This is not a particularly pretty photo – and for that I apologise – but it’s still a recipe I had to share with you.
This is a dish we often have as an accompaniment to meat or fish. At the weekend, my parents came to visit and we had these lentils served with lamb cutlets marinated with cumin and ground coriander. Hence – leftover lentils.
We used the leftovers in our dinner tonight – chicken and lentil soup – (which explains the need for me to share the recipe with you) but you could use them in all manner of recipes. They would be delicious, cold, on their own as a light lunch.
They’re also extremely nutritious – being lentils, they are packed full of good things and the veggies bring lots of vitamins and minerals to the table too. Get making them, then get inventive – let me know what you serve them with!
These will take approximately 30 minutes to make and will make approximately 6 servings. They will keep in the fridge for a few days, and freeze well too – in some freezer safe tubs like these.
What to do with leftover lentils
I’ve mentioned the chicken and lentil soup above, but here are some other ways you can use leftover lentils:
Pan Fried Sea Bass with Lentils
Lentil Chilli with Roasted Sweet Potato
Bottom-of-the-Freezer Vegetable Dahl
Leftover Lentils
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
1 leek
2 sticks celery
1 carrot
1 small glass white wine
500ml water
750g pre-soaked ready to eat puy lentils
1 bay leaf
1 sprig rosemary
1. Chop the onion and add to a large casserole dish with the olive oil. Cook over a medium heat for 2 minutes, then add the chopped leek, celery and carrot. Cook for a further 6-7 minutes, until the vegetables are starting to soften.
2. Pour in the white wine, allow to reduce, then add the water and lentils.
3. Bring to the boil, add the bay leaf and rosemary then simmer for 15-20 minutes (keep an eye on it and stir often) until the vegetables are cooked through. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Done!
Yummy! Making for dinner tonight. What if I have just regular dry lentils. How would I adjust the recipe for using them? More water? Longer cook time?
Thanks for sharing Debbie!
Always love sharing your recipes!
Yum! easy and healthy, the way I like it. I have an awesome lentil bobotie recipe on my blog, check it out think you may like it 🙂
Thank you! Your lentil bobotie dish looks incredible, I’ll definitely give it a go!
This looks absolutely delicious!! I’m going to make it tomorrow. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, I hope you enjoy it 🙂
I think the photo looks delicious! Lentils are a favorite of mine; actually just got back from the store with two different varieties! I’ll have to give this recipe a try 🙂
Thanks Zoe 🙂
Super – I eat a lot of Puy lentils and often make a little mix like this to take to work with me – packed with protein, and I agree, they are very difficult to make look pretty, but they are very tasty and filling and healthy.
They make the best lunches don’t they? Great for keeping you full all afternoon!
If I might ask, do you use a yellow onion or a white one in the soup? I normally use chopped bunching onions in my soups. When I’ve cooked lentils, I am usually following my late mother-in-law’s Boston baked beans Crock Pot recipe. Because of the stronger taste, I expect. Your recipe, however, tempts me.
A yellow one – we don’t often get white ones in the shops here in the UK. Bunching onions would work wonderfully as well though.