French Lentils With Garlic and Thyme
- Total Time
- 40 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Ingredients
- 3tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
- 1onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 2cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 1carrot, peeled and finely chopped
- 2¼cups French lentils
- 1teaspoon dried or fresh thyme
- 3bay leaves
- 1tablespoon kosher salt
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
330 calories; 8 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 49 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 18 grams protein; 259 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Place a large saucepan over medium heat and add oil. When hot, add chopped vegetables and sauté until softened, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Step 2
Add 6 cups water, lentils, thyme, bay leaves and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a fast simmer.
- Step 3
Simmer lentils until they are tender and have absorbed most of the water, 20 to 25 minutes. If necessary, drain any excess water after lentils have cooked. Serve immediately, or allow them to cool and reheat later.
Private Notes
Comments
This is very close to how I prepare lentils, too, though I take a somewhat lazier approach. I buy pre-diced frozen mirepoix (which adds celery) at one of my local grocers. I usually slice garlic rather than finely mince. And nearly always, when I use fresh thyme, I simply toss in large sprigs that I later extract with the bay leaves. Some water often gets swapped out in favor of chicken or vegetable stock and/or a bit of white wine, and some fresh parsley and lemon finishes it off.
Simmered in chicken broth until creamy. Added chopped mushrooms. Served with grilled lamb chops. Heavenly combination, accompanied with good pinot noir or cores du rhone.
Turn cold left-overs into a salad by adding olive oil, vinegar, snipped chives and crumbled demi-sec goat cheese. Serve with cherry tomatoes.
Did anyone soak the lentils before using in this recipe?
Made this to the T twice and they were delicious. Only thing I didn’t do was drain the excess liquid, kinda like it as a pseudo soup. Served with a toasted slice of sourdough made for the perfect lunch prep.
Be sure to use Diamond Crystal salt, not regular kosher salt. The NYtimes did a whole article on the difference and mentioned that is the salt they use in their test kitchens. It is way less salty then traditional salt due to it’s more course texture.