French Lentils
Green Puy-style lentils simmered for 30 minutes with carrot, onion, thyme and garlic and finished with Dijon and red wine vinegar.
Make Ahead and Storage
Keeps in the fridge for 4 days. Good warm or cold.
Making French Lentils
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Soften the carrot, onion and celery in 1 tbsp of the oil for 8 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme and bay.
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Add the lentils and cold water to cover by 3 cm. Simmer gently for 30 minutes until tender. Drain.
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Toss the warm lentils with the mustard, vinegar, remaining oil and salt.
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Remove the thyme and bay and stir in the parsley.
Worth Knowing
- Do not salt at the start.
- Simmer gently so they keep their shape.
- If your hob runs hot, check at 22 minutes.
- Dress the lentils while warm.
Why the Method Is What It Is
The French way with lentils is to keep them whole, with a little bite, and to dress them well. Green Puy-style lentils hold their shape in a way that red ones never do, and that makes them good for a side or a salad.
Soften a finely diced carrot, onion and celery in olive oil for 8 minutes to build a base. Add the garlic, thyme and bay, then the rinsed lentils and cold water to cover by 3 cm. Do not salt at the start: salt can toughen the skins and slow the cooking.
Simmer gently for 30 minutes, until tender but still holding their shape. If your hob runs hot, check at 22 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid.
While the lentils are still warm, toss with Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, olive oil and salt. The warm lentils drink the dressing. Serve warm with sausages or fish, or cold in a salad with goat cheese.
Good Alongside
Sausages · Grilled salmon · Goat cheese · Roast chicken
Swaps and Variations
- An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
Questions About French Lentils
How long does French Lentils take to make?
About 40 minutes in total — 10 minutes of preparation and 30 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 4.
What are the key tips for making French Lentils?
Do not salt at the start. Simmer gently so they keep their shape. If your hob runs hot, check at 22 minutes. Dress the lentils while warm.
What should I serve with French Lentils?
Sausages; Grilled salmon; Goat cheese; Roast chicken.
How should French Lentils be stored?
Keeps in the fridge for 4 days. Good warm or cold.
Is French Lentils suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free and no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in French Lentils?
About 339 kcal per serving, with 17 g protein, 43 g carbohydrate and 11 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
The Numbers per Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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