Description
A rich and creamy lentil dish bursting with the flavors of sundried tomatoes, garlic, fennel, and Italian herbs, finished with Parmesan and fresh basil. Perfect as a comforting main course or a hearty side.
Ingredients
Scale
Lentils
- 1 cup dry black, brown or green lentils
- 2.5 cups cooked lentils (if not cooking dry)
- or 2 cans lentils, drained and rinsed
Vegetables and Aromatics
- oil from a jar of sundried tomatoes, for cooking (approximately 3 tbsp)
- 1 small red onion, finely diced
- 6 cloves garlic, crushed
Spices and Seasonings
- 2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
Tomato and Stock
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
- 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable stock
Dairy and Herbs
- ¾ cup (180 ml) heavy (double) cream
- 1 cup (100 g) Parmesan, Pecorino or Italian hard cheese, grated
- 1 bunch basil, chopped
Garnish
- lemon wedges, for squeezing
Instructions
- Cook Lentils: If using dry lentils, cook them first. For Instant Pot, combine 1 cup lentils with 1.75 cups salted water, cook on HIGH for 9 minutes, then natural release for 10 minutes. For stovetop, simmer 1 cup lentils in 3.5 cups salted water for 20 minutes until soft with slight bite. Drain and rinse lentils thoroughly in a fine sieve to remove dark cooking water.
- Sauté Aromatics: In a large deep-sided sauté pan, heat a few tablespoons of oil from the sundried tomato jar on low-medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté until soft. Add crushed garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Spices: Add crushed fennel seeds to the pan and sauté until aromatic. Quickly add a little extra oil, then add smoked paprika and Italian seasoning, sauté briefly ensuring spices are well distributed and fragrant without burning.
- Incorporate Tomato Paste and Sundried Tomatoes: Stir in tomato paste and chopped sundried tomatoes. Cook until they are well mixed and warmed through with the aromatics and spices. Turn off heat and set aside.
- Add Lentils and Simmer: Add the drained lentils to the pan and turn the heat back on. Stir to combine. Pour in vegetable stock, cover, and let simmer for 10 minutes, uncovering for the last few minutes to allow the sauce to thicken as lentils absorb the liquid.
- Finish with Cream, Cheese, and Basil: Reduce heat to very low and stir in heavy cream, grated cheese, and chopped basil. Cook gently until the cheese melts and basil wilts into the sauce.
- Rest and Serve: Cover and let the dish sit for 5 minutes to thicken further. Stir again and serve with fresh lemon wedges for squeezing over.
Notes
- Using oil from the sundried tomato jar adds intense flavor; substitute with olive oil if unavailable.
- If canned lentils are used, reduce vegetable stock slightly to avoid excess liquid.
- For a lighter option, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or a plant-based cream.
- Use a fine sieve when draining lentils to prevent losing lentils down larger holes of a colander.
- Fresh basil can be replaced with dried but add it towards the end to preserve aroma.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper towards the end as the cheese adds saltiness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
