German Lentil (Linsen mit Spätzle)
Lentils are a power food packed with plant-based protein, fiber and iron. My Oma Sieghilde knew where it's at! Honoring her German cooking and the reason for why my blog exists, here an update on one of my very favorite recipes from her: Lentils with Spätzle.
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 30 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 pound lentils
- 1 yellow onion (on the large side)
- 1.5 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- salt & pepper (to taste)
- red wine vinegar (to taste)
- 3 carrots (peeled and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices)
- 1 liter vegetable stock
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 8 beef sausages (can also use pork sausages or a mixture of beef and pork)
- 1 package dried Spätzle
- 1 Tbsp butter
Instructions
- 1
Drain, rinse and sort the lentils.
- 2
In a pot, sauté the onion and carrot in a little bit of butter.
- 3
Add the lentils and fill the pot with water until it covers the lentils by about 1 inch. Add the vegetable stock, tomato paste and bay leaves. Cook for about 45 minutes.
- 4
Make a roux and add to the lentils to thicken the mixture (find Emeril's recipe for a roux here).
- 5
Cook according to package instructions OR make 2 batches of my homemade Spätzle (so worth it!).
- 6
Drop some flakes of butter over the hot Spätzle and allow it to melt into the noodles. This will add incredible taste and will keep the noodles from sticking.
- 7
If serving with sausages, warm them in hot water (not boiling) and keep them warm until serving them.