This hearty, protein-packed vegetarian dish is a great addition to a holiday table, and comforting and nutritious any day of the year. Skip the optional yogurt, and it’s vegan. Leftovers can be eaten cold from the fridge, at room temp, or heated up. It can be an entree or a side dish. In short, it is super versatile!

I like to serve this with Turkish Cucumber Salad, Cherry Tomato Salad, or Green Beans with Gremolata.

Vegetarian Lentil Recipe

When the word meatless comes up, the need for a source of protein is not far behind. Often my answer is beans, beans, beans. Thankfully, they are plentiful, cheap, and so wildly varied.

One of my go-to legumes is lentils, often starring in a soup, but here they share the spotlight with some carrots and dried fruit. Lentils are amazing because they cook fairly quickly and require no soaking.

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• Onion and garlic
• Carrots – You can use multi-colored carrots instead of plain orange, though their colors do fade in the cooking, so the drama you will get excited about when they are raw won’t quite follow through to the finished dish.
• Ground coriander – Adds a bright, slightly citrusy note.
• Ground cumin – This is optional, but adds a lovely earthy flavor.
• Lentils – I much prefer small Italian or French lentils, which have a firmer and lovely flavor.
• Vegetable broth – This creates a much more flavorful base than using water would.
• Dried apricots – Or use dried pears or another dried fruit of your choice.
• Plain Greek yogurt to serve – optional; skip this if you want a vegan dish, or find a plant-based yogurt to sub in.

How to Make Lentils and Carrots with Dried Apricots

1. Sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil until tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the carrots and spices.
3. Cook the lentils: Add the lentils and vegetable broth, and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 25 minutes until the lentils are tender.
4. Finish the dish and serve: Add the apricots. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature. Dollop on a bit of yogurt if desired.

Tips

• The timing of cooking the lentils may vary with the type and age of the dried lentils.
• If the lentils are not fully cooked and pretty much all of the liquid is absorbed, add a bit more broth or water.
• Add a teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves when you stir in the apricots at the end.
• Garnish this dish with a sprig or two of fresh herbs. It will really perk it up visually.

Storage

This lentil recipe will stay good in a sealed container in the fridge for about 5 days. The leftovers are just as delicious cold from the fridge, at room temperature, or heated up in the microwave.

What to Serve with Lentils and Carrots with Dried Apricots

Turkish Stuffed Eggplants (Imam Bayildi)

Best Homemade Hummus

Greek Tomato and Cucumber Salad

More Bean Recipes

• How to Cook French Lentils
• Red Lentil, Fennel, and Chicken Slow Cooker Soup
• Hearty Lentil, Vegetable, and Grain Soup
• Chunky Cicerchie (or Chickpea) Soup