I make a bean or lentil spread almost every Sunday to eat throughout the week. I make a large batch of lentils or other bean, use some for soups or grain and bean patties, and some for a bean spread. This recipe can be used with other beans and lentils, and other nuts or seeds. You can also exchange the red wine vinegar with lemon juice, balsamic vinegar or rice vinegar.
When using lentils for a spread, try to go light on the water in the beginning of cooking. This will help keep the spread from being too thin when pureed. Beans are easy to drain to remove excess liquid, but lentils aren’t always easy to do that with and you can end up losing a lot of the flavor. If using another bean instead of the lentils, use 2-3 cups cooked beans. I think this recipe would be delicious with pinto or black beans.
Lentil Walnut Spread
1 cup lentils, rinsed well
Postage stamp size piece of kombu
Pinch of sea salt
½ cup walnuts, lightly pan toasted
2 tsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp light miso, like chickpea or sweet white (I like South River brand, but Miso Master is okay as well.)
1. Place the lentils and 3 cups water in a medium pot. Heat to a low rolling boil and carefully remove the foam that rises to the top. Add the kombu. Reduce the heat to simmer and cover. Let cook for 30 minutes, stir and check the level of liquid regularly. At 20 minutes add a pinch of sea salt. If there is still a lot of liquid in the lentils, remove the cover so it can evaporate and let cook until fairly thick. Remove from heat. Drain any liquid into a separate bowl and set aside to use in the spread if needed. Let cool.
2. Place walnuts in a food processor, process until coarsely ground. Add the rest of the ingredients and puree. Scrape the sides of the processor a few times. If the spread is a bit too thick, add some of the cooking liquid or water a few tsp at a time. Taste and adjust flavors to your liking.
3. Serve with blanched vegetables, in collard wraps, in a sandwich or any place you like to use a spread.
Lentil Walnut Spread
Equipment
- food processor or immersion blender
- medium size pot with lid
- medium size skillet
Ingredients
- 1 cup lentils rinsed well
- Postage stamp size piece of kombu
- Pinch of sea salt
- ½ cup walnuts lightly pan toasted
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp light miso like chickpea or sweet white (I like South River brand, but Miso Master is okay as well.)
Instructions
- Place the lentils and 3 cups water in a medium pot. Heat to a low rolling boil and carefully remove the foam that rises to the top. Add the kombu. Reduce the heat to simmer and cover. Let cook for 30 minutes, stir and check the level of liquid regularly. At 20 minutes add a pinch of sea salt. If there is still a lot of liquid in the lentils, remove the cover so it can evaporate and let cook until fairly thick. Remove from heat. Immediately drain any liquid into a separate bowl and set aside to use in the spread if needed. Let cool.
- Place walnuts in a food processor, process until coarsely ground. Add the rest of the ingredients and puree. Scrape the sides of the processor a few times. If the spread is a bit too thick, add some of the cooking liquid or water a few tsp at a time. Taste and adjust flavors to your liking.
- Serve with blanched vegetables, in collard wraps, in a sandwich or any place you like to use a spread.