Mediterranean Lentil Risotto: A Hearty Vegetarian Recipe from Sicily

Ciao! I’m Francesco, and on TortellinoTime, I share my passion for Mediterranean cooking, inspired by my Sicilian heritage. Today’s recipe is a flavorful and nutritious Mediterranean Lentil Risotto. This vegetarian and vegan-friendly dish combines the earthy flavors of lentils with fresh vegetables and aromatic herbs, creating a satisfying and comforting meal. This video provides a clear, step-by-step guide to making this dish at home. We’ll cover everything from preparing the base to achieving the ideal risotto texture.

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Ingredients for 2 people
2-3 tbsp Olive Oil
1 medium Onion, chopped
1 clove Garlic, chopped
1 medium Carrot, chopped
200g Cherry Tomatoes (or fresh plum tomatoes)
1 tbsp Tomato Puree
100g Fresh Spinach (or frozen, or other leafy greens)
1.5-2 Litres Lentil Stock, Water or Vegetable Stock
230g Uncooked Lentils (soaked for 24 hours)
200g Rice (or “Pasta”) (Arborio or other risotto rice, or “Orzo Pasta”)
1/2 tsp Salt (to taste)
Black Pepper to taste
1 tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped

Cooking Instructions:

Warm up some olive oil in a pan. Chop up an onion, a clove of garlic, and a carrot, nice and firmly. Add these to the pan and let them soften up for about 5 minutes. Then, add in some fresh cherry tomatoes and a spoonful of tomato puree for extra color and a bit of a zing.

Now, for the greens – I’ve got some fresh spinach from the garden, but you can use frozen, chard, kale, whatever you fancy. Give it a rough chop and add it to the lentil stock, that liquid gold from my lentil burgers, let it wilt down for a few minutes.

I’ve got some lentils that have been soaking for 24 hours and changed the water three times. I’m adding about 230 grams to the pan with the spinach. The rest I’ll boil with a bay leaf for salads or side dishes later.

Now, for the rice, or “orzo pasta” if you want something that looks like rice but isn’t. I’m adding it to the pan and mixing it all together. Keep an eye on it as you don’t want it to dry out. Add more stock as needed or hot water if you don’t have enough stock. Remember, we’re making a risotto, not a broth.

It’ll take about 20 minutes for the rice to cook. Give it a final stir, add some parsley, a drizzle of olive oil, and your risotto is ready. Buon Appetito 🙂

Key Chapters

00:00 – Introduction To Lentil Risotto
00:31 – Preparing the Vegetables
01:20 – Cooking the Spinach
01:51 – Adding the Lentils
02:37 – Adding Stock and Seasoning
03:39 – Cooking the Rice/Pasta
05:44 – Final Touches and Serving
06:29 – Tasting and Final Thoughts