The STEWED LENTILS are one of the most authentic and comforting dishes of Italian cuisine, a humble preparation that spans seasons and regions while keeping its symbolic and gastronomic value intact. They come from a few simple ingredients, chosen with care, which together give life to a dish rich in flavor and memory.
The soffritto of onion, carrot and celery forms the aromatic base, on which the lentils cook slowly, absorbing aromas and turning into a soft, enveloping texture. The gentle cooking allows the legumes to naturally release their starch, creating a creamy base that coats every spoonful. The addition of tomato, present in many regional versions, gives a rounded and slightly acidic note, capable of balancing the natural sweetness of the lentils.
Traditionally a peasant dish, stewed lentils are today appreciated for their genuine simplicity and nutritional value, as well as for their extraordinary versatility: they can be served as a rustic first course, a substantial side dish, or a base to accompany meats and cured products. Even better after resting, when the flavors harmonize, they represent slow, mindful cooking deeply connected to the land.
A timeless comfort food, able to warm and nourish, discreetly telling the beauty of old recipes.
Perfect as a vegetarian main course or as an accompaniment to meat seconds, stewed lentils represent authentic cooking made of simple gestures and true flavors.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups dry lentils
- 1 carrot
- 1 golden onion (small)
- 1 stalk celery
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste (or 3/4 cup (about 7 oz / 200 g) of tomato purée)
- 1 sprig rosemary
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
What you’ll need to make the stewed lentils
- 1 Pot
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Wooden spoon
Preparation of stewed lentils
Roughly chop the onion, carrot and celery.
In a pot with a good splash of oil, soften the aromatics with a pinch of salt so that the vegetables release some of their natural water.Add the tomato paste and toast it for 1 minute. Alternatively, use the tomato purée.
Rinse the lentils, drain them and add them to the aromatics. Add the rosemary, a grind of pepper, cover with hot broth or water and cook over low heat for about 40 minutes. Season with salt halfway through cooking.
Stir from time to time and add more liquid if necessary. For extra flavor you can add well-cleaned Parmesan rinds.
When they are cooked but not falling apart, turn off the heat and let the stewed lentils rest for 10 minutes before serving.
