Mediterraner Paradeiser-Linsen-Aufstrich (Mediterranean tomato and lentil spread)
A thick lentil and tomato spread, the lentils simmered until fully soft and most of the liquid has cooked away, since any leftover water makes the blended spread too loose to hold on bread. Roasting the tomatoes briefly first concentrates their flavour the way a raw or simply simmered tomato never quite achieves.
Prep15 min
Cook45 min
Servings4
Christoph's Mediterranean tomato and lentil spread, the tomatoes roasted briefly first for deeper flavour.
Ingredients
Written for a 2 L pot
Units
Temperature
Servings
Spread
- 200 g red lentils rounded
- 400 ml vegetable broth rounded
- 300 g tomatoes, halved rounded
- 100 g onion, finely chopped rounded
- 1 garlic clove rounded
- 40 ml olive oil rounded
- 10 g dried oregano rounded
- to taste fine salt rounded
Dietary labels are a guide, not a guarantee. If you have an allergy, read the ingredients yourself.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan). Roast the halved tomatoes, cut-side up, for 20 minutes, until softened and lightly charred at the edges.
- Meanwhile, sauté the onion and garlic in half the olive oil over medium heat for 4 minutes.
- Add the red lentils and broth. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are fully soft and almost all the liquid has cooked away.
- Blend the cooked lentils, roasted tomatoes, remaining olive oil and oregano until smooth.
- Season with salt. Chill before serving.
Notes
- Cook the lentils down until almost no liquid remains. Red lentils absorb a lot of water as they soften; leftover liquid in the pot carries straight through into the blended spread, making it too loose to hold on bread.
- Roast the tomatoes rather than using them raw. Roasting concentrates their sugars and drives off excess water, giving the spread a deeper flavour than simmered or raw tomatoes provide.
- Blend it fully smooth for a classic spread texture, or leave it slightly chunky if you prefer more texture.
- It keeps for 4 days in the fridge and freezes well in small portions.
Ingredient substitutions
- Red lentils are ideal here since they break down fully; brown or green lentils will stay too firm and grainy.
- A pinch of smoked paprika deepens the flavour further.
- A drizzle of olive oil on top before serving is traditional and adds richness.
From Christoph Mayer