You’re going to love this French lentils recipe with caramelized onions and chopped pistachios.

It’s wonderful as a main or side dish. Serve it over sautéed kale or alongside salad.

Overhead red serving dish with Puy lentils, tater tots, and kale.

I often say that French lentils du Puy are the Cadillac of lentils. (They are also known as green French or Puy lentils.)

They have a painted-on, eggshell appearance that gives them a natural beauty. Their diminutive size is about a third of standard brown lentils.

And like all lentils, they don’t have to soak before using. That makes them an easy, weeknight meal.

Once cooked, they retain their disc-like shape and slightly firm texture, thanks to a thick skin.

It makes them perfect for adding to salads or serving all on their own.

Finally, the flavor of Puy lentils has an earthy, metallic taste that shines with other dense flavors.

Dried French lentils in white bowl by olive oil and pistachios.

I especially love serving them with caramelized onions, chopped pistachios, and a swish of stoneground mustard.

The sweetness of the onions and salty richness of the nuts combines beautifully with the tinny lentils.

Served on top of garlicky sautéed kale, French lentils become a filling and simple meal that is loaded with good-for-you things like fiber, iron, and protein.

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Ingredients
Step by step instructions
Make them your own
Serving suggestions
Storage & reheating
📖 Recipe

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.

French lentils: These small lentils are also called French lentils du Puy. You can find them in bulk bins or bagged at natural grocery stores.

They’re sold in the dry goods section of mainstream stores like Target for a few dollars. Of course, you can also get them online.

Bouillon: You can use either half of a vegetable bouillon cube or ½ teaspoon of Better Than Bouillon no chicken base.

If you’d prefer, water + bouillon can be replaced with vegetable broth.

Onion: I recommend using a yellow onion over red for optimum sweetness and caramelizing.

Agave syrup: This adds sweetness. It can be replaced with maple syrup or your preferred liquid sweetener.

Pistachios: A handful of pistachios add crunch, nuttiness, and salt. Look for them with other nuts at the supermarket.

Pantry staples: Salt, stoneground mustard, and extra virgin olive oil (or your preferred cooking oil).

Step by step instructions

Here’s how to make this recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.

French lentils in fine mesh sieve being rinsed in sink.

Put French lentils into fine mesh sieve.

Wash them & pick out any debris.

Collage with lentils cooking in water & fully cooked lentils.

Bring the lentils to a boil with water & bouillon in a pot.

Once boiling, turn the heat to low & cover.

Cook for about 25 minutes, until al dente.

Collage with onions in skillet by caramelized onions.

In a separate skillet, sauté onions in oil with salt at a medium high heat.

Once they have some color, turn the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes, until soft.

Add a drizzle of agave or maple syrup.

Skillet with Puy lentils, caramelized onions, and pistachios.

Add chopped pistachios, drained lentils, and mustard.

Combine. Add salt to taste.

Make them your own

You can make these lentils your own by varying the ingredients.

Instead of French lentils, use green or brown lentils. The cooking time may vary. Cook until just al dente.
Do NOT use red lentils instead. They fall apart into a mush and won’t work here.
Instead of onions, use leeks or shallots.
Use agave or your preferred liquid sweetener instead of maple syrup.
Add herbs like thyme, rosemary, or herbs de Provence.
Instead of pistachios, use toasted pine nuts or Marcona almonds.

Serving suggestions

Blue plate with sauteed kale and lentils.

French lentils can be a main course or side dish.

Serve them alongside any of the following:

Storage & reheating

This dish is perfect for meal planning. It keeps nicely in a covered container in the refrigerator for about 4 days.

Reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stove. (Add a splash of water if it gets too dried out in the pot.)

Add a pinch of salt & fresh handful of pistachios just before serving for added crunch.

Blue plate with sauteed kale and Puy lentils.

📖 Recipe

Content, recipe, and photos updated June 16, 2021. Originally posted May 7, 2015.

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