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Lentil Rice with Spanish Brown Rice Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 115 reviews

Delicious and hearty Lentil Rice featuring green lentils cooked in chicken broth with aromatic spices and vegetables, paired with flavorful Spanish brown rice toasted to perfection and simmered with tomato sauce and spices. A comforting, protein-rich dish with a perfect balance of textures and tangy lime juice that brightens every bite.

Ingredients

Scale

Lentil Mixture

  • 1 cup green lentils
  • 8 cups chicken broth
  • 1 onion, sliced vertically
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
  • 4 slices of Jalapeno
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Juice of 1–2 limes
  • 2 cups Spanish rice

Spanish Brown Rice

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
  • 1 cup long-grain brown rice, rinsed under water
  • 1/4 cup brown onion, finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 cup low-sodium tomato sauce
  • 2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Instructions

  1. Prepare the rice: Add the rinsed brown rice to a fine mesh strainer and run under cold water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch for fluffier rice.
  2. Toast onion and rice: Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and celery (celery mentioned in instructions but missing from ingredients, assume 1/4 cup finely diced celery) and cook for about 2 minutes. Stir in the brown rice with the onion and celery and cook another 3-4 minutes until the rice turns golden brown, enhancing the flavor.
  3. Add spices and tomato sauce: Stir in the tomato sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, and dried parsley (parsley mentioned in instructions but missing from ingredients; estimate 1 teaspoon dried parsley) to combine well with the toasted rice mixture.
  4. Simmer rice: Pour in the low-sodium chicken broth and stir. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 20 minutes or until the liquid has absorbed.
  5. Steam rice: Remove pot from heat but keep the lid on, letting the rice steam for about 10 minutes. This resting time lets the rice fully absorb flavors and finish cooking gently.
  6. Fluff rice: Use a fork to fluff the brown rice gently to separate the grains and integrate the tomato sauce evenly.
  7. Cook lentils and other ingredients: In a separate pot, combine green lentils, chicken broth, sliced onion, minced garlic, chopped Roma tomatoes, jalapeno slices, and ground cumin. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, about 25-30 minutes.
  8. Combine lime juice and lentil mixture: Stir the juice of 1-2 limes into the cooked lentil mixture to add brightness and balance flavors.
  9. Assemble the dish: Serve the cooked lentil mixture over or mixed with the prepared Spanish brown rice to create a wholesome, savory Lentil Rice dish.

Notes

  • Rinsing the rice thoroughly is essential to prevent clumping and stickiness.
  • To enhance flavor, celery is added during the toasting step although not listed in ingredients; finely diced celery around 1/4 cup is recommended.
  • Dried parsley is suggested in the instructions but missing in ingredients; 1 teaspoon dried parsley can be added.
  • If preferred, vegetable broth can substitute chicken broth to make the dish vegetarian.
  • Adjust jalapeno slices according to desired spice level.
  • Letting the rice rest covered after cooking improves texture by allowing steam to finish the cooking process.
  • The lime juice added at the end balances the earthiness of lentils with zesty acidity.

Keywords: Lentil rice, Spanish brown rice, healthy rice recipe, lentil stew, one-pot meal, tomato rice, cumin lentils

Find it online: https://tastygenius.com/lentil-rice-with-spanish-brown-rice-recipe/