French Braised Lentils with Thyme Recipe
Today we are making a French Braised Lentils with Thyme Recipe! This recipe uses a base of cooked lentils, the classic French way. Braising is a French cooking technique, which involves cooking the food by heating it slowly with oil in a closed vessel. For these lentils, they are cooked in a covered pot until all the liquid has absorbed, leaving them softened along with the vegetables.
The lentils are then mixed with sautéed onions, garlic, and fragrant thyme which gently simmer away in a flavorful broth. The smell of the sauteed vegetables and spices leaves a delicious aroma in the kitchen while you cook! It’s the kind of dish that’ll make you feel like a top-notch chef, even if you’re a beginner in the kitchen. So, grab your aprons, tie up those chef hats, and let’s dive into this fantastic French culinary journey together! Let’s get cooking!
Why You’ll Love These French Braised Lentils with Thyme Recipe
Deliciously Aromatic: The combination of sautéed onions, garlic and thyme creates an irresistible aroma that fills your kitchen and tantalizes your senses. The fragrance alone will make you eager to dig into this dish!
Rich and Savory Flavors: The lentils are gently simmered in a flavorful broth, absorbing all the delicious tastes from the herbs and spices. The result is a dish that’s bursting with rich and savory flavors in every bite.
Comforting Dish: This lentil dish exudes comfort and warmth, making it the perfect dish to enjoy on chilly days or whenever you crave a hearty, soul-soothing meal.
Easy to Make: Despite its gourmet appeal, this simple recipe is surprisingly easy to prepare. Whether you’re a seasoned cook or a kitchen newbie, you’ll find joy in making this dish and impressing your friends and family with your culinary skills.
Healthy and Nutritious: This recipe uses mostly whole foods ingredients. For example, lentils are a fantastic source of plant-based protein, fiber, and essential nutrients. This is a delicious healthy side dish, but it can also be made into a main dish with the addition of fresh veggies and some crusty bread!
Substitutions
Lentils: There are many lentil varieties. For this recipe, use specifically French green lentils (Le Puy lentils), or any green, brown or black lentils for this recipe like black beluga lentils. These have an earthy flavor and hold their shape well during cooking and provide a satisfying texture to the dish.
Onions: Substitute the white onion with purple onion (red onion), or pearl onions instead. Make sure to fully cook the onions before adding the broth, to avoid any added bitterness left behind.
Thyme: This recipe uses dried thyme, but fresh thyme sprigs will work just as great for an even better flavor. Fresh thyme is not available in all grocery stores, and it’s quite expensive for just a small amount where I live, so dried thyme was used to make it more accessible.
Vegetable Stock: Use vegetable broth instead. Stock has a richer flavor, but broth is more subtle.
French Braised Lentils with Thyme Recipe Notes
- Allow the lentils to simmer gently over low to medium heat. This slow cooking process allows the lentils to absorb the flavors of the broth and thyme fully.
- Taste the lentils before serving and adjust the seasoning to your preference. Add a pinch of salt and pepper if needed, but remember that the broth might already contain some salt.
- Before serving, consider garnishing the dish with a little olive oil, a sprig of fresh thyme, or a sprinkle of chopped parsley to add an extra touch of elegance.
- A little red wine vinegar, lemon juice dijon mustard or tomato paste can also be added for additional flavor.
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If you make this French Braised Lentils with Thyme recipe, then leave a comment and star rating! Don’t forget to tag your photos @peanut_palate on Instagram. Enjoy!
French Braised Lentils with Thyme Recipe
Equipment
- Skillet or Large Saucepan
Ingredients
Instructions
- Add the two tablespoons of olive oil to a skillet over medium to low heat.
- Once heated, stir in the garlic, onion, carrots, celery and white wine vinegar.
- Add a splash of water if there is not enough liquid in the pot. Sauté the onions and garlic until they become soft and translucent.
- After a few minutes, add in the vegetable stock, bay leaf, lentils, salt and thyme.
- Let it simmer in a covered pot, stirring every so often, to allow the mixture to absorb the vegetable broth. After about 25-30 minutes or until the vegetable broth has absorbed into the lentils, turn off the heat. The time may vary depending on the size of the lentils.
- Remove the bay leaf and any fresh thyme sprigs from the lentils.
- Add the lentil mixture into a serving bowl.
- Add more salt, black pepper or other spices as desired. Serve warm!
Notes
- Inspired by this recipe
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Storage
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat on the stovetop with a splash of broth or water to maintain the moisture.
