These are not just any old lentils… this is a truly delicious dish and a complete meal in itself, inspired by a traditional, Spanish recipe! Option to serve with a green salad, garlic bread and vegan bacon… but perfectly tasty on its own.

Serves: 4

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 120g/4 oz vegan lardons, lightly fried according to the instructions on the packet and set aside (optional)

• 225g/1¼ cups green, brown or Puy lentils

• 1 medium onion, finely diced

• 200g/7 oz carrot, peeled and finely diced

• 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced

• 1 tbsp smoked paprika (ideally Pimentón de la Vera but any fine)

• 3 large tomatoes, roughly chopped

• 160ml/¾ cup vegan dry white wine

• 1 stock cube dissolved in 100ml/⅓-½ cup boiling water

• 1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped plus extra for decoration

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Optional toppings: extra vegan lardons, fresh parsley, jarred chargrilled peppers, red salsa, roasted cherry tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, vegan crème fraîche

Method

1. Cook the lentils according to the packet but don’t overcook — keep them with a bit of bite/al dente.

2. While the lentils are cooking, fry the onion in a little oil until soft and golden.

3. Add the carrot and fry for 5-10 minutes.

4. Stir through the garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes.

5. Add the smoked paprika and heat for another minute.

6. Stir through the tomatoes and white wine and simmer for around 5 minutes.

7. Add the cooked lentils, stock, parsley and vegan lardons and simmer for another 5 minutes or until everything is cooked through to the texture you want.

8. Sprinkle over the remaining fresh parsley and any of the other (optional) toppings.

Credit: www.veganrecipeclub.org.uk