Description
This French Onion Baked Lentils and Farro dish brings all the cozy, cheesy comfort of French onion soup with a hearty twist. Packed with caramelized onions, earthy lentils, and chewy farro, it’s baked to bubbly perfection under a layer of golden gruyère.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup dry green or brown lentils
- 1 cup farro
- 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 ½ cups shredded gruyère cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat Your Equipment: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease an oven-safe skillet or casserole dish.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced onions and cook for 25–30 minutes until caramelized. Stir in garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- Prepare Your Cooking Vessel: Add lentils, farro, thyme, bay leaves, and vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer.
- Assemble the Dish: Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish if needed. Top with shredded gruyère cheese evenly.
- Cook to Perfection: Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10–15 more minutes until top is golden and bubbly.
- Finishing Touches: Broil for 2–3 minutes for extra golden crust if desired.
- Serve and Enjoy: Let rest for 5–10 minutes. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve warm.
Notes
- Use freshly shredded cheese for best melt and flavor.
- Don’t rush the onion caramelization — it’s key to the flavor.
- You can prep and assemble this a day ahead and bake when needed.
- Leftovers make excellent fillings for stuffed peppers or savory pies.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 9g
- Protein: 19g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
Keywords: French onion casserole, lentils and farro bake, vegetarian comfort food, caramelized onion bake, cozy baked dinner