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Creamy Marry Me Lentils Recipe

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4.1 from 9 reviews

Creamy Marry Me Lentils is a comforting, rich dish featuring brown lentils simmered in a savory blend of sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and Italian seasoning, finished with creamy heavy cream, spinach, and Parmesan cheese. Perfect as a hearty vegetarian main or side, this recipe delivers layers of flavor and texture in just under an hour.

  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Base and Aromatics

  • 1 Tbsp sundried tomato oil from jar
  • ½ onion, small dice (1 cup, 130g)
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced (2 Tbsp)
  • ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced, packed in oil (90g)

Core Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cup dry brown lentils, uncooked & rinsed (180g)
  • 3 cups vegetable broth (24oz.)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1½ tsp Italian seasoning

Finishing Ingredients

  • 1 cup heavy cream, room temperature
  • ⅓ cup frozen spinach, thawed and pressed (80g)
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated (40g)

Instructions

  1. Gather Ingredients: Collect and prepare all ingredients by measuring and chopping where necessary, such as dicing the onion and mincing the garlic.
  2. Sauté Aromatics: Heat the sun-dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onions, minced garlic, and sliced sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté for 5 minutes until the onions become translucent, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
  3. Add Tomato Paste: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about 1 minute to deepen the flavors.
  4. Add Lentils and Broth: Mix in the rinsed dry brown lentils, vegetable broth, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Bring the mixture to a boil.
  5. Simmer Lentils: Reduce heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and let the lentils cook gently for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and promote even cooking.
  6. Add Cream and Spinach: After 30 minutes, stir in the heavy cream and thawed spinach. Replace the lid and continue simmering for 5 minutes to meld the flavors and heat through.
  7. Check Doneness and Adjust: Check the lentils for tenderness—they should be cooked but still have a slight bite. Add a splash of vegetable broth or cream if the skillet is drying out and continue cooking until al dente.
  8. Finish with Parmesan: Turn off the heat and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until it melts and integrates smoothly into the creamy lentils.
  9. Serve: Serve the creamy lentils warm as a main dish or side, garnished if desired.

Notes

  • Use room temperature heavy cream to prevent curdling when added to the hot lentils.
  • Press the thawed spinach well to avoid excess water diluting the sauce.
  • Adjust seasoning after cooking, adding more salt or pepper as needed.
  • This dish pairs wonderfully with crusty bread for dipping.
  • For a vegan version, substitute heavy cream with coconut cream and Parmesan with nutritional yeast.
  • Author: Olivia
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Italian-inspired
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Find it online: https://iamstarved.com/creamy-marry-me-lentils-recipe/