In this recipe, you’ll discover a golden trio: earthy green lentils, sweet vibrant carrots, and aromatic tarragon, Sien's favorite herb. Together they form a warm, flavorful side-dish that pairs beautifully with oven-baked red beets and potatoes.
Beyond flavor, lentils and carrots are nutritionally powerful when paired. The vitamin C from the carrots helps with the iron absorption from the lentils.
Recipe (Serves 4 as a side dish)
Ingredients
Lentil–Carrot Base
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 500 g carrots, sliced into half circles
- 1 vegetable stock cube dissolved in 200 ml warm water
- 240 g green lentils (dry)
- 10 g fresh tarragon leaves, stems removed
- Salt & pepper
- Olive oil for frying
Tahini–Mustard Sauce
- 80 g tahini
- 100 ml warm water (more for thinner consistency)
- 1 clove of garlic, pressed
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 1 tsp honey (or a plant-based alternative)
- Salt & pepper
Topping
- 30 g sunflower seeds
- 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
Steps
- Place lentils in a pot with cold water, bring to a boil, and cook for 15-20 minutes, until tender but not mushy. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
- In a dry pan, toast the sunflower seeds and mustard seeds until golden. Set aside.
- In the same pan, heat a splash of olive oil. Sauté the onion for 5 minutes, then add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the sliced carrots, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for 10 minutes, keeping a slight bite.
- In a bowl, whisk the tahini, warm water, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, and honey. Season with salt and pepper. Adjust water for desired consistency.
- Add the vegetable stock to the carrot mixture and simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and fold in the cooked lentils and tarragon.
- Plate the lentil–carrot mixture, drizzle generously with the tahini–mustard sauce, and finish with the toasted topping.
- Enjoy!
Nutritional values (per portion)
- Protein: 21 g
- Fiber: 11.5 g
- Iron: 8.1 mg
