I always have lentils stocked in the pantry because they’re a nutrient-dense and quick cooking protein that I can turn to in times of need! Like most legumes, you need to add a lot of flavor to make them enjoyable to eat and that’s exactly what we’re doing in this recipe. Also, we’re using the blender so we don’t have to chop anything by hand – you’re welcome!
Lentils get cooked in savory broth with warming, fragrant spices. Nutty tahini gets stirred in at the end to create a creamy, rich broth. A dollop of yogurt on top adds a delicious cooling tang to contrast the warm lentils. A fried egg adds some extra protein and the runny yolk makes the broth even more velvety.
Ingredient highlight
Lentils! My favorite small but mighty pulse (AKA legume)! They are packed full of protein, fiber, folic acid, iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and potassium. One half cup of uncooked lentils (or about 1 ¼ cup cooked) contains 24g of protein, that’s more than you get in 3 oz of steak!
Servings 4
Prep Time 5 minutes 
Cook Time 30 minutes Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 carrots, quartered
- 2 celery stalks, quartered
- 2 cloves garlic
- 8 oz mushrooms, stems removed*
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp curry powder
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼-½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup brown or green lentils
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 4-5 cups chopped kale or spinach (optional)**
- ¼ cup tahini
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- Crusty bread, for serving (optional)
Toppings:
- 4-8 large eggs, fried or soft boiled***
- Plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- Chopped parsley or cilantro
- Black pepper
- *Mushrooms add more umami flavor to the lentils but you could leave these out and just add an extra carrot and celery stalk.
- **You can use the blender to chop this up too. No hand chopping required here!
- ***Go for a runny yolk here. When the yolk combines with the brothy lentils it makes it even creamier and more luscious.
- Note: ~ lentil cook times can vary depending on freshness so yours may take shorter or longer. If the water level starts to run low, just add more water. You want the end product to be brothy but not soupy.
Instructions
- In a large pot, warm the oil over medium heat.
- In a high-speed blender, add the carrots, celery, and garlic and blend until finely chopped. If any big chunks remain, just chop them up by hand. Transfer to the skillet.
- Add the mushrooms to the blender and blend/pulse until roughly chopped. Transfer to the skillet along with ½ teaspoon salt and stir to combine. Let cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the water has been cooked out and veggies have become very soft and fragrant.
- Add the spices and stir constantly for about 30 seconds. Stir in the water, lentils, soy sauce, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt.
- Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low/medium-low to maintain a rapid simmer. Simmer, covered, for 20-25 minutes or until lentils are cooked through, stirring halfway (see note).
- Stir in the kale (if using) until wilted down, about 30 seconds. Turn off the heat, then stir in the tahini and lemon juice until creamy.
- Serve the lentils topped with an egg or two, dollop of yogurt, herbs, and black pepper. Sprinkle some salt on top of your egg and yogurt. Serve it with a piece of toast to make it more of a complete meal!
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Make it!
- Soft-boil 4-8 eggs (or fry fresh)
Substitutions:
- To make vegan, skip the yogurt and the egg. Use a vegan yogurt alternative or top with an extra drizzle of tahini and a squeeze of lemon juice.
- If you don’t have tahini, you could substitute with almond butter. Peanut butter could work but it will definitely have a peanut flavor.
- Mushrooms add more umami flavor to the lentils, but you could leave these out and just add an extra carrot and celery stalk.
- Serve with toast OR stir in some cooked grains.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up leftovers in the microwave or on the stove until warmed through. Serve with all the toppings and a fresh squeeze of lemon.
- If the leftovers have absorbed most of the broth, feel free to stir in a splash of water and maybe even some more tahini to make it brothy again. Make sure to do this once it’s warm and be sure to taste and add more salt or soy sauce if needed.
- If reheating on the stove, you could easily add in some more finely chopped veggies or greens (see note above for adding liquid).
- Stir in some cooked grains to bulk it up a bit (see note above about adding more liquid).
