Lentils With Dumplings (Print Version)
Tender lentils in a rich vegetable stew, crowned with light and airy dumplings for the ultimate cozy meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Lentil Stew
01 - 1 cup dried brown or green lentils, rinsed
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 carrots, sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
07 - 4 cups vegetable broth
08 - 1 bay leaf
09 - 1 tsp dried thyme
10 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
11 - 2 tbsp olive oil
12 - Salt and pepper, to taste
13 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)
→ Dumplings
14 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
15 - 1 ½ tsp baking powder
16 - ½ tsp salt
17 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and diced
18 - ½ cup milk
# How to Cook:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, sliced carrots, celery, and minced garlic. Sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
02 - Stir in the rinsed lentils, diced tomatoes with their juice, vegetable broth, bay leaf, dried thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 25–30 minutes until the lentils are tender. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
03 - While the stew simmers, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the cold diced butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the milk until just combined; do not overmix.
04 - Increase the heat so the lentil stew returns to a lively simmer. Drop spoonfuls of dumpling dough (about 1 tbsp each) onto the surface of the stew, making 8–10 dumplings. Cover the pot tightly and cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid, until the dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
05 - Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning as needed. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley before serving, if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It transforms humble pantry staples into something that tastes like it took far more effort than it actually did.
- The dumplings steam right on top of the stew, which means one pot, less washing up, and a deeply satisfying result.
02 -
- Lifting the lid during the 15 minute dumpling steam will release the trapped heat and leave you with dense, gummy dough instead of light, fluffy ones.
- The stew will thicken considerably as it sits, so if you are reheating leftovers, add a splash of broth or water to loosen it back up.
03 -
- Rinse the lentils under cold water and pick through them for small stones or debris, because finding a pebble in your stew is a sure way to ruin an otherwise lovely evening.
- The secret to exceptional dumplings is handling the dough as little as possible, treating it gently the way you would a scone biscuit dough, since overmixing activates the gluten and turns them rubbery.