Inspired by complex flavors from Tunisia, we love this orzo and lentils dish. We loaded this stovetop meal with aromatics, bell peppers and tomatoes. To save time, we like to cook our orzo while the tomato mixture simmers. With this time saving tactic, this quick stove top dinner is a weeknight winner.
How To Make This Recipe
We begin by pulling together all of our ingredients. For our sauce, we layer crushed tomatoes with onions, garlic, bell peppers and a variety of seasonings. Spices include harissa, coriander, cinnamon, paprika, basil, and parsley. Whole wheat orzo and lentils round out the dish.
Prepare Sauce
For the base of our sauce, we sauté our onions and garlic in a thin layer of vegetable broth until soft and translucent. For this step, we prefer using a wide, non-stick skillet over medium heat. If the aromatics begin to stick, we simply add a splash of vegetable broth or water.
Next, we add our peppers, coriander, cinnamon and paprika and cook for another minute. If the peppers or spices begin to stick, we just add another splash of vegetable broth.
Aromatics with peppers and spice.
Once fragrant, we add in our tomatoes, harissa, basil and parsley. We reduce heat slightly to simmer. Then, we allow this sauce to cook–stirring occasionally–for 25 minutes or until those peppers are tender.
Finish Pasta
While the tomato sauce simmers, we cook our whole wheat orzo to al dente based on package directions. Once the sauce is ready, we fold in our orzo and lentils. At this point, we’ll give it a quick taste and adjust seasonings to our personal preference. We then gently stir our orzo mix over low heat until warmed through.
Fold in both the orzo and lentils.
Ready To Serve
And, just like that, we’re ready to serve. So, grab a ladle and scoop that Tunisian orzo and lentils dish into serving bowls. When we’re feeling fancy, we’ll garnish with a little fresh parsley.
Enjoy that Tunisian Orzo.
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Recipe Card for Tunisian Orzo And Lentils
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Tunisian Orzo And Lentils
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegetable broth or water
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 medium onion
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 2 large bell peppers sliced
- 1 teaspoon harissa
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 cup whole wheat orzo cooked al dente
- 15 ounces lentils canned, drained and rinsed
Instructions
- Cook onions and garlic in a thin layer of vegetable broth over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent. If the onions start to stick, add a splash or vegetable broth or water.
- Add peppers, coriander, cinnamon and paprika. Saute for 1 minute, or until fragrant. If the peppers start to stick, add a splash or vegetable broth or water.
- Stir in tomatoes, harissa, basil and parsley. Reduce heat slightly. Simmer for 25 minutes or until peppers are tender, stirring occasionally.
- Gently fold in lentils and orzo. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently stir over heat until warmed through.
- Scoop your Tunisian orzo with bell pepper & lentils into serving bowls. Enjoy!
