Lentils With Chorizo, Greens and Yellow Rice

Lentils With Chorizo, Greens and Yellow Rice
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
About 1½ hours
Rating
4(1,095)
Comments
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Interpretations of beans and rice — a humble, hearty, filling and delicious meal — are found throughout the world, made with various types of dried bean (sometimes called peas). In many versions, the cooked rice and beans are folded together in the pot. Others, like this one, serve the rice on the side. Here, lentils are cooked Spanish-style, with chorizo and greens for a thick stew. If you want it to be soupier, thin it with a little water or broth, and feel free to omit the sausage to make it vegetarian.

Featured in: An Auspicious Feast With Humble Ingredients

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

    For the Lentils

    • 2tablespoons olive oil
    • 1large onion, diced (about 1½ cups)
    • Salt and pepper
    • 8ounces dry-cured Spanish chorizo or other spicy sausage, cut into ½-inch chunks
    • 1teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
    • 1teaspoon minced garlic
    • 1tablespoon pimentón dulce (sweet Spanish smoked paprika)
    • 1pound large green or brown lentils, rinsed and drained
    • 4cups thinly sliced chard (about 2 bunches)
    • 3tablespoons chopped scallions, both white and green parts

    For the Yellow Rice

    • 2cups white long-grain or basmati rice
    • 2tablespoons olive oil
    • 1small onion, finely diced
    • 1(1-inch) piece cinnamon stick
    • 6whole cloves
    • 1teaspoon turmeric or powdered annatto
    • ½teaspoon salt
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

558 calories; 15 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 83 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 25 grams protein; 705 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the lentils: Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When hot, add onion, stir to coat with oil, and season well with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Lower heat to medium, add chorizo and continue to cook mixture until chorizo has browned a bit. Add cumin, garlic and pimentón, and stir to combine.

  3. Step 3

    Add lentils to pot and pour in 6 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, add 1 teaspoon salt, then turn down to a low simmer. Keep pot covered with lid ajar, and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes, until well cooked and porridgelike. (Add a small amount of water to loosen slightly if necessary.)

  4. Step 4

    Add the chard, pushing down to help it wilt. Put on lid and cook 15 minutes more until chard is well cooked. Stir to combine with lentils.

  5. Step 5

    Meanwhile, cook the rice: Rinse rice well in a bowl of cold water until water runs clear, then drain. Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat.

  6. Step 6

    Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened and starting to color, 3 to 4 minutes. Add rice and stir to coat. Add cinnamon, cloves, turmeric, salt and 2½ cups water. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to very low. Cook for 15 minutes, then turn it off and leave to steam with the lid on for up to 30 minutes.

  7. Step 7

    To serve, put a large ladle of stewed lentils in a low wide soup bowl and place a large spoonful of rice next to it. Sprinkle with scallions.

Ratings

4 out of 5
1,095 user ratings
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Comments

Pretty good. Next time, I'll make a few changes to how I cooked the lentils. I liked the consistency of them before I added the greens. After cooking the greens (I used kale), though, the dish became too dry. I'll make sure to add extra water or broth right before cooking the greens, as suggested in step 3. I also always find that lentils need something to brighten them up. Green onions did help, but a little sherry vinegar at the end before serving should work well.

Wow. This was absolutely delicious. We used "Soychorizo" as I eat vegan. And the scallions really do add a nice taste touch. We will definitely be making this again.

A bit bland as made, but this recipe has potential; next time will try adding a can of crushed tomatoes and more garlic and cumin.

A tasty stew. I had some Mexican lamb chorizo from the farmer's market and decided to use it up in this recipe. I added a can of roasted diced tomatoes and chicken bouillon with the water per other comments. Yellow rice from a bag made it a weeknight dinner.

I’ve made this once before and it was good but I couldn’t find real chorizo so I had to use chorizo links. It was “fine,” but the “coins” of chorizo just got kinda mushy. So I ordered real chorizo, made in Spain, and made it again. And it was fantastic! But the real takeaway from this second time was that, by following the directions for making the rice as directed, I actually made the fluffiest rice ever (and I didn’t rinse it!)

Excited for leftovers tonight! I made this with what I had on hand, so I wasn't able to add something green or any scallions. Used chicken broth instead of water for the rice. Really delicious and a welcome break after eating heavy holiday leftovers for what felt like an eternity.

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