Lentils are a guaranteed presence on Brazilian tables during New Year’s Eve. This custom, brought by Italian immigrants, originated from the belief that eating lentils at New Year’s Eve dinner brings financial prosperity. The superstition is further reinforced by the shape of the grain, which resembles small coins, making it a symbol of luck and abundance for the coming year.
So, to have a prosperous and delicious year, discover 8 lentil recipes to attract prosperity!
1. Rice with lentils and caramelized onions
Ingredients
Rice
- 1 cup of lentil tea
- 4 1/2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon of oil
- 2 tablespoons peeled and chopped onion
- 1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
- 2 cups of tea rice
- 2 cups of boiling water
- Salt to taste
Caramelized onion
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 1 onion, peeled and cut into slices
Preparation method
Rice
In a saucepan, place the lentils, cover with water and cook over medium heat until cooked. al dente. Turn off the heat, drain the water and reserve the lentils. In another pan, add the oil and heat over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté. Add the rice and salt and fry until dry and glossy. Add the lentils and boiling water, mix and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Caramelized onion
In a pan, add the sugar, butter and onion and sauté until the onion is soft and caramelized. Turn off the heat, transfer the mixture to the saucepan with the rice and lentils and mix. Then serve.
2. Lentil salad
Ingredients
- 200g lentils
- 500 ml of water
- 1 seedless and chopped tomato
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 onion peeled and chopped
- 1 teaspoon of saffron
- Salt, chopped parsley and ground black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup of juice lemon
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
Preparation method
Under running water, wash the lentils, put them in a container, cover with water and leave to soak overnight. Then drain the lentils and set aside. In a saucepan, put the water, bay leaf, saffron and salt and heat over medium heat until boiling. Add the lentils and cook until tender. Turn off the heat, cover the pan and let it cool. Then, using a strainer, drain the lentils and discard the bay leaf. Then transfer the lentils to a salad bowl, add them to the other ingredients and mix. Serve the salad cold.
3. Lentil carbonara
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked and drained lentils
- 100 g bacon cut into cubes
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup of tea cheese grated parmesan
- 1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- Olive oil for sautéing
Preparation method
In a frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and fry the bacon until crispy. Transfer to a container and set aside. In the same pan, quickly brown the garlic and add the cooked lentils. In a bowl, beat the eggs with the Parmesan and season with salt and black pepper. Add the egg mixture to the hot lentils and stir until a creamy sauce forms. Finish with crispy bacon and serve.
4. Lentils cooked with vegetables
Ingredients
- 2 cups of tea lens
- 10 cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 2 zucchini cut into pieces
- 2 red onions, peeled and sliced
- 1 eggplant peeled and cut into pieces
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 1 red pepper, seeded and cut into pieces
- 1 cup chopped parsley
- Olive oil, salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 cups of water
Preparation method
In a pan, add the olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until golden. Add the lentils and brown for 2 minutes. Add the water and, as soon as it starts to boil, cook for another 7 minutes. Turn off the heat, drain and wait for it to cool.
Transfer the lentils to a glass dish and add the cherry tomatoes, zucchini, bell pepper, red onions and eggplant. Season with salt and black pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and place in a preheated oven at medium temperature for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
5. Lentil and Oatmeal Muffin
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked and drained lentils
- 1/2 cup oatmeal
- 1 carrot peeled and grated
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons of wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon of cumin powder
- Salt, chopped parsley and ground black pepper to taste
- Oil for frying
Preparation method
In a food processor, grind the lentils until they form a paste. Transfer to a container and add the oats, carrot, onion, wheat flour, cumin, parsley, salt and black pepper. Mix and shape the meatballs with your hands. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat and fry the meatballs until golden brown. Remove from the heat, drain in a container covered with absorbent paper then serve.
6. Onion and lentil cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked lentils
- 1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 liter of water
- 250 g of onion cream
- 1 piece of bacon cut into cubes
- 4 slices of bread cut into cubes
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Preparation method
In a container, put the onion cream and water and mix. Add the lentils, garlic, salt, black pepper and bay leaf and mix. Then, place the mixture on a baking tray and bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for 30 minutes. Book. In another baking dish, place the bacon and bake, at the same temperature as the cream, until they are crispy. Then, place the bacon and bread on the cream and serve immediately.
7. Savory lentil and rice cake
Ingredients
Mass
- 1 cup dried orange lentils
- 1/2 cup dried chickpeas
- 1/2 cup raw rice
- 1 cup of water
- 1/2 cup peeled and grated carrot
- 1/2 cup of tea zucchini grated and pressed
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon of turmeric
- 1 teaspoon of cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
- Olive oil for greasing
Blanket
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon of white sesame
- 1 teaspoon of black sesame
- 10 curry leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Preparation method
Mass
In separate containers, soak lentils, chickpeas and rice in water for 8 hours. Drain and transfer to a blender. Add a little water and beat until you obtain a thick and homogeneous paste.
Transfer the paste to a container and mix with the carrot, zucchini, ginger, turmeric, cumin, salt, sugar and lemon juice. Finally, add the baking powder and stir gently. Pour the dough into a mold greased with olive oil and set aside.
Blanket
In a frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add mustard seeds, sesame seeds and curry leaves. When they crackle, remove from the heat and spread the mixture over the dough. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C until golden brown. Remove from the oven and finish with the coriander. Then serve.
8. Farofa with lentils
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked and drained lentils
- 1 cup of flour cassava
- 1/2 onion peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- Salt, ground black pepper and chopped green chilies to taste
Preparation method
In a pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and brown the onion. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the cooked lentils, mix and brown for 2 minutes. Gradually add the cassava flour, stirring constantly to prevent it from burning. Season with salt and black pepper. Turn off the heat and finish with a green scent. Then serve.
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