This Garlic Almond Greens & Lentils started as a fridge-dump lunch for me, but I loved it so much I had to turn it into a full recipe. This bowl toasts almonds and garlic in olive oil, then uses that oil to cook some springy broccolini and snap peas, with some parsley and preserved lemon thrown in for good measure. Add in lentils and an egg, top and it’s a full meal.
And this recipe is all about textures. It’s big on flavor, but the texture is what really makes it next-level delicious. I don’t use the word “delicious” lightly, but this bowl uses familiar ingredients, but when you put them all into one bite, it hits you in a way you wouldn’t expect.
This simple lunch can be eaten with the broccolini and peas in their original form, or you can purée it all together for a chopped, earthy style bowl. It’s perfect for dinner, meal prep and a great way to flex some cooking muscles!
Table of contents
Ingredients you will need for these almond garlic greens & lentils
I love the ingredients for this dish because not only are they very simple, but they’re so good for you. If you feel like you’ve been in a cooking slump and want to get a really satisfying dish on the table, this is the perfect recipe for you! Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1/4 cup raw almonds
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 pound snap peas, around 2 cups
- 1/2 pound broccolini, about 7-8 stalks
- 1/2 cup parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
- 1 lemon for juicing
- 1 (15-ounce) can of lentils, rinsed and drained
- 1 preserved lemon, chopped for garnish
- 4 large eggs
- Salt & pepper to taste
How to make the almond garlic chips
I use a method called “bringing to temperature” when cooking these garlic almond chips. It’s a common belief that you always need to heat your oil before adding your food, but this is a cooking misconception.
When crisping certain foods, it’s often better and safer to add them all to a pan cold, and then bring the oil to temperature. Cooking the ingredients along with it.
So for this recipe, roughly chop the almonds and thinly slice the garlic. Add the almonds, garlic, red pepper flakes and olive oil to a pan.
Put the pan on medium heat and let the oil come to temperature. Stir occasionally, and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the garlic is golden brown and the almonds are toasted. Season with salt to taste and remove the garlic and almonds from the pan, leaving the remaining oil.
How to prepare the snap peas and broccolini
The fun part about this recipe is that we are cooking vegetables in oil that is already packed with flavor. So you really don’t have to add much else.
For these greens, cut the tips from the snap peas and add them to the pan. Then add the broccolini and cook in the almond garlic oil for 4-5 minutes, or until the peas and broccolini are tender.
After they have softened, but before they have turned brown, turn off the heat. Add the parsley leaves and the juice from one lemon and toss to combine. Season with salt to taste
Add the peas, broccolini and parsley to a food processor. Pulse until the greens have turned into a roughly chopped mixture.
Serving options for these almond garlic greens
I know a lot of people have a complicated relationship with their food processor. I for one, did not even own one until last year. But now, my food processor is something I can’t live without. But that’s because mine is tiny and always on my counter. But if you are food processor-averse, I get it!
This recipe is a million and one times delicious when you process the greens, but you can also totally skip that step and serve the greens as god intended: serve ’em whole.
As with all things cooking, it really is up to you! So do what your time and energy allow, and either way, this recipe will be great.
Looking for other simple lunch recipes?
And that’s it for this Garlic Almond Greens & Lentils recipe!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Almond Garlic Greens & Lentils
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup raw almonds
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 pound snap peas around 2 cups
- 1/2 pound broccolini about 7-8 stalks
- 1/2 cup parsley leaves plus more for garnish
- 1 lemon for juicing
- 1 ( 15-ounce) can of lentils rinsed and drained
- 1 preserved lemon chopped for garnish
- 4 large eggs
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Roughly chop the almonds and thinly slice the garlic. Add the almonds, garlic, red pepper flakes and olive oil to a pan.
- Put the pan on medium heat and let the oil come to temperature. Stir occasionally, and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the garlic is golden brown and the almonds are toasted. Season with salt to taste and remove the garlic and almonds from the pan, leaving the remaining oil.
- Cut the tips from the snap peas and add them to the pan. Add the broccolini and cook in the almond garlic oil for 4-5 minutes, or until the peas and broccolini are tender.
- Turn off the heat, add the parsley leaves and the juice from one lemon and toss to combine. Season with salt to taste.
- Add the peas, broccolini and parsley to a food processor. Pulse until the greens have turned into a roughly chopped mixture.
- Combine the drained and rinsed lentils with the greens and toss.
- Cook the eggs to your liking. I suggest boiling them for 6 minutes and then putting them directly into an ice bath to create jammy hard-boiled eggs.
- Finely chop up your preserved lemon and toss with salt, pepper and the remaining parsley leaves.
- Plate the lentil mixture, add one egg to each plate and sprinkle the almonds and garlic on top. Top with preserved lemon and parsley and serve!
Delicious and easy! This serves two people in my family. The servings would be quite small, otherwise. Thanks for yet another delightful recipe!
So glad you liked it!!