,700 mg), magnesium (420 mg), folate (400 mcg) and zinc (11 mg). For each: amount ÷ (Daily Value × share), at most 1. Add them up.
- 3 nutrients to limit: saturated fat (20 g), added sugar (50 g) and sodium (2,300 mg). For each: amount ÷ (limit × share) − 1, only when above 0 and at most 3. Add them up.
- Result = 100 × (step 2 − 2 × step 3) ÷ 11, kept between 0 and 100.
- Score = 25 + 0.75 × result, rounded. The scale runs from 25 to 100 instead of 0 to 100: every edible recipe gets at least 25, and the order doesn’t change.
It follows the Nutrient Rich Foods index (NRF 9.3) with the U.S. FDA Daily Values for a 2,000 kcal day. Different from the published index: folate and zinc are added (11 nutrients instead of 9), the nutrients to limit count double and each at most three times its share, the 40 kcal floor, and the 25 to 100 scale. When some of the values it needs are unknown, the score is shown as “about”.
A recipe’s values are worked out from its ingredients, whose values are estimates.
Sources: Drewnowski A. Defining nutrient density: development and validation of the Nutrient Rich Foods index. J Am Coll Nutr. 2009;28(4):421S-426S; U.S. FDA, Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels.
A low score doesn’t make a recipe bad: treats and festive dishes have their place. Use the score to compare similar recipes. In the GapPlate app you also see how much of the gaps in your day a serving fills.
Units:
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Olive oil (27 g)
- 1 medium Onion (150 g)
- 3 cloves Garlic (15 g)
- 1 tsp Cumin powder (2.2 g)
- 0.5 tsp Cinnamon powder (1.2 g)
- 0.5 tsp Turmeric powder (1.2 g)
- 1 cup Lentils (uncooked) (201 g)
- 3 cups Vegetable broth (724 g)
- 1 cup Diced tomatoes canned (248 g)
- 3 handfuls Spinach (90 g)
- 0.25 cup Slivered almonds (27 g)
- Salt, to taste
- Ingredients in total: 1.49 kg
- Weight lost in cooking: 287 g (mostly water boiling off)
- Net weight (cooked): 1.2 kg · 4 servings of about 300 g
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based pot over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion and sauté for about 5 to 7 minutes until the onion is soft and golden.
- Stir in the minced garlic, ground cumin, cinnamon, and turmeric, cooking for one minute until the raw smell of the spices fades and they become fragrant.
- Add the rinsed lentils, vegetable broth, and diced tomatoes to the pot and stir well.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but still holding their shape.
- Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the leaves have wilted into the stew.
- Season with salt to taste and remove from the heat.
- Toast the slivered almonds in a dry pan over medium heat for 2 minutes until golden, then sprinkle them over the top of the tagine before serving.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 333 kcal | 111 kcal |
| Protein | 16.9 g | 5.62 g |
| Water | 227 mL | 75.5 mL |
| Sodium | 794 mg | 265 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 43.1 g | 14.4 g |
| Total Fat | 11.4 g | 3.81 g |
| Sugar | 6.06 g | 2.02 g |
62 more nutrients
Carbohydrates
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Added Sugar | 0 g | 0 g |
Minerals
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | 5.86 mg | 1.95 mg |
| Calcium | 113 mg | 37.7 mg |
| Magnesium | 120 mg | 39.9 mg |
| Potassium | 1,033 mg | 344 mg |
| Iodine | 0.23 mcg | 0.075 mcg |
| Phosphorus | 329 mg | 110 mg |
| Zinc | 3.15 mg | 1.05 mg |
| Chloride | 938 mg | 313 mg |
| Selenium | 5.61 mcg | 1.87 mcg |
| Copper | 0.73 mg | 0.24 mg |
| Fluoride | 0.1 mg | 0.034 mg |
| Manganese | 1.62 mg | 0.54 mg |
| Molybdenum | 90.8 mcg | 30.3 mcg |
| Chromium | 0.43 mcg | 0.14 mcg |
Fats
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Trans Fat | 0 g | 0 g |
| Saturated Fat | 1.36 g | 0.45 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 7.24 g | 2.41 g |
| Omega-3 Fatty Acids | 0.17 g | 0.057 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1.92 g | 0.64 g |
| Omega-6 Fatty Acids | 1.75 g | 0.58 g |
| DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid) | 0.12 g | 0.041 g |
| Arachidonic Acid | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Medium-Chain Triglycerides | 0 g | 0 g |
| Omega-9 Fatty Acids | 7.4 g | 2.47 g |
Fibre
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber | 18.7 g | 6.22 g |
| Soluble Fiber | 2 g | 0.67 g |
| Insoluble Fiber | 17 g | 5.66 g |
Vitamins
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B12 | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin C | 15.7 mg | 5.23 mg |
| Folate (B9) | 308 mcg | 103 mcg |
| Niacin (B3) | 2.32 mg | 0.77 mg |
| Vitamin A | 140 mcg RAE | 46.8 mcg RAE |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.53 mg | 0.18 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.53 mg | 0.18 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.26 mg | 0.087 mg |
| Pantothenic Acid (B5) | 1.36 mg | 0.45 mg |
| Vitamin E | 3.51 mg | 1.17 mg |
| Vitamin K | 118 mcg | 39.4 mcg |
| Biotin (B7) | 14.3 mcg | 4.76 mcg |
| Beta-Carotene | 1,758 mcg | 586 mcg |
Others
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Choline | 68.8 mg | 22.9 mg |
| Leucine | 1,331 mg | 444 mg |
| Lysine | 1,031 mg | 344 mg |
| Polyphenols | 543 mg | 181 mg |
| Methionine | 175 mg | 58.3 mg |
| Oxalates | 312 mg | 104 mg |
| Threonine | 674 mg | 225 mg |
| Tryptophan | 191 mg | 63.6 mg |
| Valine | 865 mg | 288 mg |
| Flavonoids | 120 mg | 40.1 mg |
| Histidine | 558 mg | 186 mg |
| Lutein / Zeaxanthin | 3.18 mg | 1.06 mg |
| Lycopene | 1.71 mg | 0.57 mg |
| Phenylalanine | 935 mg | 312 mg |
| Purines | 102 mg | 34.1 mg |
Proteins
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Isoleucine | 766 mg | 255 mg |
Additives
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium Nitrite / Nitrate | 5.4 mg | 1.8 mg |
Worked out from the ingredients with the GapPlate food library, per 100 g of the cooked dish. Estimates, not medical advice.
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