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Italian Lentil and Chestnut Stew

[heart_this] · Oct 24, 2009 · 38 Comments

Italian Lentil and Chestnut Stew

When I was at the market on the weekend I came across some chestnuts and since I had not even seen chestnuts in a while so I immediatly picked some up. When I got home I looked through my bookmarks for interesting recipes with chestnuts I came across this one for an Italian lentil and chestnut stew on Mostly Eating that sounds really good. Most of the time when I have used chestnuts in the past it has been in sweet dishes and I liked the sound of using them in a savoury stew for a change. I also liked that this stew used lentils which I have been wanting to use more often. I pretty much stuck to the original recipe though I swapped some thyme in for the rosemary and I tossed in the rind of some parmigiano reggiano for some extra flavour.
The first thing that I needed to do was to get the chestnuts out of their shells and there are two ways to do so; I went with roasting the chestnuts but you could also go with boiling . The lentil and chestnut stew turned out really well! Between roasting the chestnuts and cooking the stew, my apartment was filled with some amazing aromas. The stew was nice and light and healthy and tasty and good! The chestnuts worked really well in the stew adding a nice hint of flavour and a nice contrasting texture. I served the stew with some cheesy garlic toast and garnished it with a bit of grated parmigiano reggiano. What a perfectly seasonal stew for a cool autumn day!

Italian Lentil and Chestnut Stew

Italian Lentil and Chestnut Stew

Cook Time: 50 minutes Total Time: 50 minutes Servings: 4
ingredients
  • 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion (diced)
  • 1 carrot (diced)
  • 1 rib celery (diced)
  • 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
  • 1 cup dry lentils
  • 2 cups water (or broth)
  • 1/2 cup roasted chestnuts (or boiled chestnuts)
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 sprig thyme
  • parmigiano reggiano rind (optional)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 handful parsley (chopped)
directions
  1. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the dried porcini mushrooms and let soak for 30 minutes.
  2. Heat the oil in a large sauce pan.
  3. Add the onion, carrot and celery and saute until tender, about 10-15 minutes.
  4. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute.
  5. Slice the porcini mushrooms retaining the liquid.
  6. Add the mushrooms, their water, the lentils, water, chestnuts, balsamic vinegar, bay leaf, thyme, parmigiano reggiano rind, salt and pepper into the sauce pan and simmer covered until the lentils are al dente, about 20-30 minutes.
  7. Remove from head and stir in the parsley.
Similar Recipes:
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Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Chestnuts
Lentil Stew with Italian Sausage and Kale

Food, Gluten-free, Italian, Main Course, One-Pan, One-Pot, Recipe, Stew, Vegetarian

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. VeggieGirl says

    October 24, 2009 at 1:06 am

    So hearty and delectable!

    Reply
  2. Anonymous says

    October 24, 2009 at 2:10 am

    'Eatable' soup! Sounds (and looks) lovely!

    Reply
  3. Jenn says

    October 24, 2009 at 5:50 am

    This is the third delicious lentil dish I've seen today. It's a sign. I need to get me some lentils, STAT!!

    Reply
  4. chriesi says

    October 24, 2009 at 6:34 am

    That sounds very good!

    Reply
  5. James P. Walsh says

    October 24, 2009 at 7:05 am

    Good job. Lentil is a much neglected legume and I have some in my cupboard. Time to make some more soup over the next few days.

    Reply
  6. ♥peachkins♥ says

    October 24, 2009 at 7:59 am

    WOW!

    Reply
  7. MeetaK says

    October 24, 2009 at 8:08 am

    oh i love lentils and this look simple hearty and satisfying!

    Reply
  8. Nina Timm says

    October 24, 2009 at 9:03 am

    Oh Lord, Kevin, this stew looks so flavorsome and good!!!

    Reply
  9. Rosa's Yummy Yums says

    October 24, 2009 at 9:13 am

    That is one luxurious lentil salad! A delightful flavor combo!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Reply
  10. Ninette says

    October 24, 2009 at 12:30 pm

    Looks terrific as always. I've never had this combination before.

    Reply
  11. Joanne says

    October 24, 2009 at 2:11 pm

    I don't think I've ever even had chestnuts in my life! They sound so good though as does this stew. I think it's time for me to branch out and try these things.

    Reply
  12. George Gaston says

    October 24, 2009 at 2:24 pm

    Oh Kevin, that looks so good! It is raining here today and that stew would be a perfect way to get through the day. Thanks…

    Reply
  13. mycookinghut says

    October 24, 2009 at 2:59 pm

    This is great hearty meal!

