Lentils with Dumplings (Printable Version)
Savory lentils simmered with carrots, celery and herbs, topped with light fluffy dumplings for a warming meal.
# What You'll 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
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until vegetables are softened and fragrant.
02 - Add minced garlic, dried thyme, smoked paprika, and tomato paste. Stir and cook for 2 minutes until the spices are toasted and aromatic.
03 - Stir in the rinsed lentils and bay leaf. Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, 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 flour, baking powder, salt, and dried herbs in a mixing bowl. Add cubed cold butter and rub it in with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the milk until a soft, 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.
06 - Cover the pot tightly and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid during steaming to ensure the dumplings puff and cook through 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 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 something your grandmother would have made, even if she never actually did.
02 -
- Lifting the lid during the steaming step is the number one reason dumplings turn out gummy and raw in the center, so walk away and do something else for those fifteen minutes.
- Tasting the broth before adding the dumplings is critical because once they go on, you cannot adjust the seasoning underneath.
03 -
- Rinse your lentils under cold water and pick through them for small stones, because finding a rock in your stew will ruin the entire evening.
- Let the pot rest off the heat for two minutes after the dumplings finish steaming, which helps them set up firm enough to serve without falling apart.