Lentils With Dumplings (Print Version)
Savory simmered lentils topped with light, fluffy dumplings for a warm, vegetarian main.
# What You'll Need:
→ Lentils & Base
01 - 1 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed and picked over
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and 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 freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Dumplings
13 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
14 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
15 - ½ teaspoon kosher salt
16 - ½ teaspoon dried herb blend (parsley, chives, or thyme)
17 - 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
18 - ½ cup whole milk
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and the onion turns translucent.
02 - Add the minced garlic, dried thyme, smoked paprika, and tomato paste to the pot. Stir continuously and cook for 2 minutes, allowing the spices to become fragrant and the tomato paste to darken slightly.
03 - Stir in the rinsed lentils and bay leaf. Pour in the vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until the lentils are tender. Season generously with salt and pepper.
04 - While the lentils simmer, whisk together 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. Pour in the milk and stir gently just until a soft, slightly sticky dough comes together. Avoid overmixing.
05 - Remove and discard the bay leaf from the lentil mixture. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of the dumpling dough evenly over the surface of the simmering stew, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
06 - Cover the pot tightly and cook over low heat for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. The trapped steam will cook the dumplings until they are puffed, light, and cooked through.
07 - Carefully remove the lid and check that the dumplings are firm and cooked through. Ladle the stew into warm bowls, placing dumplings on top. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The dumplings soak up the savory broth and turn something simple into something that feels like a proper feast.
- It costs almost nothing to make yet fills the house with a smell that suggests hours of effort.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day when the flavors have had time to mingle.
02 -
- Lifting the lid while the dumplings steam releases the trapped heat and moisture they need to cook through, so resist the urge to peek until the full fifteen minutes are up.
- If the lentils seem dry before adding the dumplings, splash in a half cup of extra broth because the dumplings will absorb more liquid than you expect.
03 -
- Rinse the lentils under cold water and pick through them for small stones or shriveled ones, because skipping this step once is all it takes to learn the lesson.
- Cut the butter into small cubes and pop it back in the fridge while you gather the other dumpling ingredients so it stays as cold as possible when you rub it in.