Simple And Delicious Black Beluga Lentils With Onion

Prep Time: 15 minutes    
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6

This Black Beluga Lentils recipe is a fantastic one-pot meal that’s bursting with bold, amazing flavors, ideal for quick, hearty weeknight dinners, meal prep, or as a cozy side dish. I really enjoy whipping up these Black (Beluga) Lentils because they’re not just delicious; they’re incredibly versatile! You can serve them in bowls, wrap them up, or enjoy them as a side or main dish, depending on what I’m in the mood for. If you want to take it up a notch, just add a bit more vegetable broth, and you’ll have one of the tastiest soups you’ve ever tried!😋😋😋

Ingredients:

- 200 g black lentils

- 1 tablespoon of olive oil

- 1 small white onion, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)

- 1 medium green bell pepper, seeds and stem removed, diced (about 1 cup)

- 4 large cloves of garlic, peeled and minced (about 2 tablespoons)

- 2 tablespoons of sofrito

- 410 g canned diced tomatoes

- 1.5 teaspoons of sazón con culantro y achiote

- 1 teaspoon of adobo sin pimienta, plus more to taste

- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin

- 0.75 teaspoon of dried oregano leaves

- 0.25 teaspoon of ground black pepper

- 1 large bay leaf (optional)

- 710 ml of vegetable broth

Directions:

Sort and Clean the Lentils:

• Before you dive into cooking those lentils, take a moment to sift through them and remove any stones, twigs, or those pesky yellow lentils that might have snuck in.
• Next, place the lentils in a fine-mesh strainer and give them a good rinse under cold water to wash away any dust or dirt.

Start Building the Flavors:

• In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat up some olive oil until you see it shimmering on the surface.
• Add the onion, green bell pepper, garlic, and sofrito to the oil and sauté them for 5 minutes over medium-high heat.
• Stir the aromatics with a wooden spoon every 30 seconds to a minute. The goal is to get them to a golden brown color.
• Next, add the canned diced tomatoes to the pot and cook them down to a paste for 6 minutes, stirring frequently.
• You want most of the liquid from the tomatoes to evaporate to create a thick, saucy consistency.

Simmer the Black Beluga Lentils:

• Add the vegetable stock and the lentils to the pot with the bay leaf.
• Stir the lentils into the rest of the ingredients in the pot, then allow the liquid to come to a boil.
• Decrease the cooking temp to medium-low and cover the pot. Simmer the lentils for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once every 5 minutes.
• The lentils are done cooking when they have a little snap to them when you bite them.
• Turn off the stove after the cooking time elapses.
• Taste the lentils for salt and add a few shakes of salt or more adobo as needed.

Serve, Then Enjoy

• Serve these black lentils is in grain bowls topped with fresh spinach, chopped veggies, a cheese of some kind (because I can’t resist dairy), and a drizzle of Greek yogurt dressing.
• You can serve them like this or alongside your favorite protein and steamed veg.

Tips & Notes:

Tips and Techniques:

• I usually buy my black lentils online, but you can easily find them at most health food stores. While soaking black lentils isn't necessary before cooking, if you want to do it, here’s a simple method: Start by adding the cleaned and sorted lentils to a big bowl and cover them with cool water. Let them soak for about 2 to 3 hours, then drain and rinse them before draining again to get rid of any excess water. I like to freeze them in 1/2-cup portions, so I can just thaw and reheat them for quick lunches or smaller meals.

Swaps and Substitutions:

• You can replace the sofrito with green sauce, epis, or omit it.
• Replace the adobo and sazón with 2 teaspoons (total) of season salt, salt substitute, or kosher salt.
• Amp up the flavor of these lentils by adding a 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger, ground coriander, or dried thyme leaves.
• Add a little spice to the lentils with 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper or by simmering a small scotch bonnet pepper in the stew.
• You can often swap out most other lentil varieties for the black lentils with no significant time changes in the final simmering except for Puy lentils. Add another 20 minutes to their cooking time.

Storage:

• When you're done with your vegan black lentils, make sure to store them in an airtight container once they've cooled down to about room temperature—just remember, don’t let them sit out for more than 2 hours! To keep them nice and moist, pour in a 1/4 cup of vegetable stock or water to cover them. You can keep those lentils in the fridge for up to 5 days. When you're ready to enjoy them again, just pop a serving in the microwave on high for about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, giving it a stir after 30 seconds to heat evenly.

Freezing:

• Start by placing the room-temperature black lentils into a freezer-safe container or a freezer storage bag, making sure to squeeze out as much air as you can. To save space in your freezer, lay the bags flat while they freeze, and once they're solid, you can stand them up. You can keep black lentils in the freezer for up to 4 months. When you're ready to use them, just transfer them to the fridge the night before you plan to reheat. After they've thawed, you can warm them up in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of vegetable broth.

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