Lentils With Dumplings (Printable Version)
Tender lentils and vegetables topped with light, 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 unsalted butter, cubed
18 - 1/2 cup milk (dairy or plant-based)
# Directions:
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 deepens in color.
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, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut in the cold cubed butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the chopped parsley if using, then pour in the milk. Mix gently just until the dough comes together; be careful not to overmix.
05 - Drop tablespoon-sized portions of the dumpling dough evenly onto the surface of the simmering stew. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for an additional 15 minutes until the dumplings are puffed and cooked through. Do not lift the lid during cooking, as the steam is essential for proper dumpling texture.
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.
# Quick Tips:
01 -
- It costs almost nothing to make and feeds four people like a warm hug on a miserable evening.
- The dumplings steam right on top of the stew, so you get a complete meal from a single pot with zero extra effort.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day when the flavors have had time to mingle overnight.
02 -
- Lifting the lid while dumplings steam lets the heat escape and leaves you with sad, dense dough balls instead of fluffy ones.
- Do not overmix the dumpling batter or you will develop the gluten and end up with chewy lumps instead of tender pillows.
03 -
- Rinse the lentils under cold water and pick through them for tiny stones because finding one with your teeth will ruin the entire meal.
- Letting the stew rest for ten minutes off the heat before serving allows the broth to thicken slightly and the flavors to settle into something richer.