Fall

Green Lentils with Kasha (Roasted Buckwheat)

by:
March 25, 2013
4.5
2 Ratings
Green Lentils with Kasha (Roasted Buckwheat)
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

My first experience with kasha (roasted buckwheat) was less than a year ago when both my husband and I learned that we have co-workers who grew up in Russia eating kasha with milk for breakfast. While I have yet to try kasha as a breakfast meal, I have learned that it pairs well with lentils and beans to make a fulfilling dinner.
This green lentils and kasha dish relies on a generous drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. While the most calorie conscious among us may feel the need to skip this step, I beg and plead that you do not get shy with the extra-virgin olive oil. —viblanco

Test Kitchen Notes

This recipe makes a very tasty (and big!!!) pot of lentils. The toastiness from the kasha is really nice with the lentils, and the lemon and parsley add freshness, while the feta adds a salty tang. Really, don't skimp on the olive oil -- it makes the dish. I did add a pinch of salt to both the lentils and kasha while they cooked, and some olive oil to the skillet. I also used marinated feta, which added even more flavor. Next time I might add a bit more tomato as well. A worthy addition to the weeknight dinner lineup! —aargersi

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups uncooked French green lentils
  • 3/4 cup uncooked kasha
  • 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 cup unsalted crushed tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
  • 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 2 cups fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 cup good quality extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Directions
  1. In a pot, bring 2 1/2 cups of water to a boil, add the green lentils, and simmer on medium-low heat with the lid on until the lentils are tender (but not mushy). This should take about 15 minutes; be sure to taste the lentils for doneness. If you need more water, add some during the cooking process. Once the lentils are finished cooking, drain the water from the pot and set aside.
  2. In a pot, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil, add the kasha, and simmer on low heat with the lid on the pot for about ten minutes until the kasha is finished cooking. Set aside.
  3. Place a large sauté pan on the stove. Over low heat, add the lentils and kasha to the pan and mix. Mix in the raw garlic, tomatoes, lemon juice, coriander, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt, and most of the chopped parsley.
  4. Sprinkle the remaining parsley atop the lentils and kasha mixture and then pour the olive oil all over the mixture. Do not skimp on the olive oil; it adds necessary flavor to the dish.
  5. Sprinkle a generous amount of feta cheese and drizzle additional olive oil atop the individual servings.
Tags:
Contest Entries

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • QueenSashy
    QueenSashy
  • viblanco
    viblanco
  • Flexitarian
    Flexitarian
  • lsgerman
    lsgerman

Popular on Food52

6 Reviews

Flexitarian
Flexitarian September 1, 2018
This was a huge hit with the carnivore and the vegetarian family members! YUM
 
lsgerman
lsgerman July 17, 2013
I thought this sounded great but was concerned about the dryness warnings. I adapted the recipe a bit for my vegetarian husband and to try and make it more of a meal. In addition to the ingredients above I used a yellow squash, about five green onions and two good handfuls of baby spinach. I didn't have a pot big enough so after cooking the lentils and kasha, I set them aside. Then I cooked the squash, tomatoes, garlic and green onions in olive oil in a separate pan. As they were cooking I used my biggest pot to start to reheat the lentils and kasha. I added the spices to that mixture. Once the vegetables were done and the lentil/kasha mixture hot; I put the two together in the big pot and mixed/folded everything together. The very last step was to mix in the spinach and cover the pot for a few minutes to let the spinach wilt a little. This served up really nicely, my husband loved it. It was satisfying and not dry at all. I may have used the same amount of olive oil but part was used to saute the vegetables. I'm a fairly new cook - so let me know what you think of my adaptation.
 
viblanco
viblanco July 17, 2013
I absolutely love the idea of adding the squash, green onions and spinach; the more vegetables, the better! I'll have to try your adaptation especially since I am looking for new ways to use squash now that it is in season. Thanks for the feedback and providing your twist on the recipe.
 
lsgerman
lsgerman July 21, 2013
Please let me know how your summer version comes out. I'd like to know if you enjoyed it as much as I did.
 
QueenSashy
QueenSashy April 25, 2013
Love all the ingredients, this is on my must try list. Congratulations on the community pick!
 
viblanco
viblanco April 25, 2013
Thank you (and congrats to you being a finalist)! :)) Heed aargersi's tasting notes on this recipe; I think she makes some great points. (Remember the oil; it's dry dry dry without it.)