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Slow Cooker Cider Lentil Pot with Cheddar-Sage Dumplings | DadTheFoodie

Slow Cooker Cider Lentil Pot with Cheddar-Sage Dumplings recipe photograph

Instructions

Put the lentils, leeks, carrots, celery, onion and garlic into a 3.5-litre slow cooker.
Mix the cider, vegetable stock, tomato purée, plain flour, dried sage, thyme, salt and pepper in a jug until smooth. Pour it over the vegetables and lentils, then add the bay leaf and vegetable oil. Stir well.
Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the lentils are tender and the vegetables are soft. Stir once if convenient, but keep the lid on as much as possible.
Make the dumpling mixture. Rub the cold butter into the self-raising flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs, then stir in the Cheddar and chopped sage. Add the milk and mix with a table knife to make a soft, slightly sticky dough. Add a splash more milk only if needed.
Remove the bay leaf and taste the lentil mixture, adjusting the seasoning. Divide the dumpling dough into 8 rough balls and place them evenly over the surface. Do not press them into the gravy.
Cover and continue cooking on low for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the dumplings are puffed and cooked through in the centre. Keep the lid closed during this final cooking stage.
Serve the lentils and dumplings straight away, with steamed green vegetables if you like. The gravy will thicken slightly as it stands for a few minutes.

Equipment needed

Recommended slow-cooker size: 3.5 litre

3.5-litre slow cooker
Mixing bowl
Jug
Wooden spoon
Table knife

Swaps and substitutions

Green or brown lentils → Puy-style lentils
They will hold their shape well but may need a little extra stock if the mixture becomes too thick.
Alcohol-free cider → Dry ordinary cider
Use alcohol-free cider for a family-friendly dish; ordinary cider contains alcohol that may not fully cook away in a slow cooker.
Mature Cheddar → A vegetarian hard cheese or grated Red Leicester
Check the label if a vegetarian recipe is required, as some cheeses use animal rennet.
Semi-skimmed milk → Unsweetened oat milk
Choose a dairy-free spread instead of butter as well if making the dumplings dairy-free.

Storage and leftovers

Freezer friendly: Not suitable for freezing
Batch cooking: Suitable for batch cooking
Storage: Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate within two hours in a covered container. Keep for up to 3 days. Store the dumplings with the lentils, although they may soften slightly in storage.
Reheating: Reheat portions in a saucepan over a medium-low heat or in the microwave until piping hot throughout. Add a splash of vegetable stock or water if the lentils have thickened too much. Do not reheat more than once.
Leftover ideas: Spoon leftovers into an ovenproof dish, top with grated Cheddar and bake until bubbling for a quick lentil bake. You can also serve the lentils over baked potatoes, without reheating the dumplings separately.

Allergen information

Contains gluten from the flour and dairy from the butter, Cheddar and milk. Use suitable gluten-free flour, stock and dumpling ingredients if required, and check all packet labels.

Always check ingredient packaging and labels if you or someone you are cooking for has an allergy.

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Recipe info

Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 450 min
Servings: 4

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Ingredients

Recipe serves 4

Adjust servings

Cooking time may not change in direct proportion to serving size.

250 g green or brown lentils, rinsed and drained
2 large leeks, washed and sliced
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 cm pieces
2 celery sticks, finely sliced
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely grated or crushed
500 ml dry alcohol-free cider
500 ml vegetable stock, made with 1 stock cube
2 tablespoons tomato purée
1 tablespoon plain flour
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ teaspoon fine salt, plus extra to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper
200 g self-raising flour
50 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
75 g mature Cheddar, grated
1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried sage
100 ml semi-skimmed milk, plus a little extra if needed

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Tags: Slow cooker, Vegetarian, Meat-free, Lentils, Dumplings, Cider, Family meals, One-pot meals

Slow Cooker Cider Lentil Pot with Cheddar-Sage Dumplings

Name: Slow Cooker Cider Lentil Pot with Cheddar-Sage Dumplings
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 450 min
Total time: 475 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 250 g green or brown lentils, rinsed and drained; 2 large leeks, washed and sliced; 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 cm pieces; 2 celery sticks, finely sliced; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, finely grated or crushed; 500 ml dry alcohol-free cider; 500 ml vegetable stock, made with 1 stock cube; 2 tablespoons tomato purée; 1 tablespoon plain flour; 1 teaspoon dried sage; 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or ½ teaspoon dried thyme; 1 bay leaf; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; ½ teaspoon fine salt, plus extra to taste; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 200 g self-raising flour; 50 g cold unsalted butter, cubed; 75 g mature Cheddar, grated; 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried sage; 100 ml semi-skimmed milk, plus a little extra if needed

