# The Best Lentils

A comforting and flavorful lentil dish prepared with bacon, leeks, garlic, kale, and optionally finished with butter and parmesan.

- Total time: 20 min
- Cuisine: Italian
- Category: Dinner
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- 0.5 lb bacon
- 1 leek thin sliced and washed
- 4 minced garlic cloves
- 0.5 lb lentils
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 chunk parmesan rind
- 2 handfuls chopped kale
- black pepper
- chopped thyme
- parsley
- 2 tbsp butter
- sour cream
- chopped tomatoes

## Instructions

1. Crisp about a half a pound of bacon and remove most of the fat, keeping the fond on the bottom of the pan.
2. Add one thin sliced and washed leek to the pan.
3. Cook the leeks for a couple of minutes until they soften, cleaning the bottom of the pan as they sauté.
4. Add four or five minced garlic cloves and cook for about 60 to 90 seconds.
5. Add about a half a pound of lentils and let them soak up the flavors for a few minutes.
6. Add about a couple cups of chicken stock, adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
7. If you save parmesan rinds, throw a chunk into the pot.
8. Cook the lentils, checking for doneness as the liquid is absorbed; they usually take about 15 to 20 minutes.
9. If needed, add another cup of stock or water if you run out of chicken stock, and continue cooking.
10. Once the lentils are cooked, stir in a couple of handfuls of chopped kale.
11. Add a good amount of black pepper.
12. Once your kale wilts, cut off the heat.
13. Stir in some chopped thyme and parsley.
14. For a restaurant-like taste, add a couple tablespoons of butter off the heat.

## Equipment

- pan

## Tips

- Save parmesan rinds to add flavor to the dish.
- Do not season the dish at the beginning due to the reduction of chicken stock.
- Garnish with sour cream, chopped tomatoes, or other desired toppings.

## Source

- Original video: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=saved&v=2972435742967733
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/b7bb3e43-aee9-41a2-adfd-e961058457f1
- Extracted: 2026-03-03

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt