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
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery, and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables are softened.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic, dried thyme, smoked paprika, and tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Add the rinsed lentils and bay leaf to the pot. Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until the lentils are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
04 - While the lentils cook, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and dried herbs in a mixing bowl. Add the cubed cold butter and rub it in with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the milk until a sticky dough forms.
05 - Remove and discard the bay leaf from the lentil mixture. Drop spoonfuls of dumpling dough, about 1 tablespoon each, onto the surface of the simmering stew.
06 - Cover the pot tightly and let the dumplings steam over low heat for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid during steaming to ensure proper cooking.
07 - Check that the dumplings are puffed and cooked through. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The dumplings steam right on top of the lentils so you get a full meal from a single pot with zero extra dishes.
- It costs almost nothing to make but eats like something you would pay sixteen dollars for at a cozy neighborhood bistro.
02 -
- Lifting the lid while the dumplings steam is the single most common way to ruin this dish because they deflate and collapse without consistent heat.
- The lentils will continue to absorb broth as they sit so the stew thickens considerably if you make it ahead.
03 -
- Rinse the lentils under cold water and pick through them for small stones or debris because it only takes a few seconds and saves you from an unpleasant surprise at the dinner table.
- Cold butter is the real secret to fluffy dumplings so do not let it soften before cutting it into the flour mixture.