Easy Lentil Jambalaya

Okay, if you’re from Louisiana, you might want to turn your head a bit on this one. This certainly isn’t how your grandmother or mother made it. But, hey, listen – it’s good! Plus, it’s quick. A regular jambalaya can take about 90 minutes to make. This one, is on the table in about 20. The key is I used leftover rice (I’ve had a lot of leftover rice lately) and lentils that were pre-cooked. Listen, even canned (once drained and rinsed) would work just fine too. I promise, one bite and you’ll be on Carondelet Street two stepping and shaking!

Easy Lentil Jambalaya
2 cups of lentils, cooked & drained
4 cups of leftover rice
2 tablespoons of olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup of onion, chopped
1/2 cup of bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup of celery, chopped
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning
1 can (14.5 oz) of diced tomatoes
1 pinch of red pepper flakes
1 cup of vegetable stock
chopped basil, to garnish

To start, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Saute the garlic, onion, bell pepper, and celery until tender. Then, add in the can of diced tomatoes and vegetable stock. Season the sauce by adding in the bay leaves, dried thyme, dried oregano, Cajun seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Allow the sauce to come to a boil and then taste it. If you need to adjust the salt level, do so at this point.

To finish, add in the lentils and rice and stir well to combine. Once the lentils and rice have heated through, serve immediately and garnish with chopped basil.