Creamy Marry Me Lentils (Print)
Dreamy lentils in creamy sundried tomato sauce with parmesan and basil, perfect with bread, rice, or as a potato topping.
# Ingredients:
→ Base
01 -
Oil from a jar of sundried tomatoes
02 -
1 cup dry black, brown or green lentils (or 2.5 cups cooked, or 2 cans drained and rinsed)
03 -
1 small red onion, finely diced
04 -
6 cloves garlic, crushed
→ Seasonings
05 -
2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
06 -
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
07 -
1 tsp smoked paprika
08 -
3 tbsp tomato paste
09 -
½ cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
→ Liquid & Dairy
10 -
2 cups (480 ml) vegetable stock
11 -
¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream
12 -
1 cup (100 g) parmesan, pecorino or Italian hard cheese
→ Garnish
13 -
1 bunch fresh basil, chopped
14 -
Lemon wedges, for serving
# Directions:
01 -
If using dry lentils, begin cooking them before prepping other ingredients. For black lentils in an Instant Pot: combine 1 cup lentils with 1.75 cups salted water, cook on HIGH for 9 minutes with 10 minutes natural release. For stovetop: simmer 1 cup lentils in 3.5 cups salted water for about 20 minutes until soft but slightly al dente.
02 -
In a large, deep-sided sauté pan, heat a few tablespoons of oil from the sundried tomato jar over low-medium heat. Sauté the diced red onion until soft, then add crushed garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 -
Add crushed fennel seeds and sauté until fragrant. Quickly incorporate a little extra oil, smoked paprika, and Italian seasoning. Sauté briefly until the spices are well distributed through the oil, being careful not to burn them.
04 -
Mix in the tomato paste and chopped sundried tomatoes, sautéing until well incorporated with the aromatics and spices. Turn off the heat temporarily while preparing the lentils.
05 -
Drain cooked or canned lentils in a fine-mesh sieve. Rinse thoroughly until water runs clear to prevent the sauce from becoming muddy from the dark cooking liquid.
06 -
Return pan to heat, add the drained lentils and mix well. Pour in the vegetable stock and simmer for 10 minutes, initially covered but uncovered for the last few minutes to allow the sauce to thicken as the lentils absorb some liquid.
07 -
Over very low heat, stir in the heavy cream, cheese, and chopped basil until the cheese melts completely and the basil wilts into the sauce.
08 -
Cover and allow to rest for 5 minutes to thicken. Stir once more and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over individual portions.
# Notes:
01 -
This creamy lentil dish makes an excellent base scooped up with bread, served with rice, or as a sweet potato topping.
02 -
Black lentils provide the most luxurious texture, but Puy, brown, or green lentils work well as alternatives.