Lentils in Tomato Sauce with Tomato Rice (An Easy Friday Dinner)

This is the easiest Friday dinner I know. Lentils simmered in tomato sauce with carrot and onion, tomato rice on the side, and a few olives and pearl onions because I like something salty on the plate. Lentils are what make it work: they are filling and full of protein and fiber, so nobody walks away hungry.

The recipe

Time: 45 min Makes: 6 servings

For the lentil sauce

• 1 cup (200 g) dry brown or green lentils, rinsed

• 1 large onion, diced

• 2 medium carrots, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 can (28 oz / 800 g) crushed tomatoes or passata

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 2 1/2 cups (600 ml) water or low-sodium vegetable broth

• 1 tsp dried oregano and 1 tsp sweet paprika

• 1 bay leaf, salt and pepper

For the tomato rice

• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) long-grain rice

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 3 cups (720 ml) water or broth

• 1/2 tsp salt

• To serve: a few black olives and pearl onions

Make it

1. Cook the onion and carrots in a dry pot over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add a splash of water whenever they start to stick.

2. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute.

3. Add the lentils, crushed tomatoes, water, oregano, paprika and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat.

4. Simmer, partly covered, 30 to 35 minutes, stirring now and then, until the lentils are soft and the sauce is thick. Add a little water if it gets too thick. Season and take out the bay leaf.

5. Meanwhile, rinse the rice. Whisk the tomato paste into the water in a pot, add the rice and salt and bring to a boil.

6. Cover, turn the heat to low and cook 15 to 18 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Rest 5 minutes covered, then fluff.

7. Serve the lentils next to the rice with a few olives and pearl onions.

Why it works. Lentils need no soaking and cook in about 30 minutes. A cup of cooked lentils has about 18 grams of protein and plenty of fiber, so this plate keeps you full for hours.

My tip: Make a double pot. The sauce thickens as it sits, tastes even better the next day, and freezes well.

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Priska is a nurse with 20+ years of experience in the US and Switzerland and holds a Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition. Recipes here are for general education, not medical advice.