Lentils with Dumplings (Printable Version)
Tender lentils in savory broth topped with light, fluffy dumplings for a wholesome vegetarian main.
# What You Need:
→ Lentils & Base
01 - 1 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 carrots, diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 bay leaf
07 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
08 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
10 - 4 cups vegetable broth
11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Dumplings
13 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
14 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
15 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
16 - 1/2 teaspoon dried herbs (parsley, chives, or thyme)
17 - 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
18 - 1/2 cup milk
# How To Make It:
01 - Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic, dried thyme, smoked paprika, and tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the paste darkens slightly.
03 - Add the rinsed lentils and bay leaf to the pot. Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until the lentils are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
04 - While the lentils cook, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and dried herbs in a mixing bowl. Add the cubed cold butter and rub it into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the milk until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms.
05 - Remove and discard the bay leaf from the lentil mixture. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of dumpling dough evenly over the surface of the simmering stew. Cover the pot tightly and steam over low heat for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid during steaming.
06 - Check that the dumplings are puffed and cooked through. Ladle the stew into bowls and serve hot.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- The dumplings steam right on top of the lentils, so everything cooks in one pot and cleanup is almost nothing.
- It tastes like it took all day but barely asks for an hour of your time and attention.
02 -
- Lifting the lid while the dumplings steam lets the heat escape and you will end up with sad gummy lumps instead of cloud like dumplings.
- Stirring the dumpling dough too much makes it tough, so stop mixing the moment the milk is just incorporated.
03 -
- Taste the lentils before adding the dumplings because once the lid goes on you cannot adjust the seasoning until it is all finished.
- Use a large wide pot rather than a tall narrow one so the dumplings have room to spread and cook evenly across the surface.