Description
A rich and creamy lentil dish flavored with sundried tomatoes and Italian spices, perfect for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup oil from a jar of sundried tomatoes, for cooking
- 1 cup dry black, brown, or green lentils (about 2 cups cooked), or 2 cans drained and rinsed
- 1 small red onion, finely diced
- 6 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- ¾ cup heavy (double) cream
- 1 cup parmesan, pecorino or Italian hard cheese, grated
- 1 bunch basil, chopped
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges, for squeezing
Instructions
- If using dry lentils, start cooking them first. For Instant Pot, combine 1 cup lentils and 1 cup salted water, cook on HIGH pressure for 9 minutes, then allow a natural release for 10 minutes. For stovetop, simmer 1 cup lentils in 3 cups salted water for about 20 minutes until tender but slightly firm. Drain and rinse lentils in a fine sieve until water runs clear to prevent muddying the sauce.
- In a large deep-sided sauté pan, heat a few tablespoons of oil from the sundried tomato jar over low-medium heat. Add the finely diced red onion and sauté until soft. Add crushed garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the crushed fennel seeds and cook until fragrant. Quickly add extra sundried tomato oil if needed, then add smoked paprika and Italian seasoning, continuing to sauté gently until the spices release their aroma. Avoid burning the spices by keeping the heat low and moving quickly.
- Add tomato paste and chopped sundried tomatoes to the pan. Sauté until they blend well with the aromatics and spices. Then, turn off the heat and set the pan aside while preparing lentils.
- Drain the cooked or canned lentils thoroughly and add them to the pan. Turn the heat back to medium and mix well. Pour in the vegetable stock and cover the pan to let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the lid for the last few minutes to allow the sauce to thicken as the lentils absorb some of the liquid.
- Reduce heat to very low. Stir in the heavy cream, grated parmesan or pecorino, and chopped basil. Continue stirring gently until the cheese melts completely and the basil wilts into the sauce, creating a creamy, cohesive mixture.
- Cover the pan and let the lentils sit for 5 minutes off the heat to thicken further. Give a final stir, plate the lentils, and serve with fresh lemon wedges for squeezing over to add brightness and a hint of acidity.
Notes
- This dish can be made with canned lentils for a quicker preparation.
- Adjust the seasoning according to taste, especially the salt content based on the vegetable stock used.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Sauté
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 15g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 60mg