Does anyone else think it got cold really fast this year? I don't feel like we eased into it at all. I mean, I've seen snow twice already, and it's only November! (Of course, now we're getting a few days of warm weather, which I will not complain about at all! Yesterday was gorgeous!) The colder temperatures had me developing cravings for hearty, warming dishes like soups or bowlfuls of lentils. I seriously feel like I could eat lentils all late fall and winter long.
One of my recent lentil creations was this one in which I paired the legumes with some roasted butternut squash, crumbled and browned sausage, and crispy fried onions. For a little heat -- remember we're trying to stay warm here in New England -- I added some Aleppo pepper. Then a splash of sherry vinegar (my favorite) was just the thing to perk up the whole dish. And for a savory saltiness, I grated a little Parmesan over everything before serving.
On a chilly night, I recommend whipping up a dish of these hearty, filling lentils and digging in. They are sure to warm you up and fill you up.
Lentils With Sausage And Roasted Butternut Squash
This dish of lentils with roasted butternut squash and sausage makes a
hearty fall dinner that helps stave off the cold.
hearty fall dinner that helps stave off the cold.
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 to 45 minutes
Yield: Serves 3 to 4
Ingredients
1 small (about 1 pound) butternut squash, peeled, scooped out, and cubed
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
1 cup green lentils
1 onion, halved and sliced thin
6 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes, plus extra for serving
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss squash with oil on baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Roast squash until browned and tender, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating sheet and stirring and turning squash twice during roasting. Set aside.
Meanwhile, prepare lentils according to package directions. (For mine: Combine lentils with 4 cups hot water. Simmer gently, partially covered, until tender, 25 to 35 minutes.) Drain, return to pot, and set aside.
While squash is roasting and lentils are simmering, in large skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat, stirring and breaking up meat with spoon, until browned and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to plate.
Reduce heat to medium, add onion to skillet and cook in sausage fat (add olive oil if needed), stirring often, until tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Stir in lentils and Aleppo pepper flakes. Season with salt. Off heat, stir in sherry vinegar, then squash and sausage.
Serve, with Parmesan and extra Aleppo pepper.
What are your favorite lentil dishes?
