Alliteration Alert — Little Lentils Pack Pomegranate and Protein Punch

Lentils are the tiniest of the legumes, but don’t underestimate them. They’re cute, quick, comforting, and versatile. Packed with protein and fiber, they punch above their weight, Dried lentils are pantry-friendly, so they’re good anytime, but especially now. This recipe for pomegranate lentils is full of spice and symbolism, perfect for the High Holy Days. It’s easy, autumnal, luscious, and sustainable. Like I said, lentils punch above their weight.

Tips 

Guess what? There’s more than one lentil. There are a dozen varieties, from teeniest red to basic brown, Everyone’s your friend in the kitchen. 

• I like to use stylish, speckled lentils du puy in French lentil salad
• Glossy black beluga lentils get lavished with culinary lavender in my lavender lentils recipe, an autumnal favorite
• Tiny red lentils cook up in 15 minutes and give this nutrient-dense red lentil soup a rosy blush
• But for my pomegranate lentils, I like basic brown lentils (sometimes confusingly called green lentils). They’re the easiest to find, the most affordable, and here, they’re anything but plain. They’re dressed up with ruby-red pomegranate molasses* and soulful spices.  

How to make:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Bring two cups of water to boil in a medium saucepan.  Add the lentils, garlic cloves and bay leaves. When they return to boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Let lentils simmer for 30 minutes. The lentils should have plumped and absorbed all the water.
3. Meanwhile, spread grape tomatoes and sliced onion on the baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Roast for 20 minutes, or until the tomatoes are softened, and both the tomatoes and onions have a slight char.
4. The lentils simmer and tomatoes roast at the same time, so you don’t waste a minute, 
5. Combine the lentils, tomatoes and onion in a large bowl. Add sumac, cumin, allspice, and pomegranate molasses. Give a gentle stir to combine. Add chopped cilantro, spinach or other optional green. Add sea salt and fresh ground pepper. 
6. Finish with a handful of pomegranate seeds, also called arils, and you’ve got dinner. 

Round foods like lentils play a role at Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New year. They represent wholeness, the eternal cycle of life. Here, I pair them with pomegranate, also kinda round, and just coming into season. 

Pomegranates not only welcome fall, they symbolize fertility. Pomegranates contain 613 seeds, the same number of blessings as there are in Judaism. They’re one of Judaism’s seven sacred foods.

Like most beans, lentils take on whatever flavor they’re cooked with, so they’re super-versatile.  They’re good on their own, too, offering a savory, meaty, but meatless chew and satisfaction.  

Being one of the most sustainable crops to grow makes them pretty satisfying, too. Lentils are low water, low carbon, high yield. They actually add nutrients to the soil. 

They put nutrients in us, too, but are super-digestible, so they’re the perfect choice to break a Yom Kippur fast.  Or when you just want something quick and good to eat.  My pomegranate lentil recipe delivers.

Simple lentils are simmered, then tossed with roasted tomatoes and onions, (which roast while the lentils cooked, so you don’t have to waste a minute). Then they’re dressed with ruby-red pomegranate molasses and seasoned with cumin and two spices that began life as fruit.

• Allspice, despite its name, is a Caribbean berry with warming notes.
• Sumac, another berry, is tart but not acidic. It adds a little sparkle o the tongue.

*You can find pomegranate molasses and the spices in most grocery stores and at specialty food markets.

Pomegranate lentils are easy to make, but elegant enough for Rosh Hashanah (yessss!), a gentle way to break the Yom Kippur fast, and a quick, dinner anytime.  Let this recipe help you taste the joy and sweetness of the season.

Pomegranate Lentils

Pomegranate gets a berry boost with sumac and allspice, two spices that began life as berries, yes, even allspice. Sumac is tart but not acidic. It adds a little sparkle. Allspice is a Caribbean berry with warming notes. Both are beloved in Middle Eastern cuisine. 

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Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup of lentils picked over for grit and pebbles, and rinsed
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pint grape tomatoes halved
• 1 small-to-medium onion sliced in half and then into thin half-moon slices
• drizzle of olive oil
• 2 teaspoons sumac or juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• pinch red pepper flakes optional
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses *
• 1 handful of cilantro chopped
• 1 handful chopped spinach or other tender greens optional
• 1 handful fresh pomegranate seeds optional, but very nice
• sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Bring two cups of water to boil in a medium saucepan.  Add the lentils, garlic cloves and bay leaves. When they return to boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Let lentils simmer for 30 minutes. The lentils should have plumped and absorbed all the water.
• Meanwhile, spread grape tomatoes and sliced onion on the baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Roast for 20 minutes, or until the tomatoes are softened, and both the tomatoes and onions have a slight char.
• Combine the lentils, tomatoes and onion in a large bowl. Add sumac, cumin, allspice and pomegranate molasses. Give a gentle stir to combine. Add chopped cilantro, spinach or other optional green. Add sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Garnish with pomegranate seeds.

Notes

*available in specialty markets and some grocery stores

More Lentils to Love

Chic and French, earthy and Middle Eastern, rich and Indian, and  your go-to comfort food — versatile lentils deliver. 

• French lentil salad
• Red lentil soup with spinach, mint and pepita pesto
• Lavender lentils
• One taste of this curry will show why Vegan Richa calls dal — spiced and stewed lentils  — “the perfect meal.”  
• Lentil and mushrooms team up in this break-the-internet vegan shepherd’s pie recipe from vegan visionary and artist Nava Atlas.

Thank you for reading my vegan stories and plant-based recipes. I sincerely love to connect with listeners and would like to hear your feedback, takeaways, “ah-ha!” moments, etc in the comments.

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