Lentils with Dumplings (Printable)
Tender lentils simmered in savory broth topped with light dumplings for a hearty 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:
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.
03 - Add the rinsed lentils and bay leaf to the pot. Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until lentils are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
04 - While the lentils simmer, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and dried herbs in a mixing bowl. Add the cubed cold butter and rub it in with your fingers 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 spoonfuls of dumpling dough (about 1 tablespoon each) onto the surface of the simmering stew, spacing them evenly.
06 - Cover the pot tightly and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid during steaming, as the dumplings need consistent heat to cook properly.
07 - Check that the dumplings are puffed and cooked through. Ladle into bowls and serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The dumplings steam right on top of the lentils, so everything cooks in one pot and cleanup is almost nonexistent.
- It tastes like something that took all day but barely asks for an hour of your attention.
02 -
- Lifting the lid during the steaming step will release the trapped heat and your dumplings may end up gummy and raw in the center, so set a timer and walk away.
- Do not skip the tomato paste, because that one tablespoon transforms the entire flavor profile from flat lentil soup into something with real depth and body.
03 -
- Rinse your lentils under cold water and pick through them for tiny stones, because finding a pebble in your dinner will ruin an otherwise perfect bowl.
- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a handful of chopped parsley over each bowl at the very end brightens everything up and makes the flavors sing.