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I came up with this recipe for lentils and rice during one of those crazy times when the day was packed with nonstop chores, dinnertime snuck up on us, and I didn’t want to cook. It’s super easy and the combination of lentils and brown rice is really filling. It’s a great option for a meatless and inexpensive meal that goes a long way.
The first few times we had this lentils and rice recipe, we had it in a bowl. Now, when we have tortillas on hand, we use it as a filling for burritos.
You can easily change this recipe to suit your tastes. Want more cheese? Put more in! Need more lime juice? Pour it on! Not enough spice? Add some hot sauce!
I’ve made the recipe with both canned and dried lentils. Both turn out really well. To use dried lentils instead of canned, I cook a cup of dry lentils in two cups of chicken broth until they are soft. After they are done cooking, I drain and rinse them well. Then, I continue with the recipe as written. To keep the recipe vegetarian, you can cook the lentils in water instead of chicken broth.
Lentils and Rice
1 (15 ounce) can Lentils, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can Corn, drained and rinsed
1 (10 ounce) can Tomatoes with Green Chiles, drained and lightly rinsed
4 servings Brown Rice, cooked
1 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
3 Tablespoons Lime Juice
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Sour Cream (optional)
Ranch Salad Dressing (optional)
Crushed Tortilla Chips (optional)
Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Cook over low to medium heat, until cheese is melted.
Top individual servings with sour cream, ranch salad dressing, crushed tortilla chips, additional lime juice, and/or lime-cilantro dressing.
Recipe Notes…
Instead of using lentils and brown rice, you can use the same amounts of black beans and white rice.
Cook the rice using chicken broth instead of water for more flavor.
To give this recipe a little more kick, you can skip rinsing the tomatoes after you drain them.
You can easily double the recipe to give you leftovers.
This recipe works great as a main dish, salad, or side dish.
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the lentils, corn, tomatoes, and rice in a large pot on medium-low heat.1 (15 ounce) can Lentils, drained and rinsed, 1 (15 ounce) can Corn, drained and rinsed, 1 (10 ounce) can Tomatoes with Green Chiles, drained, 4 servings Brown Rice, cooked
- Turn off the stove and add all other ingredients.1 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded, 3 Tablespoons Lime Juice, Salt and Pepper, to taste
- Top individual servings with sour cream, additional lime juice, ranch dressing, or cilantro lime dressing.Sour Cream (optional), 1 bottle Cilantro lime dressing (optional), 1 bottle Ranch dressing (optional)
- Serve in a bowl, on tortillas as a burrito filling, or with tortilla chips on the side.Tortillas or tortilla chips (optional)
Notes
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