Green lentils, leeks and root vegetables simmer gently in alcohol-free cider before being topped with soft cheddar and sage dumplings. It is a hearty meat-free family meal with plenty of savoury gravy for spooning over the dumplings.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 7 hr 30 min
Total: 7 hr 55 min
Servings: 4

Equipment

Slow-cooker size: 3.5 litre

3.5-litre slow cooker
Mixing bowl
Jug
Wooden spoon
Table knife

Ingredients

250 g green or brown lentils, rinsed and drained
2 large leeks, washed and sliced
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 cm pieces
2 celery sticks, finely sliced
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely grated or crushed
500 ml dry alcohol-free cider
500 ml vegetable stock, made with 1 stock cube
2 tablespoons tomato purée
1 tablespoon plain flour
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ teaspoon fine salt, plus extra to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper
200 g self-raising flour
50 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
75 g mature Cheddar, grated
1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried sage
100 ml semi-skimmed milk, plus a little extra if needed

Substitutions

Green or brown lentils → Puy-style lentils (They will hold their shape well but may need a little extra stock if the mixture becomes too thick.)
Alcohol-free cider → Dry ordinary cider (Use alcohol-free cider for a family-friendly dish; ordinary cider contains alcohol that may not fully cook away in a slow cooker.)
Mature Cheddar → A vegetarian hard cheese or grated Red Leicester (Check the label if a vegetarian recipe is required, as some cheeses use animal rennet.)
Semi-skimmed milk → Unsweetened oat milk (Choose a dairy-free spread instead of butter as well if making the dumplings dairy-free.)

Instructions

Put the lentils, leeks, carrots, celery, onion and garlic into a 3.5-litre slow cooker.
Mix the cider, vegetable stock, tomato purée, plain flour, dried sage, thyme, salt and pepper in a jug until smooth. Pour it over the vegetables and lentils, then add the bay leaf and vegetable oil. Stir well.
Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the lentils are tender and the vegetables are soft. Stir once if convenient, but keep the lid on as much as possible.
Make the dumpling mixture. Rub the cold butter into the self-raising flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs, then stir in the Cheddar and chopped sage. Add the milk and mix with a table knife to make a soft, slightly sticky dough. Add a splash more milk only if needed.
Remove the bay leaf and taste the lentil mixture, adjusting the seasoning. Divide the dumpling dough into 8 rough balls and place them evenly over the surface. Do not press them into the gravy.
Cover and continue cooking on low for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the dumplings are puffed and cooked through in the centre. Keep the lid closed during this final cooking stage.
Serve the lentils and dumplings straight away, with steamed green vegetables if you like. The gravy will thicken slightly as it stands for a few minutes.

Storage and leftovers

Freezer friendly: Not suitable for freezing

Suitable for batch cooking

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate within two hours in a covered container. Keep for up to 3 days. Store the dumplings with the lentils, although they may soften slightly in storage.

Reheat portions in a saucepan over a medium-low heat or in the microwave until piping hot throughout. Add a splash of vegetable stock or water if the lentils have thickened too much. Do not reheat more than once.

Spoon leftovers into an ovenproof dish, top with grated Cheddar and bake until bubbling for a quick lentil bake. You can also serve the lentils over baked potatoes, without reheating the dumplings separately.

Allergen information

Contains gluten from the flour and dairy from the butter, Cheddar and milk. Use suitable gluten-free flour, stock and dumpling ingredients if required, and check all packet labels.

Always check ingredient packaging and labels if you or someone you are cooking for has an allergy.

Slow Cooker Cider Lentil Pot with Cheddar-Sage Dumplings

Instructions

Equipment needed

Swaps and substitutions

Storage and leftovers

Allergen information

My private notes

Slow Cooker Cider Lentil Pot with Cheddar-Sage Dumplings

Equipment

Ingredients

Substitutions

Instructions

Storage and leftovers

Allergen information

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