Spicy Tomato Sauce with Lentils is a one-pot wonder that is hearty, healthy, and perfect for a weeknight meal.
It’s been a good week. And it’s been a while since I have said that. But I finally feel like we are more in a groove and at least personally I am back to my old self, doing the things I love.
This week I got to finally attempt my first sourdough bread and shake up an old recipe favorite.
The former was quite the adventure, from the 10 day homemade started to the seemingly 10+ step bread making process. It was tedious but rather fun and so worth it! The resulting loaf was not perfect but it was the best loaf I’ve ever made and it was freaking delicious.
Definitely gotta keep honing my bread making skills though, good thing there are endless winter days to come!
On the dinner front, our old pal Shakshuka got revamped into more of an Italian version. A marriage of shakshuka with eggs in purgatory with lentils. Haha sounds weird but it was a total winner!
If you remember, shakshuka is traditionally a Middle Eastern dish made of homemade tomato sauce, peppers, chilies and peppers topped with eggs. Eggs in purgatory is a more hearty tomato sauce with basil and eggs sans the peppers and spices.
Put the 2 together, add some creamy red lentils and dinner is served.
Great things about tonight’s Lentils in Spicy Tomato Sauce:
- You just need 1 pot
- It’s meatless
- It’s cozy and spicy
- Leftovers rock
I decided to add red lentils to this hearty spicy tomato sauce because it adds textures and protein. Lentils make this meal way more filling and easier to mop up with bread.
As far as weeknight meals go, this one will definitely be a winter staple and I’m excited about that. Happy Cooking friends!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 thinly sliced shallots
- 1 thai chili pepper minced or small jalapeno minced*
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 anchovy fillet, minced (optional)
- 28 ounces whole tomatoes with basil, roughly chopped with scissors
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium homemade or store bought vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed well
- ½ teaspoon salt
- A few cracks of black pepper
- 8 fresh basil leaves
- 1 parmesan rind or 2 tablespoons parmesan
- 1 tablespoon butter (optional)
- 4-6 eggs
- Crusty bread and feta for serving
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat for 2 min. Add the shallot, anchovy and sliced spicy pepper and a pinch of salt. Cook, smash up the anchovy with a wooden spoon. Cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, parmesan rind (if using, or parmesan cheese) and broth, chopping up tomatoes with scissors.
- Add lentils and simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 20 minutes. Mix in 6 chopped up basil leaves. Create 4 to 6 wells, breaking an egg into each. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on medium heat until whites are cooked but yolk is still soft. Top with more basil and feta.
Recipe adapted from Serious Eats.
Originally posted 2019-09-29 09:12:07.
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