Description
A nutritious and flavorful dish featuring spiced lentil rice paired with vibrant grilled vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed
- 1 cup long-grain rice (like basmati or jasmine)
- 2 ½ cups vegetable broth or water
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon chili powder (adjust to taste)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
- Fresh cilantro or parsley, for garnish
- 1 bell pepper (red, yellow, or green), sliced
- 1 zucchini, sliced
- 1 small eggplant, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or dried oregano
Instructions
- Start by preparing your lentils and rice. In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until they’re soft and translucent. Then, toss in the minced garlic and sauté for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Add the rinsed lentils to the pot along with the vegetable broth, cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Bring everything to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but not mushy.
- While the lentils are cooking, prepare your rice. Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. In another pot, bring 1 ¾ cups of water to a boil, add the rice, a pinch of salt, and a drizzle of olive oil. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and let it cook for about 15 minutes or until the rice is fluffy and fully cooked.
- For the grilled vegetables, preheat your grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. In a bowl, combine your sliced bell pepper, zucchini, eggplant, and cherry tomatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper, and optional Italian seasoning. Toss until the vegetables are evenly coated.
- Grill the veggies for about 4-5 minutes on each side until they’re tender and you see nice grill marks. You can also use a broiler in your oven if grilling is not an option.
- Once your lentils and rice are fully cooked, mix them together gently in a large serving bowl. Adjust the seasoning if needed. Then serve the spiced lentil rice on plates topped generously with the grilled vegetables. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro or parsley.
Notes
For a gluten-free option, substitute lentils with quinoa and use gluten-free vegetable broth.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 15g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 0mg