Herbed Lentil Pilaf Recipes

LENTIL RICE PILAF WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS (MUJADARA)

Steps:

• prep the ingredients: Add the lentils into a small saucepan and add water until the lentils are covered by at least 2 inches. Cook the lentils over medium-high heat until almost tender, about 15-18 minutes. Drain; set aside. Soak the rice in a bowl of cold water for 20 minutes while you caramelize the onions.
• onions: Add the olive oil into a deep, thick-bottomed pot (with a lid), like a dutch oven. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once it's hot, add the onions and stir them around to coat with the oil. Set a timer for 20 minutes and cook the onions for a total of 18-22 minutes, stirring often, or until the onions are a deep orange or brown color. If the onions start to brown before the 10-minute mark, lower the heat. Ideally, they should start developing color around 12-15 minutes. And from that point on, you'll need to stir the onions often so that they don't burn. Remove the onions to a plate lined with a paper towel.
• rice pilaf: Drain the soaked rice thoroughly and add it to the oil remaining in the pot (if you have less than a tablespoon, add a little more). Sauté the rice in the remaining oil for 2 minutes. Add the lentils to the pot and season with the cumin, coriander, turmeric, allspice, cinnamon, sugar, and salt. Add 1 1/2 cups of water and let the water come to a rolling boil, cover, lower the heat to the lowest setting, and let cook for 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the stove. Grab a piece of paper towel large enough to cover the pot. Add the caramelized onions to the top of the rice and place the paper towel flat on the pot before placing the lid on top. Let sit for 10 minutes (your stove should be off at this point). Fluff and mix in the onions before serving.

HERBED LENTILS WITH SPINACH AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Place the lentils in a pot with the water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes, until the lentils are tender but still retain their shape. Drain any excess water from the lentils and set them aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook until they are softened, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, lentils, basil, parsley, and mint to the pan and stir to combine. Cook until warmed through, about 1 minute. Stir in the lemon juice, salt and pepper and serve.
• Excellent source of: Protein, Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Iron,
• Good source of: Potassium

QUINOA AND LENTIL PILAF

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large nonstick skillet and add onion. Cook, stirring, until tender and just beginning to color, 5 to 8 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt and garlic and continue to cook, stirring, until garlic is fragrant, another 30 seconds to a minute. Add remaining oil and stir in quinoa and lentils. Add herbs and pepper, stir together, taste and adjust salt. Remove from heat and serve, adding a squeeze of lemon to each serving.

HERBED RICE PILAF

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook the rice, celery and onion in butter, stirring constantly, until rice is browned. Stir in the next 5 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley; stir in pimientos if desired. , Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

LENTIL PILAF

Steps:

• Clean the lentils with fresh cold water to avoid foaming when cooking.
• Mix 2 cups of lentils with the 8 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of salt.
• Heat on high, uncovered for approximately 30 minutes, mixing slightly every 10 minutes, removing any foam that may have come up.
• After the lentils turn tender and soft (not melted), make sure there is only about 2 cups of water remaining (add or remove water).
• Add the half cup of rice. Cook for 10 mins at medium fire.
• Simultaneously with the rice, fry the chopped cup of onion in the olive oil and vegetable oil until golden brown (should be about 10 minutes).
• After the 10 minutes pass, slowly pour the oil and onion over the lentils and rice. Lower the heat to Low, and let it lay for 10 minutes (do NOT mix).
• After the 10 minutes pass, add the quarter cup of vinegar and mix everything.
• Cover with a thick clean kitchen towel and leave covered for about 10 minutes.
• After the 15 minutes pass, you should have a thick pilaf of lentils and rice, with onions showing up here and there.

BULGUR LENTIL PILAF WITH TAHINI-HERB SAUCE

Steps:

• For the pilaf: Bring the water and lentils to a boil in a medium saucepan. Adjust the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, fry the onions in the olive oil over medium heat until well browned, about 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the onions, bulgur, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to the pan with the lentils, bring to a full simmer, and then cook covered for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for an additional 15 minutes. Transfer pilaf to a platter and top with the tomato and herbs. Serve drizzled with the Tahini-herb sauce.
• Puree all the ingredients in a blender or a mini food processor to make a pale green sauce. (This can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.) Note: This sauce is also great used as a dip, spread, or salad dressing.

HERBED LENTIL PILAF

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat the oil and cook the red onion, ground coriander and garlic over a low heat for 5 minutes, or until the onion has softened.
• Stir in the rice and 2 cups of water (17 fl oz). Cover the pan and bring to the boil.
• Reduce the heat and simmer gently for approx 10 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed.
• Remove the pan from the heat, fluff the rice with a fork amd leave covered for another 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the dressing. In a glass jar with a lid, combine all of the dressing ingredients and shake vigorously to mix.
• Add the rinsed and drained lentils to the rice along with the chopped spring onions and herbs. Pour over the dressing and mix well.

HERBED RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a medium saucepot over medium heat. Add the rice, onion and thyme and saute until the onion is softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the chicken stock over the rice, cover and cook over medium-low until tender and fluffy, about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork, fold in the parsley and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

HERBED FARRO PILAF

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the pasta and cook, stirring frequently, just until it turns golden brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in the farro and shallots and continue to cook, stirring, 2 more minutes. Stir in the chicken stock and salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer until the farro is very tender, about 35 minutes. Check the farro towards the end of cooking and add 1 to 2 tablespoons water if the pan dries out before the farro is tender.
• Top with the parsley and thyme, fluff with a fork and serve.

HERBED ROOT VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Put the olive oil and butter into a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables and toss to coat them well with the fat; season with salt and pepper. Add 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the Herb Butter by combining the soft butter and herbs together; season with some salt and pepper.
• To serve, spread some Herb Butter in the bottom of a bowl. Add the hot vegetables and dot with more Herb Butter. Moisten with some of the cooking liquid and serve.

HERBED BROWN RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and saute until tender. Add the rice and stir until the rice is glossy and coated with the butter. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the stock, garlic and thyme. Cover with a tight fitting lid. Cook 40 minutes, turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes.
• Remove the thyme sprigs and garlic. Fluff with a fork and add parsley and green onions.

LENTIL PILAF

Steps:

• In a large non-stick skillet, bring the wine to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Add the garlic, onions, carrots, celery, rice and lentils.
• Cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.
• Add the black beans, basil, cumin, curry powder, hot pepper sauce and bay leaf.
• Cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.
• Add the stock and bring to a boil.
• Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the lentils and rice are tender.
• Remove and discard the bay leaf.
• Season with soy sauce to taste.

HERBED BULGAR-LENTIL PILAF

Steps:

• Place lentils and 2 cups broth in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes, then reduce to a simmer and cook until lentils are tender and most liquid is dissolved, about 30 minutes. Drain any remaining liquid. While lentils are cooking, place bulgur and remaining 2 cups chicken broth in another small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until most liquid is dissolved and bulgur is tender, about 13 to15 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Add the bulgur to the lentils.
• Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add peppers and cook until peppers are tender, another 5 minutes. Add the onion mixture to bulgur-lentil mixture. Stir in parsley, basil, chives, lemon zest, lemon juice remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper and toss to incorporate.

LENTIL PILAF

Steps:

• In a saucepan, brown shallot in oil. Add lentils and stir well. Add chicken stock and bay leaf. Bring to boil. Cover and let simmer at low heat about 45 minutes or until lentils are tender. Add more stock is needed. Drain if needed. Add salt and pepper at the end of cooking. Remove bay leaf.
• You'll need half this recipe to do the Vegetable Lentil Cream/Soup.

RED LENTIL PILAF

Steps:

• Combine the veggies in a heavy frying pan.
• Cook for about 5 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly, until the green onion wilts Add the lentils, chicken broth, and garlic.
• Stir.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat, then lower the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Stir in the cayenne pepper and parsley.
• Take care not to overcook, the lentils should have a crunch.