Sausage and Lentil Stir-Fry with Carrots
A hearty stovetop stir-fry of sliced sausage, carrots and onion tossed with tender lentils in a glossy pan sauce. Comforting, high-protein and ready in about half an hour.
- Total
- 31 min
- Prep 10 · Cook 21
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Simmering · Stir-frying
- Savory
- Comforting
- Stovetop
- Oven
Instructions
-
Rinse the lentilles under cold running water and drain. Put them in a small saucepan with 300 ml water and a pinch of the salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, until tender but still holding their shape, 18 to 20 minutes. Drain any excess water.
~20 min
Simmering lentils gently keeps them intact; rapid boiling makes skins split and turn mushy.
If the lentils are still firm when the water is absorbed, add 2 tbsp hot water, cover and steam off the heat for 3 to 5 minutes.
Simmering Keep the liquid at a gentle bubble, not a rolling boil, so lentils cook evenly without breaking apart.
-
While step 1 cooks
While the lentils cook, peel the carottes and cut them into thin 3 mm slices. Peel the oignon and cut it into thin wedges. Slice the saucisses into 5 mm rounds.
~8 min
-
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the saucisses in a single layer and cook until browned on both sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
~4 min
Browning sausage in a single layer develops Maillard flavor and renders fat without steaming.
Slice the sausage on a slight bias so each round has more surface area to brown and release its fat into the pan.
-
Add the oignon and carottes to the same pan over high heat. Stir-fry until the onion is golden and the carrots are just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with the remaining salt and the black pepper.
~5 min
High heat stir-frying caramelizes onion and carrots while keeping them crisp-tender.
Stir-frying Use high heat and keep the vegetables moving; stop when the onion is golden and carrots are just tender.
-
Return the saucisses to the pan with the drained lentilles. Toss everything together over high heat for 1 to 2 minutes until the lentils are coated and the sausage is heated through. Taste and adjust the salt.
~2 min
Tossing over high heat coats lentils in rendered fat and pan juices for a glossy finish.