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Lentil Risotto with Peas

20 January 2021 4 years ago137 Views

Don’t limit your risotto offerings to classical Arborio rice! Slow simmer lentils with a white wine broth and dried cranberries for a touch of natural sweetness. This savory, nutrient-packed dish for Lentil Risotto with Peas will become the star of your menu.

Risotto, that classic Italian recipe featuring slow-simmered Arborio rice, is not just limited to grains. You can use this culinary style with lentils, quite easily.

I love creating a rich vegetable-white wine broth, then stewing the lentils with just a ladle full of broth at a time as they are slow-cooked to perfection. In my vegan recipe, I add a touch of sweetness with dried cranberries, a pop of fresh green color with sweet peas, aromatic mushrooms and sage, and the crunch of walnuts.

As a twist, I featured sprouted lentils in the photos here, but you don’t have to sprout your lentils first. Sprouting is a process that opens up the nutrition and digestibility of pulses and grains, so check out how to sprout lentils here.

Step-By-Step Guide:

Sauté the onion and garlic with olive oil. Add mushrooms and sauté.

Add black pepper, sage, lentils and dried cranberries. I used sprouted lentils here, but you don’t have to sprout them first. Add 1/2 cup of warm vegetable-white wine broth at a time, until liquid is absorbed, simmering slowly until tender. Add peas and walnuts.

Enjoy!

Lentil Risotto with Peas

(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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5 from 3 reviews

Author: The Plant-Powered Dietitian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Diet: Vegan

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Description

Use the culinary technique of risotto—slow simmering in a flavorful white wine broth—in this savory, nutrient-packed, vegan, gluten-free recipe for Lentil Risotto with Peas.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ large onion, diced
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ cups sliced mushrooms
4 cups reduced sodium vegetable broth
½ cup white wine
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 cup small, green lentils, uncooked
1/3 cup dried cranberries
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
¼ cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan and sauté onions and garlic for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté for 2 minutes.
Meanwhile heat vegetable broth, wine, and balsamic vinegar in a small pot until warm but not boiling. Turn to low heat, just to keep broth warm.
Add black pepper, sage, lentils, and dried cranberries to the sauté pan. Ladle about ½ cup of broth into the sauté pan and stir occasionally until liquid is absorbed.
Repeat this process, adding ½ cup of warm broth at a time, and stirring occasionally until liquid is absorbed, for about 50 – 60 minutes, until lentils become just tender. (May not use all of the broth mixture—use only enough to create tender lentils.) Stir in peas and walnuts and heat for 2 – 3 additional minutes. Makes 4 servings (1 1/4 cups each).

Category: Entree
Cuisine: American, Italian