Braised Lentils with Mushrooms
Inspired by the flavors of beef stew and shepherd's pie, this is a quick and easy way to make lentils taste amazing! Just sauté up a few pantry staples, simmer, and enjoy.
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 246kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry brown lentils see note #1
- 3 cups vegetable broth see note #2
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided (or ½ teaspoon table salt)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium sweet yellow onion diced
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms diced
- 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon dry rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dry thyme
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- grated Parmesan for serving
Instructions
- Rinse and sort the lentils, removing any shriveled lentils or debris. Add to a medium sauce pot with the vegetable broth and ½ teaspoon of the kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cover. Simmer until the lentils are tender, about 25 minutes, but I've found some lentils take up to 35 minutes. Don't drain.
- Meanwhile, heat a tall walled skillet or braising pan over medium heat. A sauce pot or Dutch oven also works. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once hot, add the diced onion. Cook for 5 minutes, until starting to turn golden.
- Add the mushrooms and continue cooking another 10 minutes, until the onion is deepened in color and the mushrooms are starting to turn golden. Stir every few minutes.
- Stir in the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, garlic, rosemary, and thyme, cooking another 2-3 minutes, until the garlic is golden. Add the tomato paste, toasting another 30 seconds. Deglaze with balsamic vinegar, stirring to remove any stuck-on bits.
- Stir in the cooked lentils with the broth and the brown sugar. Gently simmer, uncovered, for at least 10 minutes. This allows the lentils to soak up the flavors and the sauce to reduce. For a less brothy result, serve with a slotted spoon.
- Add freshly ground black pepper and grated Parmesan, to taste. Serve over mashed potatoes or a baked potato, grits, or garlic toast. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Lentils: Two cans of (drained and rinsed) lentils can be used in place of dry. Add ½ to 1 cup of vegetable broth when adding the lentils. Dry brown, green, or black lentils work, but cook times will vary. Orange and red lentils don't work.
- Broth: For this recipe, I like using Better than Bouillon vegetable base. I stir 1 tablespoon of bouillon into the pot with the cold lentils and water.
- Storage: Let cool to room temp before refrigerating. Best within 3-4 days.
- Reheating: Stewed lentils reheat best on the stove but the microwave also gets the job done. Add to a sauce pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until hot.
- Freezing: This recipe freezes very well. Let cool completely before transferring to an airtight freezer container. Let thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 528mg | Potassium: 734mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 123IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 4mg
