Mediterranean Braised Lentils with Poached Egg

Lentils have never tasted so flavorful as with this Mediterranean braised lentils with poached egg, blistered tomatoes, and sizzled greens. Serve this dish with black pepper yogurt for a creamy finishing touch.

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Recipe

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5 from 4 votes

Mediterranean Braised Lentils with Poached Egg

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keyword: vegetarian

Servings: 4

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Mediterranean braised lentils

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 medium red onion diced
• 2 teaspoons garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon fennel ground
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• 1 cup green lentils
• ½ cup red wine
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• salt and pepper

Black pepper yogurt

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 ½ teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper

Cherry tomatoes

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
• salt and pepper

Sizzled greens

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh dill chopped
• ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
• juice of ½ lime

Remaining ingredients

• 4 poached eggs

Instructions

• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium saucepot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped red onion and saute until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add minced garlic, tomato paste, smoked paprika, fennel, oregano, and lentils, stirring to combine. Add red wine and bring to a simmer. Continue to cook until almost all of the red wine has evaporated.
• Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and continue to cook for 18-20 minutes or until the lentils are tender and the liquid has almost all evaporated. Season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, make the black pepper yogurt. Combine yogurt with freshly cracked black pepper. Set aside.
• Prepare the blistered cherry tomatoes. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are seared and softened, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add fresh dill and fresh parsley and cook for 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and add the juice of ½ lime.
• Poach the eggs according to your desired degree of doneness.
• Assemble the plates. Spread the black pepper yogurt on the plate and top with the braised lentils, blistered tomatoes, poached eggs, and sizzled herbs. Serve immediately.

Notes

The braised lentils, blistered tomatoes, black pepper yogurt, and sizzled herbs can be prepared up to 3 days in advance. Reheat the lentils and serve with the poached egg and toppings.

Ingredients

• Lentils: You can use any lentil for this recipe. I used green lentils, but red lentils, brown lentils, and black lentils would all work as well.
• Tomato paste: To add a rich tomato flavor while also contributing to umami, use tomato paste for the braised lentils.
• Red wine: The red wine adds another layer of flavor to the lentils; however, if you don't like wine, you can omit it.
• Smoked paprika: Adds a touch of smoky flavor to the dish. If you can't find smoked paprika, you can use regular paprika instead.
• Greek yogurt: Use plain Greek yogurt for the best consistency. Regular yogurt has a thinner consistency, which will result in a thinner sauce. You can also use labne if you prefer.
• Cherry tomatoes: When blistered, cherry tomatoes become sweeter, adding another layer of flavor to the dish.
• Eggs: For extra protein and to make the dish satisfying, top the meal with eggs.
• Herbs: Use a combination of fresh dill and fresh parsley for the sizzled herbs.

Substitutions and variations

• Grains: Experiment with other grains, using quinoa, wild rice blend, farro, or barley instead of lentils. Adjust the cooking time accordingly.
• Dairy-free: Omit the black pepper yogurt or use dairy-free yogurt.
• Protein: You can add roasted chicken, steak, seared shrimp, or salmon for extra protein.
• Spicy: Add red chili flakes or chopped Calabrian chilies for a little kick.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Prepare lentils

Let's start by preparing the main component of the recipe, the lentils. If you have ever made rice pilaf, the procedure is similar.

First, saute the onion in a large saute pot until softened, cooking for about 4-5 minutes. Then add the garlic along with the tomato paste, lentils, and all of the seasonings.

Add in the red wine and bring it to a simmer to cook out the alcohol. I always follow the rule of using wine that you would drink for pleasure.

Once the wine has reduced, add the vegetable or chicken stock and bring it to a boil. You can season the lentils now, but pre-made stocks usually already have salt in them, so I like to season after.

Continue to simmer on low heat until the lentils are tender, allowing them to soak in all those wonderful flavors.

Step 2: Make the toppings

Meanwhile, make the black pepper yogurt and sizzled herbs. For the yogurt, use freshly cracked black pepper for the best results and plain Greek yogurt. You can use nonfat, 2%, or whole-fat yogurt; I like the whole-fat because it is richer.

For the sizzled herbs, I used dill and parsley, but you can substitute them with fresh oregano, cilantro, or even basil.

Quickly blister some cherry tomatoes in a saute pan, poach some eggs, and your meal is ready. Spread the black pepper yogurt on the bottom of the plate and pile on all the goodies.

I had an idea in my head of what these Mediterranean braised lentils would taste like, and let me tell you. This was beyond my expectations. The creamy yogurt balances the rich lentils with the runny eggs, and the zesty herbs finish it. I could eat this every day and not get tired of lentils.

Make-ahead and storage

• Make-ahead: The braised lentils, cherry tomatoes, sizzled herbs, and black pepper yogurt up to 3 days in advance.
• Store: Keep all components in separate containers in the refridgerator until ready to assemble the dish. Poach eggs right before serving.

Frequently asked questions

More vegetarian Mediterranean recipes

Looking for more vegetarian Mediterranean dishes? Try these: