Lentils With Dumplings (Print View)
Savory lentil stew topped with fluffy dumplings for ultimate comfort.
# What You'll 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 butter, cubed
18 - 1/2 cup milk (dairy or plant-based)
# Method:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 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 minced garlic, tomato paste, smoked paprika, and dried thyme. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
03 - Add rinsed lentils, bay leaf, and vegetable broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until lentils are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
04 - While the stew simmers, combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut in cold cubed butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in chopped parsley if using, then add milk and mix just until combined. Do not overmix.
05 - Drop tablespoon-sized portions of dumpling dough evenly onto the surface of the simmering stew. Cover the pot tightly and simmer for 15 minutes until dumplings are puffed and cooked through. Do not lift the lid during cooking.
06 - Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste the stew and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.
# Insider Tips:
01 -
- The dumplings steam right on top of the stew, so you get an entire meal from a single pot with almost no extra effort.
- It reheats beautifully the next day, and somehow the flavors deepen overnight in the fridge.
- Every ingredient is a pantry staple, which means no last minute grocery runs on a cold evening.
02 -
- Lifting the lid while the dumplings steam lets all the precious heat escape and leaves you with gummy dough instead of fluffy clouds.
- Do not overmix the dumpling batter, because a few streaks of flour are far better than tough, dense dumplings.
03 -
- Rinse the lentils under cold water and pick through them for tiny stones, because biting into one will ruin an otherwise perfect spoonful.
- Cut the butter into the flour with your fingertips rather than a fork, since the warmth of your hands helps distribute it evenly for the most tender dumplings.