Lentils are a wonderful addition to a healthy, balanced meal plan. They are high in fiber, folate, iron and plenty of other essential nutrients, but low in fat and calories. They are complex carbohydrates, so they digest slowly in your system, which leaves you feeling full longer and won’t give you the quick spike in blood sugar that simple carbs can create.
In addition to being healthy, these little legumes are delicious! Once cooked, they are tender and do a great job of soaking up the flavors of whatever they are simmered, boiled or stewed in.
In Italian households, lentils are considered lucky, so they are eaten at midnight on New Years to bring success and good luck for the rest of the year. While they may be a part of the New Year celebrations, I whole heartedly believe that we should all enjoy lentils year round and these stewed lentils are my favorite way to do so.
Let’s get started…
Begin by finely dicing a large yellow onion, a large carrot, 2 ribs of celery and 3 cloves of garlic. You will also need some olive oil, 28 ounces of tomato purée, 1 1/2 cups of water, stock or wine, 2 bay leaves and a sprig of thyme, a parmesan rind and some salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes.
You will also need 1 1/2 cups of dried brown lentils. When you see lentils at the market, you may notice that there are several different colors of lentils and although they are all wonderful, there are some differences between them.
Brown and green lentils are considered to be “all purpose” lentils. They hold their shape after cooking making them great for side dishes or casseroles. Red and yellow lentils tend to become soft and almost dissolve after being cooked, so they are better for for soups and as fillings. Black lentils are not common, but are the hardiest and have the boldest flavor as well.
The bottom line is that all lentils are great, but the brown ones are best for this dish.
Do I need to soak lentils overnight?
If you cook with lentils often, you may notice that some recipes call for you to soak your lentils, sometimes overnight, before cooking them. This is not necessary, but does serve a purpose. Soaking lentils will help to neutralize the lectins and phytates in them, which can make them easier to digest and avoid the gas or bloating that can accompany eating legumes.
While I do not soak my lentils, I do rinse them with cool water before cooking them to remove any dust or debris that make have worked its way into the storage bag.
Now that the lentils are rinsed and the other ingredients are gathered, grab a nice big pot and place it over medium heat.
Add a few tablespoons of olive oil and the finely diced onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.
Add 28 ounces of tomato purée and 1 1/2 cups of water, stock or wine. Today I am using chicken stock, but this is also a great place to use any leftover wine you may have on hand.
Give everything a quick stir to combine and then add the lentils, herbs and a parmesan rind.
Note: If you do not have a parmesan rind (or a wedge of parmesan that you can cut one from) or happen to not like thyme or bay leaves, you can leave them out. I personally love what they add to this dish, but these are your lentils, so add what you like!
Simmer your lentils for about 45 minutes or until they are tender and the stewing liquid has been mostly absorbed. If all of the liquid has been absorbed or you just want to loosen things up a bit, feel free to add a splash of stock into the mix.
Before serving, remove the parmesan rind, the bay leaves and the stem from the thyme sprig. Do a quick taste test and add salt, black pepper or some red pepper flakes to taste.
These lentils are fantastic. They are so hearty and comforting! My husband was shocked that there was no meat or cheese in them. He is usually not one for vegetarian dishes, but he loved these stewed lentils.
I love adding a bit of parmesan and some fresh parsley over each bowl, because why not? The rind already added great salty parmesan flavor into the stewing liquid, but you can never really have too much parm, right?
If you want to add some protein to these lentils, Italian sausage or cotechino is a common pairing for them, especially when they are made for a New Years celebration.
These stewed lentils also make a great side dish for baked chicken, fish or roasted veggies.
If you are looking for a fabulous, healthy side dish or a simple way to bring yourself a little extra luck in the following year then you should definitely try these Italian stewed lentils.
Buon appetito!
Lenticchie in Umido
Ingredients
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced
- 2 ribs of celery, finely diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 28 ounces of tomato puree
- 1 1/2 cups of water, stock or wine
- 1 1/2 cups of dried brown lentils
- 2 bay leaves and a sprig of thyme
- a parmesan rind
- salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes, to taste
- fresh parsley, finely chopped (garnish)
- parmesan, finely shredded (garnish)
Instructions
- Rinse your lentils in cool water to remove any debris and then set aside for now
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large pot over medium heat
- Add the finely diced onion, carrot and d celery along with the finely minced garlic, season with salt and black pepper and cook for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften
- Add 28 ounces of tomato purée and 1 1/2 cups of water, stock or wine and stir to combine
- Add the rinsed lentils, the bundled herbs and the parmesan rind and bring the mixture to a simmer
- Cover the pot and simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Once the lentils are tender, transfer the pot off of the heat and remove the herbs and parmesan rind
- Taste and add salt, black pepper and/or red pepper flakes to taste
- Serve garnished with finely shredded parmesan and fresh parsley