    Reply
  14. meeso says

    October 24, 2009 at 3:58 pm

    Right on! Awesome winter dinner!

    Reply
  15. Cakebrain says

    October 24, 2009 at 5:14 pm

    oooh! looks like comfort food to me!

    Reply
  16. Fitness Foodie says

    October 24, 2009 at 6:39 pm

    Love lentils in stew or soup. Nice and hearty for this dreary day.

    Reply
  17. pigpigscorner says

    October 24, 2009 at 8:16 pm

    Wow, this looks and sounds so tasty!

    Reply
  18. Gloria says

    October 25, 2009 at 12:08 am

    aaah! Kevin when I come here always Im finish hungry! I love lentils and this look delicious!! gloria

    Reply
  19. Taste of Beirut says

    October 25, 2009 at 12:55 am

    mmm. I am going to have to try this! unusual and so delicious!

    Reply
  20. Cara says

    October 25, 2009 at 4:17 pm

    I have never cooked with fresh chestnuts – you may have just inspired me.

    Reply
  21. kellypea says

    October 25, 2009 at 5:26 pm

    I have had a craving for lentil something for the last few days. This really sounds delicious. Perfect for the season.

    Reply
  22. to2sassy says

    October 26, 2009 at 6:46 pm

    I have been trying to eat more meatless dishes with lentils being high on my list but everything ends up with cumin and curry a other "indianish" spices though I love it I need some variety. This sounds like it could fit the bill!

    Reply
  23. Jenn/CinnamonQuill says

    October 26, 2009 at 9:55 pm

    A grand combination, especially for holiday time. I'm seeing these on our Thanksgiving table? Wonderful!

    Reply
  24. Spryte says

    October 27, 2009 at 3:31 pm

    Mmmm… that looks so delicious!!

    Reply
  25. Meagan says

    October 29, 2009 at 12:17 am

    Wow I can't wait to try this stw. Lentils can be so delicious… thanks again for annother brilliant recipe!

    Reply
  26. kimberly says

    December 14, 2009 at 11:26 pm

    finally got around to making this tonight. we found that 30 minutes wasn't long enough for the lentils to soften. we added another cup of water and another 10 minutes to simmer.

    Reply
  27. Fi says

    March 31, 2010 at 12:44 am

    This looks divine.

    Reply
  28. Rochelle says

    August 20, 2010 at 7:06 am

    so great! thanks for sharing 🙂

    Reply
  29. Justin says

    January 9, 2012 at 9:35 pm

    Just made it for dinner and the porcini and parmesan rind make for the most meaty vegetarian dish I've had in a while! I would suggest chopping the chestnuts a little as a whole one pretty much takes over a mouthful.

    Reply
  30. aron says

    May 24, 2012 at 1:22 am

    Thanks for posting this. It was great! Very satisfying and savory. My husband and I are trying to eat less meat too, and also trying to find ways of using up the chestnuts we have.

    Reply
  31. Karl says

    October 9, 2018 at 7:51 pm

    Haven’t read the full ingredients list yet but you had me at the chestnut, lentil carrots etc. So this is a must make, emailed myself the link so I don’t forget.

    Reply
  32. May says

    December 17, 2018 at 6:46 am

    Wow, you just saved me (or rather my family) from another Sunday night dinner disaster / disappointment! I found this at the last minute and everyone loved it including the picky ones! The only thing I changed was haricot beans instead of lentils and it was still amazing.

    Reply
  33. afracooking says

    April 13, 2020 at 1:59 pm

    Really enjoyed eating this tonight. I also added about 250g of beech mushrooms and a tbsp soy sauce. Love the chestnuts!

    Reply
  34. Tammi DiMartino says

    October 31, 2020 at 12:42 pm

    Excellent – added some sausage and anduoille crumbles on top.

    Reply
  35. Alex says

    November 17, 2022 at 8:48 pm

    Looks delicious but can I ask what kind of lentils . I’m thinking brown cuz they hold their shape but would like to know for sure
    Thx kindly

    Reply
    • kevin says

      November 21, 2022 at 9:01 am

      I usually use brown or green/puy lentils for this recipe!

      Reply
  36. Rachel says

    January 21, 2023 at 9:15 pm

    This soup was delicioso!!!! I added Italian sausage, I couldn’t resist. I did not have Porcini mushrooms but I did have the powder so I added that. I also added a bit of red pepper and marjoram. Thanks for the yummy recipe.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. What to eat in January for the last time - In-Season Cook says:
    January 11, 2023 at 5:57 pm

    […] are a staple in my home, and I’ll never get bored of this Italian Lentil and Chestnut Stew from Closet […]

    Reply

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