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Creamy Marry Me Lentils

A rich and comforting dish that transforms humble lentils into a creamy, flavorful experience with smoky spices, sundried tomatoes, and fresh basil.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian, Middle Eastern
Calories: 600
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1 cup dry black, brown or green lentils Cook according to package instructions for best results
  • 1 small red onion, finely diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 cups vegetable stock
  • 3/4 cup heavy double cream
  • 1 cup parmesan, pecorino or Italian hard cheese Grate fresh for best results
  • 1 bunch basil, chopped
  • lemon wedges, for squeezing For serving
  • oil from a jar of sundried tomatoes Use liberally for flavor

Method
 

Cooking the Lentils
  1. If using dry lentils, cook them before prepping other ingredients. For black lentils: Instant Pot - 1 cup lentils + 1.75 cups salted water, HIGH for 9 minutes, natural release for 10 minutes. Stovetop - 1 cup lentils + 3.5 cups salted water, simmer for 20 minutes until soft but al dente.
Sauté the Base
  1. In a large sauté pan, heat some oil from the sundried tomato jar until fragrant.
  2. Sauté onions until soft, then add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until aromatic.
  3. Add crushed fennel seeds, then smoked paprika and Italian seasoning; sauté briefly to bloom the spices.
  4. Stir in tomato paste and chopped sundried tomatoes, cooking until the tomato paste darkens slightly and everything smells fragrant.
Combine and Simmer
  1. Drain lentils and rinse until water runs clear. Add lentils to the pan, increase heat, mix in vegetable stock, and simmer for 10 minutes to marry flavors.
  2. Reduce to low heat and stir in cream, grated cheese, and chopped basil until silky and combined.
  3. Allow to sit for 5 minutes to thicken and let the flavors settle, then serve with lemon wedges for brightening.

Notes

Cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove. This also freezes well for up to 3 months — thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm slowly.