These are not your mama’s lentils. This dish is ideal for a meatless yet hearty lunch or dinner feast. I particularly love serving it at large dinner parties—both because it’s a crowd pleaser, and because it’s insanely easy to make.
On the crowd-pleasing tip, know that these lentils are addictive. Something about the umami of the balsamic caramelized onions lends a richness uncharacteristic of your typical lentil situation. Lentils can be relatively boring, mushy, and dull. These lentils turn that idea on its head. Dare I say they’re sexy?
Topped with a cool and creamy lemon fennel yogurt sauce, I think I do!
The last time I made this for a dinner party, I served it on top a bed of steamed spinach, dressed with a drizzle of olive oil, lemon juice, and sea salt. Super easy if you simply put the spinach in a steamer a few minutes before serving. Alternately, you can serve with a nice kale or otherwise green salad.
For a spring or summer feast, start with Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates with Pomegranate Molasses and Smoked Salt. Move onto a Blood Orange and Fennel Salad with Oil Cured Olives. Then pair the lentils and yogurt (over steamed spinach) with Lemony Roasted Garlic Potatoes with Rosemary and Smoked Salt. And finish with a Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble for dessert. BOOM. Serious yum in your mouth.
Ingredients
Lentils with Balsamic Caramelized Onion
- 1 cup dry French green lentils rinsed
- 4-5 cups purified water or vegetable stock for cooking the lentils
- 1 onion halved and thinly sliced
- 4 tbsp. olive oil
- 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- salt to taste
Lemon Fennel Yogurt
- 1 ½ cups plain whole milk yogurt goat or cow
- juice of ¼ lemon
- 1.5 tsp. chopped fennel fronds
- ½ clove small garlic crushed
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Put rinsed lentils in a medium pot and pour in purified water or vegetable stock until they are covered by 2-3 inches of liquid. Cover with a lid, bring to a boil, and then turn down to a simmer. Cook until the lentils are completely soft, yet still holding their shape. I often let them cook as long as 1.5 to 2 hours on low heat, just to really get them soft (and digestible!). Once they’re done, drain the liquid from the lentils.
- While the lentils are cooking, place sliced onions, 2 tbsp. olive oil, and 2 tbsp. balsamic in a large frying pan. Add a few pinches of salt. Sauté on medium heat until they are deep brown and have reduced significantly. Stir as they cook, until some of the onions may even become crisp and caramelized. Approximately 20-25 minutes depending on heat. Remove from heat. Pull about a few tablespoons of the onions out of the pan to top your dish, or individual servings.
- Empty the drained lentils into the frying pan with the onions and mix, adding a tablespoon each of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add salt, starting with ½ teaspoon. Incorporate and check for taste. Add pinches more of salt, olive oil, and balsamic, until the umami is popping and it makes you do a yummy lentil dance.
- Mix all ingredients for the lemon fennel yogurt in a small serving bowl. Taste for salt levels and adjust accordingly. Stir in a drizzle of olive oil and top with a few extra fennel fronds, because it looks real purty. (Yes, that’s a legit reason.)
- Serve the lentils family style on a platter, topped with the yogurt and the caramelized onions you set aside, or individually, topped the same way. Enjoy!
