Lentils With Dumplings (Printer-Friendly)
Savory lentil stew topped with fluffy homemade dumplings for a hearty, satisfying meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Lentil Stew
01 - 1 cup dried brown or green lentils, rinsed
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 carrots, sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
07 - 4 cups vegetable broth
08 - 1 bay leaf
09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 - Salt and pepper, to taste
13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
→ Dumplings
14 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
15 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
16 - ½ teaspoon salt
17 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and diced
18 - ½ cup milk
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, sliced carrots, sliced celery, and minced garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and fragrant.
02 - Add the rinsed lentils, diced tomatoes with their juice, vegetable broth, bay leaf, dried thyme, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
03 - While the stew simmers, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the cold diced butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour in the milk and stir gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
04 - Increase the heat under the stew to bring it to a lively simmer. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the dumpling dough onto the surface of the stew, spacing them evenly. You should get 8 to 10 dumplings. Cover the pot tightly with the lid and cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. The dumplings should be puffed and cooked through.
05 - Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley before serving, if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The dumplings steam right on top of the stew so you get an entire comforting meal from a single pot with zero extra dishes.
- It costs almost nothing to make and feeds four people generously, which is basically kitchen magic.
02 -
- Do not lift the lid while the dumplings are steaming, not even a little peek, because they need every bit of trapped steam to cook through properly.
- Make sure the stew is at a lively simmer before you drop the dough on top, a flat surface means flat dumplings.
03 -
- Rub the butter into the flour with your fingers rather than a fork because the warmth of your hands helps distribute it more evenly for lighter dumplings.
- Let the stew rest for five minutes off the heat before serving so the broth thickens slightly and everything settles into the right texture.