Red lentil spread: smooth as hummus, but without chickpeas

Tip: tap a step to mark it as done.

1. Sauté the onion

   10 min

   Finely chop the onion and sauté it in a pot with 1 tbsp olive oil over low heat until golden, about 8 minutes. Add the chopped garlic, paprika and cumin and stir for another half minute. Do not let the paprika burn, or it will turn bitter.

2. Cook the lentils

   15 min

   Rinse the lentils in a strainer under cold water until the water runs clear, then add them to the onion. Pour in 400 ml water, bring to a boil and simmer uncovered over low heat for about 15 minutes, until the lentils break down and absorb almost all the water. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

3. Blend

   5 min

   Remove the pot from the heat, add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, salt and black pepper, and blend until smooth with an immersion blender. Taste and add more salt if needed.

4. Let cool

   30 min

   Transfer the spread to a bowl and let cool, then refrigerate. It is loose while warm but thickens to a spreadable consistency as it cools.

5. Serve

   Spread on bread or whole-grain rolls. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator and use within 3 days.

Tip: Brown and green lentils do not break down like hulled red lentils, so the spread would be coarse. For a snack, pack it separately and spread it on the bread just before eating; a slice of cucumber or bell pepper goes well alongside.

This recipe was translated from the Slovak original: Šošovicová nátierka z červenej šošovice: hladká ako hummus, no cícer v nej nenájdete