German lentils with spaetzle (Linsen mit Spätzle)

Name: German lentils with spaetzle (Linsen mit Spätzle)
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 3 tbsp butter, divided; 1 yellow onion, finely chopped; 1 carrot, finely diced; 1 stalk celery, finely diced; 1½ cups all-purpose flour, plus 1 tbsp; 1 cup lentils, brown or green, rinsed; 3 cups vegetable broth; 1 bay leave; 2 tsp salt, divided; 3 large eggs; ⅓ cup milk; 2 tbsp red wine vinegar; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; ¼ tsp black pepper; 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Tangy, savory lentils simmered with carrot and celery and finished with vinegar and mustard, served over tender homemade spaetzle, the beloved Swabian Sunday dinner from southern Germany.

60 min total
40 min hands-on
A little more hands-on
Serves 4
About $1.59 a serving
520 calories
Good the next day
Vegetarian

Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.

Ingredients

For 4 servings.

3 tbsp butter, divided
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1 cup lentils, brown or green, rinsed
3 cups vegetable broth
3 large eggs
⅓ cup milk
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

From your pantry

1½ cups all-purpose flour, plus 1 tbsp
1 bay leave
2 tsp salt, divided
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
¼ tsp black pepper

Each serving has about 520 calories, 23 g protein, 75 g carbs and 14 g fat, and costs about $1.59 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.

Missing something?

No butter? Ghee works.
No yellow onions? White onions or red onions work.
No milk? Half-and-half works.
No fresh parsley? Cilantro works.

Steps

Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.

2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium pot over medium heat.
Medium heat
Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook 6 minutes, until soft.
Medium heatTimer: 6 min
Stir in 1 tablespoon flour for 1 minute.
Medium heat
Stir in the lentils, broth, bay leaf and ½ teaspoon salt. .
High heat
25 to 30 minutes, stirring now and then, until the lentils are tender and thick.
Low heatTimer: 27 min
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water with 1 teaspoon salt over high heat.
High heat
the eggs, milk and ½ teaspoon salt in a bowl, then beat in 1½ cups flour with a wooden spoon until thick, smooth and elastic.
Dolly’s tip: Beat it hard for a minute. Bubbles in the batter make the spaetzle tender.
Spread some batter on a small cutting board and, holding it over the boiling water, scrape thin strips into the pot with a knife. Work in two batches.
High heat
Dolly’s tip: Dip the knife in the hot water between strips so the batter slides right off.
Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until the spaetzle float and are cooked through, then scoop them out and with the last tablespoon of butter.
High heatTimer: 3 min
Food safety: For the safest eggs, cook until the whites are fully set and the yolks begin to thicken. Dishes made with eggs are done at 160°F.
Fish the bay leaf out of the lentils and stir in the vinegar, mustard and pepper. Taste for salt.
Dolly’s tip: The vinegar is what makes this dish taste right. Add more if it tastes flat.
Spoon the lentils over the spaetzle and scatter parsley on top.