Lentils With Fluffy Dumplings (Printable Version)
Tender lentils stewed with vegetables and topped with fluffy dumplings for ultimate comfort.
# What You Need:
→ Lentils and Stew
01 - 1 cup dried brown or green lentils, rinsed
02 - 1 medium onion, chopped
03 - 2 carrots, diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 bay leaf
07 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
08 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
10 - 4 cups vegetable broth
11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ Dumplings
13 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
14 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
15 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
17 - 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
18 - 1/2 cup milk (dairy or plant-based)
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, diced carrots, and diced celery. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic, tomato paste, smoked paprika, and dried thyme. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the tomato paste darkens slightly.
03 - Add the rinsed lentils, bay leaf, and vegetable broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until the lentils are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
04 - While the stew simmers, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut in the cold cubed butter using a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Fold in the chopped parsley if using, then pour in the milk. Stir just until the dough comes together; be careful not to overmix.
05 - Drop tablespoon-sized portions of the dumpling dough evenly over the surface of the simmering stew. Cover the pot tightly with a lid and cook for an additional 15 minutes without lifting the lid, until the dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
06 - Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The dumplings steam right on top of the stew, so everything cooks in one pot and cleanup is almost nothing.
- It costs roughly nothing to make and feeds four people beautifully, which feels like a small victory on a Tuesday.
- Smoked paprika gives the broth a deeply savory warmth that tricks you into thinking it took hours.
02 -
- Lifting the lid while the dumplings steam lets the heat escape and they will collapse into sad little biscuits instead of fluffy pillows.
- If your lentils are older they may need extra simmering time, so taste one at the twenty minute mark and be patient if needed.
03 -
- Taste your vegetable broth before you start, some brands are very salty and some taste like disappointment, and either one changes the whole dish.
- Cut the butter into the flour quickly with cold hands so it stays firm, warm hands melt it too fast and the dumplings lose their tenderness.