Lentils are oh so good for you and very easy to cook…no soaking needed! This is a really easy and tasty lentil dish to make. Once the ingredients are added to the pot, it’s simply a matter of letting them cook until the lentils are as tender as you like, about 30 minutes. The recipe is below the video demonstration. Enjoy!

I hope this helps!
Judi

Lentils with Mushrooms and Carrots
Makes 4 to 6 Servings

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced carrots
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups sliced mushrooms (fresh, frozen or canned)
½ cup brown or green lentils, rinsed and drained*
1-1/2 cups vegetable broth or water**
1 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp salt
Black pepper to taste
Pinch of red pepper flakes, or more to taste

Warm a medium size pot over medium heat. Add the oil, onion, carrots, mushrooms, and garlic, and briefly sauté until aromatic. Add the lentils, broth, and seasonings. Turn the burner up to bring the liquid to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer on medium to medium-low heat. Cover and allow it to cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are softened, about 25 to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed, and serve.

This can be served as a main dish or a side dish. It would pair well with rice or another grain, potatoes, or pasta.

Cook’s Note: To add another flavor dimension to this dish, you could add some chopped fresh tomatoes at the beginning if you want them to break down, or toward the end of cooking time to keep them more intact.

* If using green lentils, they may need a little longer to cook. Just be sure the mixture doesn’t boil dry in the process.

** If you don’t have vegetable broth available, water may be used in its place. However, it won’t have as much flavor as when broth is used. You may want to increase the seasonings a bit to compensate.

About Judi
Julia W. Klee (Judi) began her journey enjoying “all things food” in elementary school when she started preparing meals for her family. That love of food blossomed into a quest to learn more and more about health and wellness as related to nutrition. She went on to earn a BS Degree in Food and Nutrition, then an MS Degree in Nutrition. She has taught nutrition and related courses at the college level to pre-nursing and exercise science students. Her hunger to learn didn’t stop upon graduation from college. She continues to research on a regular basis about nutrition as it relates to health. Her hope is to help as many people as possible to enjoy foods that promote health and wellness.