The stewed lentils are a rustic dish of peasant origin usually served as a side dish, but lentils can also be used in preparing delicious appetizers in combination with cotechino or other cured meats. I often serve them at the New Year’s appetizers buffet in small glasses.
They are prepared all year round, but they are a must on the New Year’s menu as they are considered a lucky food.
The recipe is very simple and varies depending on the regions where it is prepared; sometimes tomato is added, other times broth. To get excellent lentils, just prepare a classic sauté, add the lentils and cook them with the broth, and if you like, you can add a bit of tomato sauce. If I serve them as a side dish, I occasionally add a bit of sweet or smoked bacon to the sauté, depending on the dish I’m serving; it’s a tastier way to make them.
Also try the other typical New Year’s dishes:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 6 People
- Cooking methods: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, New Year's Eve
- Energy 191.74 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 27.70 (g) of which sugars 3.26 (g)
- Proteins 10.86 (g)
- Fat 3.74 (g) of which saturated 0.58 (g)of which unsaturated 0.37 (g)
- Fibers 7.35 (g)
- Sodium 581.36 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 14 oz dried lentils (no soaking needed)
- 1 yellow onion (medium)
- 2 carrots
- 2 stalks celery
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- to taste herbs (rosemary, sage, bay leaf as desired)
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Tools
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Pan
- 1 Strainer
Method
Peel the onion, rinse it and pat it dry.
Wash carrots and celery well.
Prepare the sauté by finely chopping carrots, celery, and onion (if you like, you can add 3.5 oz of sweet or smoked bacon according to your taste).
Place the lentils in a strainer and rinse them well under running water.
Sauté the chopped vegetables in the pan with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
Add the lentils and sauté for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly, then cover them with vegetable broth, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil.
If you like, you can add your preferred herbs, such as a bay leaf, a small sprig of rosemary.
Cover with a lid and cook, it will take about 45/50 minutes, the cooking time varies depending on the variety of lentils you have purchased.
If needed, add more broth, one ladle at a time.
When cooking is complete, taste, add more salt if needed, a drizzle of oil, and a grind of black pepper.
Stewed lentils are ready, serve them hot.
Advice
Storage
Stewed lentils can be stored for 3/4 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
