Sundried Tomato Lentils (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Base
01 -
1 little red onion, minced finely
02 -
Six garlic cloves, smashed
03 -
A cup of dried green, brown, or black lentils (or 2 cans drained and rinsed, or about 2.5 cups cooked)
04 -
Oil from sundried tomato jar
→ Seasonings
05 -
Three tablespoons tomato paste
06 -
A teaspoon of smoked paprika
07 -
2 teaspoons of crushed fennel seeds
08 -
A half cup of chopped sun dried tomatoes
09 -
One tablespoon Italian seasoning mix
→ Liquid & Dairy
10 -
Almost a cup of parmesan, pecorino, or other Italian-style hard cheese (100 g)
11 -
2 cups (480 ml) of vegetable broth
12 -
3/4 cup (180 ml) of heavy cream
→ Garnish
13 -
Lemon wedges to squeeze over at the table
14 -
A bunch of fresh basil, chopped up
# Instructions:
01 -
If you're going with dried lentils, cook them first. For Instant Pot: use 1 cup dry lentils to 1.75 cups salted water, cook on HIGH pressure for 9 minutes, then release for 10 minutes naturally. Stovetop: simmer 1 cup lentils in 3.5 cups salt water for about 20 minutes—tender but not mushy is the goal.
02 -
Pop some sundried tomato oil into a big sauté pan on medium-low heat. Toss in the chopped onion and cook until it's nice and soft. Follow that up with the crushed garlic—stir for about 30 seconds until you can really smell it.
03 -
Sprinkle in the crushed fennel seeds and stir. Add in a bit more oil, smoked paprika, and Italian seasoning. Mix for a minute or two, making sure the spices don't burn but work into the oil perfectly.
04 -
Add tomato paste and chopped sundried tomatoes. Stir until they're all blended into the spices and aromatics. Pause here to get the lentils ready.
05 -
If you're using canned or cooked lentils, drain them really well in a fine-mesh sieve, then rinse under water until clear so the cooking liquid doesn't discolor the sauce.
06 -
Bring the pan back to heat and toss in the drained lentils. Stir them around and pour in the vegetable broth. Cover the pan and let it simmer gently for about 10 minutes. Uncover for the last bit so the sauce can thicken as the lentils soak it up.
07 -
Turn the heat way down. Stir in the cream, grated cheese, and fresh basil until the cheese melts into the sauce and the basil softens into the dish.
08 -
Cover the pan and leave it to sit for 5 minutes so the flavors and texture settle. Give it one final stir, then serve up with lemon wedges for squeezing.
# Notes:
01 -
Serve this creamy lentil mixture as a topping for sweet potatoes, with rice, or alongside good bread for scooping.
02 -
Black lentils are perfect for smooth texture, but brown, Puy, or green lentils will work great too.