Roasted Carrot & Lentil Ragout | Recipes | Cook For Your Life
Roasted Carrot Red Lentil

Roasted Carrot & Lentil Ragout

4.3
Rated 4.3 out of 5
4.3 out of 5 stars (based on 17 reviews)

Clock Icon for Prep Time 30 min prep
Person Icon for Serving Size 4 servings
Carrot Icon for Number of Ingredients Size 14 ingredients

This tasty vegan ragout is a great way to use more turmeric in cooking. Turmeric has antioxidant, cancer-fighting properties, but when it comes to cooking, less of this spice is more. This easy...


Ingredients

  • 1½ pounds carrots, peeled and quartered lengthwise
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup brown lentils, picked through and rinsed
  • 5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 cloves garlic, whole and peeled, plus 1 clove, sliced
  • 1¼ inch strip of lemon peel
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise
  • ½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon ancho chili powder, or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon canned chipotle chili in adobo, seeds and veins removed and minced, or to taste
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
  • Sea salt and pepper
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Nutrition Facts

Calories

460 cals

Fat

15 g

Saturated Fat

3 g

Polyunsaturated Fat

2 g

Monounsaturated Fat

9 g

Carbohydrates

63 g

Sugar

16 g

Fiber

11 g

Protein

22 g

Sodium

1325 mg

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
  2. Toss the carrots in ½ tablespoon of the olive oil and lay out on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and a few grinds of black pepper and roast for 15-20 minutes, depending on their size. Turn and roast for another 10-15 minutes or until the carrots are soft and caramelized. When cool enough, cut into a ¼-inch dice.
  3. While the carrots are cooking, put the lentils in a large pot with the turmeric, whole garlic cloves, lemon peel, and bay leaf. Cover with the stock. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until the lentils are very soft but are keeping their shape and the liquid has thickened, about 20-25 minutes. Remove the lemon peel and bay leaf and set aside.
  4. While both the carrots and lentils are cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. When it starts to ripple, add the cumin seeds. Cook until they give off their aroma, then add the onions. Cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes or until the onions start to soften. Turn the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden and have begun to caramelize, about 25 minutes. They should look almost like a jam. Set aside. By now, the onions, carrots, and lentils should be ready. It’s time to assemble them.
  5. Heat the remaining oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When it starts to ripple, add the sliced garlic. When it starts to brown, add the carrots and heat through, stirring. Add ancho chili powder, chipotle, and cayenne, and cook for about 2 minutes, taking care not to let them burn. Add the onions, mix well, and add the contents of the pan to the lentils. Stir to mix well. Bring to a low boil and cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes. Adjust for salt. Take off the heat, cover and let it sit for a few minutes. Serve as a soup or with brown rice.

Chef Tips

For a smokier flavor, you can add a whole unbroken dried chipotle to the lentils in step 3 along with the other aromatics. Just make sure to fish it out before assembling the dish in step 5.

Registered Dietitian Approved

Our recipes, articles, and videos are reviewed by our oncology-trained dietitians to ensure that each is backed with scientific evidence and follows the guidelines set by the Oncology Nutrition for Clinical Practice, 2nd Ed., published by the Oncology Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group, a professional interest group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the American Institute for Cancer Research and the American Cancer Society