Garlicky Lentils and Quinoa with Ricotta
From: Ian Seddon's Cookbook
🥘 Ingredients
- uncooked quinoa 1 ½ cup
- low-sodium vegetable broth or water 2 cup
- Kosher salt
- Herby Lentils 2 ½ cup
- Tofu Ricotta 1 cup
- Quick Pickled Chiles and Shallots 4-6
- coriander seeds 2 tsp
- extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp
- fat garlic cloves 4
- panko breadcrumbs ¼ cup
- pepitas ½ cup
- red pepper flakes ½ tsp
- Flaky
I prefer serving the leftover cooked lentils at room temp, but you can reheat them in the microwave or on the stove if you prefer. If you want a warmer meal, you can lightly warm up the ricotta in the microwave. If you have leftover Quick Pickled Chiles and Shallots, use them in other grain bowls, tacos, or sandwiches. Love garlic? Use 6 garlic cloves instead of 4 in the Crunchy Garlicky Pepitas. Storage: Store all components separately in the fridge, including the Crunchy Garlicky Pepitas. The quinoa will stay good for up to 5 days, and the pepitas for 5 to 7 days. Reheat the quinoa and/or lentils if desired and assemble as listed in step 4 right before serving. Storage: The Herby Lentils and Tofu Ricotta can be frozen for a few months. Defrost in the fridge. Reblend the ricotta to return it to a smooth, whipped consistency. Nutrition boost: Add a layer of salad greens to your bowl before assembling, or grate some carrots and fold into each bowl. For the Crunchy Garlicky Pepitas, add in some hemp seeds/hearts when you add the panko. Shortcut: Use pre-cooked quinoa.
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1Gather: uncooked quinoa , low-sodium vegetable broth or water , Kosher salt , Herby Lentils , Tofu Ricotta , Quick Pickled Chiles and Shallots . For the crunchy garlicky pepitas: coriander seeds , extra virgin olive oil , fat garlic cloves , panko breadcrumbs , pepitas , red pepper flakes , Flaky sea salt.
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2Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve, then drain. Bring the broth to a boil in a medium saucepan, then add the quinoa (if using water instead of broth, add a pinch of salt). Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, until the liquid has evaporated and the quinoa is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Open the pot and fluff with a fork. Drain off any excess liquid. For the best texture, transfer to a sheet pan and spread out.
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3While the quinoa cooks, take the Herby Lentils, Tofu Ricotta, and Quick Pickled Chiles and Shallots out of the fridge. And prepare your side salad, if you’re making one.
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4Make the Crunchy Garlicky Pepitas. First, lightly crush the coriander seeds: Use a mortar and pestle, or blitz a few times in a spice grinder. Don’t have either? Smash down on them with the back of a heavy knife and roughly chop. Or, crush with the back of a sturdy mug, measuring cup, or cast iron skillet. Add the olive oil to a cold medium frying pan and spread out to lightly coat the pan. Add sliced garlic and turn the heat to medium. Gently cook, stirring occasionally and separating the slices with a spatula, until the garlic is just starting to get some color, about 2 minutes. Add the panko, crushed coriander, and pepitas, and cook for 2-3 minutes , or until the panko starts to turn golden, stirring frequently. If the garlic starts to brown, lower the heat. In the last 30 seconds, add the red pepper flakes (if using) and a big pinch of flaky sea salt. Take off the heat immediately and pour onto a plate to stop cooking.
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5Divide the quinoa and Herby Lentils among bowls. Dollop each with a generous scoop of Tofu Ricotta, and divide most of the Crunchy Garlicky Pepitas among the bowls. Spoon some Quick Pickled Chiles and Shallots onto each bowl, including some of the pickling liquid. For extra richness, drizzle on a bit of olive oil.
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6Serve with your side salad, if you made one.