Creamy Marry Me Lentils (Printable)

Savory lentils in a luxurious sun-dried tomato cream sauce with herbs and Parmesan.

# What You'll Need:

→ Lentils & Main

01 - 1 cup dried green or brown lentils, rinsed
02 - 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water

→ Vegetables & Base

03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
07 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Sauce & Finish

08 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1/2 cup heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk
12 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan or vegan Parmesan alternative
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus extra for garnish

# How To Make It:

01 - Combine lentils and broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered until just tender, 20-25 minutes. Drain any excess liquid if needed.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and red pepper flakes; cook for another minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in oregano, thyme, and smoked paprika. Add the cooked lentils to the skillet and toss to coat evenly in the aromatic spice mixture.
04 - Pour in cream and Parmesan. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring gently, until the sauce thickens and becomes creamy, about 5 minutes. Ensure everything is heated through.
05 - Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir in fresh basil. Serve hot, garnished with extra basil and an additional sprinkle of Parmesan if desired.

# Tips from dashanddishes:

01 -
  • The sauce clings to every single lentil, so no bite is bland or separate from the creamy goodness
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like something that simmered all afternoon
  • Even confirmed lentil skeptics find themselves going back for seconds
02 -
  • Overcooked lentils turn into mush, so start checking at 20 minutes and drain them immediately when tender
  • The sauce continues thickening off heat, so remove from the stove when it still looks slightly looser than you want
  • Sun-dried tomatoes vary wildly in saltiness, always taste before adding additional salt
03 -
  • Chop the sun-dried tomatoes quite small so they distribute evenly throughout the dish
  • Let the lentils cool slightly in the cooking liquid before draining to prevent them from drying out

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