Description
Creamy “Marry Me” Lentils are a comforting and flavorful dish featuring tender lentils cooked with sun-dried tomatoes, aromatic spices, creamy cheese, and fresh basil. Perfect as a hearty main or side dish, this recipe combines rich and savory flavors with a luscious texture that invites you to savor every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Lentils and Cooking
- 1 cup dry black, brown or green lentils (2.5 cups cooked) or 2 cans drained and rinsed
Sauté Base
- oil from a jar of sundried tomatoes, for cooking (about 3 tablespoons)
- 1 small red onion, finely diced
- 6 cloves garlic, crushed
Spices and Flavorings
- 2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
Liquids and Cheese
- 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable stock
- ¾ cup (180 ml) heavy (double) cream
- 1 cup (100 g) parmesan, pecorino or Italian hard cheese, grated
Finishing
- 1 bunch basil, chopped
- lemon wedges, for squeezing
Instructions
- Cook Lentils: If using dry lentils, cook 1 cup with water before starting other prep. For stovetop, simmer lentils with salted water for 20 minutes until soft but slightly al dente. Drain and rinse well to remove cooking water color.
- Sauté Aromatics: In a large deep pan, heat sundried tomato oil over low-medium heat. Add finely diced onion and sauté until soft. Add crushed garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Spices: Stir in crushed fennel seeds and cook until fragrant. Quickly add more oil, smoked paprika, and Italian seasoning. Continue sautéing briefly to release aromas without burning spices.
- Incorporate Tomato Elements: Add tomato paste and chopped sundried tomatoes to the pan. Stir well to combine with the onion and spices. Turn off heat and set aside.
- Combine Lentils and Sauce: Add cooked and rinsed lentils to the pan and return heat to medium. Mix thoroughly.
- Add Stock and Simmer: Pour in vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Cover pan initially, simmer for 8 minutes, then uncover and simmer for 2 more minutes until sauce thickens.
- Finish with Cream and Cheese: Reduce heat to very low. Stir in heavy cream, grated cheese, and chopped basil. Cook gently until cheese melts and basil wilts into the sauce.
- Rest and Serve: Cover the pan and let the lentils sit for 5 minutes to thicken. Stir again and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over the dish.
Notes
- Use a fine sieve to drain lentils to prevent losing them down large holes.
- For a vegetarian version, omit cheese or use a vegetarian-friendly hard cheese.
- If canned lentils are used, reduce stock slightly since canned lentils contain water.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper before serving as needed since cheese and stock contain salt.
- Leftovers keep well for 2-3 days refrigerated and can be reheated gently on stovetop with a splash of water or stock.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
