Lentil Pilaf, Side Dish – Home-Ec 101
Updated 2022
Need something warm and filling to round out your plate?
This lentil pilaf side dish is great for those avoiding simple carbohydrates. It would also easily convert to a vegetarian/vegan dish simply by switching to vegetable stock. I pull out this recipe as the temperatures start to drop. I particularly like it next to the slightly sweet vegetables of Autumn (squashes, pumpkins, roasted vegetables). Whipped sweet potatoes work really well as an option here
Just for the record, I’d like to note that lentils are not the world’s most photogenic legume, but that doesn’t lessen their appeal.
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes
Total Time
30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup lentils
- 2 cups chicken stock or broth or one can + 1/4 cup water
- 1 bell pepper. diced, any color
- 1/2 small or medium sweet onion, diced
- 1 carrot chopped
- 1 rib celery, optional
- 1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup or so mushrooms, roughly chopped *OPTIONAL*
- 2 tablespoons. olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice if you use a fresh lemon, just use half the lemon and squeeze through your hand to catch the seeds
- salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the chicken stock and lentils to boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and give it a moment to heat.
- Add the diced onion, carrot and optional celery to the pan and cook for two to three minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Once the onion and carrot start to soften, add the bell pepper and garlic. Stir occasionally until the bell pepper starts to soften.
- Remove from heat and add the mushrooms, if you would like and give it a good stir. When the lentils have simmered for twenty minutes, remove the cover and add the cooked vegetables and lemon juice.
- Stir well and continue cooking over low heat until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
What do I need to make lentil pilaf?
The old picture kept for posterity,
