Lentils With Dumplings (Printable)
Tender lentils in a savory broth topped with light, steamed dumplings; a hearty vegetarian one‑pot comfort.
# What You'll Need:
→ Lentils & Base
01 - 1 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 carrots, diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, 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 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
15 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
16 - 1/2 teaspoon dried herbs (parsley, chives, or thyme)
17 - 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
18 - 1/2 cup milk
# Steps:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic, dried thyme, smoked paprika, and tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes, allowing the spices to bloom and the tomato paste to darken slightly.
03 - Add the rinsed lentils and bay leaf to the pot. Pour in the vegetable broth and bring everything to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until the lentils are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
04 - While the lentils simmer, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and dried herbs in a mixing bowl. Add the cubed cold butter and rub it into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the milk until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms.
05 - Remove and discard the bay leaf from the lentil mixture. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of dumpling dough evenly over the surface of the simmering stew, leaving space between each one for expansion.
06 - Cover the pot tightly and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time, as the steam is essential for cooking the dumplings properly.
07 - Check that the dumplings are puffed and cooked through. Ladle the stew and dumplings into bowls and serve hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The dumplings steam right on top of the lentils, so everything cooks in one pot and cleanup is almost nothing.
- It manages to feel like a stew your grandmother might have made, even if you just learned it yourself last week.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day when the flavors have had time to settle into each other.
02 -
- Lifting the lid while the dumplings steam will release the heat they need to cook through, so set a timer and walk away if you must.
- Green or brown lentils are essential here because red lentils will dissolve into puree before the dumplings are ready.
03 -
- Rinse the lentils under cold water and pick through them quickly for small stones because finding one midbite will ruin the whole experience.
- The dumpling dough should feel slightly wetter than you expect, that stickiness is what keeps them tender after steaming.