I made Lentil Pilaf with Pistachio Topping a few weeks back for dinner for me and my boyfriend. I knew that I was a fan of lentils but didn’t know if he would like them. I served it to him with my fingers crossed behind my back in hopes he would think it was as delish as I did. My boyfriend loved the lemony flavor of the pilaf and crunch of the topping. He had seconds. YAY!
This is a perfect comfort dish and packs a wallop of protein. A big plus since I’m always looking for different ways to get more protein other than from meats! Not only are the lentils high in protein but so is the bulgur that I added to the recipe. This protein rich dish has a light lemony flavor and is very filling. So yummy!
To make this recipe, you’ll need a large skillet with a lid. You’ll be covering the the skillet towards the end of the recipe while some ingredients are simmering.
To get started, you’ll need to pick over the lentils. You may be wondering why you need to pick over the lentils. It’s because there may be a little rock in the lentils. Apparently, this happens sometimes. Who knew! No one wants a chipped tooth, so, if something doesn’t look quite right in your lentils, just toss it.
Next, you’ll need to cook the lentils in a small saucepan with some water that should just cover the lentils. After 20 minutes, the lentils should be tender but firm. Remove them from the heat, drain the lentils and set them aside.
In a large skillet, add oil, onion and garlic. Cook over medium high heat until the onions are soft. I love the smell of onions and garlic cooking on the stovetop. That smell means there’s something super tasty being made!
Once the onions are soft, add bulgur, coriander, salt and pepper. Stir all the ingredients together and let cook for one minute before adding the cooked lentils and some chicken broth. Bring everything to a boil then turn the heat down to low. This is where the need for a lid comes in. Cover the skillet with a lid and let the Lentil Pilaf simmer for 15 minutes.
While the Lentil Pilaf is cooking, make the Pistachio Topping by roughly chopping the pistachios, parsley and lemon zest together on a cutting board. When the Lentil Pilaf is done simmering for 15 minutes remove it from the heat and fluff it with a fork. Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the pilaf and stir until well mixed. Sprinkle with the Pistachio Topping and serve. Enjoy!
Please let me know if you make my Lentil Pilaf with Pistachio Topping. Take a picture and tag @acupoffrosting on Instagram so I can see!
Lentil Pilaf with Pistachio Topping
Ingredients
For the Lentil Pilaf
- 1 cup brown lentils picked over
- 1 ½ cups water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion chopped
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1 cup bulgur
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth
For the Pistachio Topping
- ½ cup fresh parsley leaves
- ½ cup pistachios
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Add lentils and water to a small saucepan. Cook on high until boiling. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and cover the saucepan. Let the lentils simmer for 20 minutes on low heat. Drain.
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic to the saucepan. Stir frequently while cooking until tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the bulgur, coriander, salt and pepper to the skillet. Stir and cook for one minute.
- Add the cooked lentils and chicken broth to the skillet. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low. Put the lid on the skillet and simmer for five minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and let stand, covered, for 15 minutes.
- For the Pistachio Topping, chop the parsley leaves, pistachios and lemon zest together on a cutting board.
- Take the lid off the skillet and fluff the Lentil Pilaf. Add the lemon juice to the pilaf and stir until well mixed. Sprinkle the Pistachio topping over the Lentil Pilaf and serve. Enjoy!