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This green lentil and kale risotto recipe is so delicious, you will forget how healthy it is! It is a great way to enjoy lentils, that are a nutrition powerhouse and are so affordable! Comfort food without the guilt!
If you are a lentil fan, give our Roasted Butternut Squash and Spiced Lentils, Feta and Pine Nuts a try! Amazing flavours!
We are probably not the only ones who started the month of January with a renewed commitment to a healthier and more active lifestyle. So we dutifully finished off all the remaining sweets and fatty snacks and started anew.
It hasn’t been always easy. I can do without sweets but I am a carb addict. Pasta, potatoes, rice, bread. I love them all.
Steamy, creamy risotto that is like a hug in a bowl for me. There is nothing more that I crave on a cold, rainy day. However, the resolution to have food with more nutritional value had me exchange rice for lentils.
And that has turned out to be a fantastic swap! I am a big lentil fan and have been for years. I have loads of lentil recipes on this website not only because they are good for us but mostly because we genuinely enjoy them!
How to Make It
This dish is actually not too far off from a real risotto if you are into lentils like we are. The basic method is the same but unlike risotto you don’t have to stir!! So this also makes it a very easy recipe.
What makes this lentil recipe exceptional is a bit of mushroom and truffle paste added at the end. I love that stuff and no, they are not paying me to advertise!
If you can’t find that particular paste, use any truffle flavoured butter or This is an affiliate link.oil available to you. I’ve also thrown in some kale to bulk it up and to increase our vegetable consumption but spinach will also work.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- I used cavolo nero kale, also known as black kale, black cabbage or even Dino kale, (short for dinosaur), as it is the one kind I truly enjoy. You can also use curly kale. They are all good!
- I prefer using green lentils for this dish as they hold shape better than red lentils. If you prefer red lentils, which also cook faster, take a look at my Red Lentil Dal.
Serving suggestions
Just add a few shavings of This is an affiliate link.parmesan and you are ready to enjoy. It’s lean, and incredibly delicious! We’ve been eating it at least 4-5 times a week for the last 3 weeks, so I’ve had time to perfect the recipe.
Not only is this a recipe that tastes and feels great, it’s also a great choice for anyone looking to make better dietary choices. Not only is it lean, but it’s packed with fibre and protein! Definitely one to enjoy with a clean conscience!
Storage and leftovers
Have some leftovers? Keep them in a fridge for 4-5 days if stored in an This is an affiliate link.airtight container. Reheat either in a microwave, or in a This is an affiliate link.saucepan with a small splash of water or stock if the risotto is looking too thick.
To keep it for longer, let the risotto cool completely then freeze for up to three months. Lentils hold up well to freezing so this is a good one for the freezer.
More amazing lentil recipes
- Nepalese Red Lentil Dahl (Lentil Curry)
- Lentil and Broad Bean Salad with Honey Vinaigrette and Feta
- Quinoa and Puy Lentil Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
- Vegetarian Lentil Moussaka
Truffled Lentil and Kale “Risotto”
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp This is an affiliate link.olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery
- 2 cloves garlic
- 200g / 1 cup green lentils
- 750ml / 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 100g / 4 stems kale/ cavolo nero, sliced
- 1 tbsp mushroom and truffle sauce or truffle butter
- 2 tbsp This is an affiliate link.parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a deep pan and add chopped onion and celery, cook for 10 minutes over low heat until softened, add garlic and cook for 1 minute longer, then add lentils and toast them while stirring for 1 minute.
- Add the stock, sliced kale and salt, stir to combine and cover with a lid, cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, then take the lid off and cook for 30 more minutes.
- A few minutes before the lentils are cooked stir in mushroom and truffle sauce and grate some parmesan cheese over it, stir to combine. The lentils should be tender but still hold their shape and the kale should be soft.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Your photography is “on point” as they say 🙂 But seriously Julia this dish looks amazing and your photography just get better and better with every post. We’ve been eating lentils for couple years only and mostly in soups but this looks amazing. That truffle sauce sounds fancy!
Thank you, Katya!! We started eating lentils when Brad returned from Nepal almost 16 years ago and brought a really great recipe with him for Nepalese Dal, then I discovered lentils were an easy baby food and my babies loved them, so slowly we got into lentils and absolutely love them. You are right, they are great in soups too!!
I rely far too heavily on carbs so I’ve been trying to cut back a bit, things like lentils and quinoa are definitely the way to go and this looks just like my kind of healthy meal, I reckon it would be lovely with some grilled salmon as well 🙂 I hope you enjoy your trip to Berlin! I’m a tad jealous…! x
Gorgeous dish! I often use a touch of good quality truffle oil in my risottos, it always adds a touch of luxury. I love lentils so I’ll definitely be trying this!
Such a lovely, hearty dish! I’m a carb addict, too, so I can empathize with your efforts to cut down on them 🙂 Have a wonderful trip. Looking forward to hearing about it!
I have to say that although I love bread I haven’t missed it much – possibly because I don’t eat it unless I bake it myself… I do miss white carbs like rice and potatoes though… This lentil dish looks amazing – and I totally agree about the kale. Cavolo nero is so much nicer! Enjoy your wonderful Berlin outing – can’t wait to hear all about it!
Wow, that looks fantastic! I am a big lentil lover but I have got to admit, I am not that adventurous with them. This looks like such a delicious dish though, will have to give it a go!
I had to get creative as we’ve been eating lentils non stop! One of my absolutely favourite thing to cook with lentil is Nepalese Dal! So comforting!
What an amazing idea to add truffles to this dish. I went on a truffle hunting trip to Italy last year and I had so many truffle dishes – I was in heaven.
Dannii, that sounds like such a foodie thing to do! Hahaha I would love to go on a truffle hunt at some point in my life. Sounds like a fun afternoon!
This would beat any bread dish in my house. But, Berlin does have AMAZING baked goods – so enjoy!!!!!
I literally cannot wait for German baking! So excited! 🙂
This looks really delicious Julia. I’m not a huge fan off truffle though – maybe I’d like it more in an oil.
I definitely think truffles are a love it or hate it thing! I got into them slowly but once I did there was no turning back, there is just nothing in the food world they could be compared to. So unique and I love it about them!
I can not wait to try this, Julia! And we have nearly all of the ingredients on hand. We’re eating lots of pulses this year. Three cheers for another great use for lentils!
We are too, Aimee! I’ve always added lots of beans to my meat, so I would use less of it but now I am just using beans and lentils straight up and loving it!