Creamy Lentils
Buttery brown lentils simmered until saucy and tender, then finished with a splash of cream. Spoon them over mashed potatoes for a cozy, deconstructed shepherd's-pie feel.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 ½ cups dried brown lentils picked over and rinsed
- 5 cups water plus more if needed
- ½ cup half-and-half (10%) cream
- salt to taste
- fresh parsley optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté 1 minute.
- Stir in the lentils and water; cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft. Add more water as needed if they're drying out — you want them quite saucy and very tender.
- Stir in the cream and season well with salt. Sprinkle with fresh parsley, if desired, and serve over creamy mashed potatoes.
Notes
Canned shortcut: Swap in a can of drained, rinsed lentils — reduce the water to 1 cup and the cooking time to about 25 minutes.
Texture target: Keep them saucy and very tender; add splashes of water if they dry out before they're soft.
Serving: Spoon over creamy mashed potatoes for a deconstructed shepherd's-pie feel.
The finish: Half-and-half (10%) cream stirred in at the end gives the dish its silky richness.
Nutrition
Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 400mg | Potassium: 600mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 350IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 5mg