Lentil velouté with the Thermomix and crispy croutons
Smooth, dense lentil velouté, blended in the Thermomix with sautéed vegetables and broth, served with rustic croutons and a drizzle of raw oil.
A comfort food that wins everyone over, even people who don't usually enjoy the texture of whole legumes: blended in the Thermomix it turns into a smooth, dense cream, perfect with a few crispy croutons on top and a drizzle of raw oil.
I make the croutons in the air fryer while the Thermomix cooks the soup: 4-5 minutes and they're ready together. And if you like legumes in creamy form, pasta e fagioli uses the same trick of partially blending.
Lentils don't need soaking (almost ever)
It's the question I get asked most about this recipe. Unlike chickpeas and beans, lentils have a thin skin and cook straight away: just rinse them under running water to remove any dust or small stones.
There's an exception for a few large, very dry varieties, but for brown or standard supermarket lentils, soaking is wasted time.
Cooking time, on the other hand, varies quite a bit by variety and harvest year: the 25-40 minute range is real, so check the pack and, if needed, taste before blending. They need to be completely soft, otherwise the cream won't come out smooth.
Why the sauté matters more than you'd think
Lentils on their own are fine but flat. The classic mix of carrot, celery and onion sautéed in oil before cooking builds the flavor base that everything else in the dish rests on: those three minutes at 120°C are what turn an ordinary soup into a flavorful velouté.
Don't skip or shorten them: the vegetables need to soften and start to lightly brown.
How to get a truly silky cream
The secret is increasing the speed gradually, from 4 to 8. Jumping straight to maximum with a bowl full of boiling liquid risks dangerous splashing from the lid.
The full minute of blending isn't excessive: it's what fully breaks down the skins and gives the velvety texture instead of a "grainy" one. If after a minute it still feels rough, give it another 20-30 seconds at speed 8.
If it comes out too thick, add half a small cup of hot water at a time. If too thin, cook for another 5 minutes at 100°C without the measuring cup to let it reduce.
The shortcut with canned lentils
From 40 minutes down to 10: two cans, rinsed and drained, water cut to 400 g, just 10 minutes of cooking and then blend. The flavor is slightly less deep, but for a weeknight dinner it's a trade-off I'm happy to make.
Variations
- With potato: one medium potato in cubes along with the lentils, for an even more velvety cream.
- Spiced: curry, cumin or turmeric along with the sauté, for a more exotic version.
- With tomato: a spoonful of tomato paste, as in pasta e fagioli.
- With crispy speck on top instead of croutons.
- For young children: no stock powder and no added salt, it's still flavorful thanks to the sauté.
Storage
It keeps 3 days in the fridge and freezes very well in single portions: it's one of the things I always keep in the freezer for evenings when I don't feel like cooking. It thickens a lot once cold, so loosen it with hot water when reheating.
Ingredients
- 250 g dried lentils (brown or standard), rinsed under running water
- 1 small carrot
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 small onion (or shallot)
- 30 g extra virgin olive oil, plus a drizzle to finish
- 750 g water or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon salt (or 1 teaspoon vegetable stock powder)
- 1 bay leaf or a sprig of rosemary (optional)
- country-style bread, as needed, for the croutons
Method
- 1
Put the carrot, celery and onion, cut into large pieces, into the bowl and chop
⏱ 5 secvel 7 - 2
Push the chopped vegetables down with the spatula, add the oil and sauté
⏱ 3 minvel 1🌡 120°C - 3
Add the rinsed lentils, the water (or broth), the salt and the whole bay leaf (so it's easy to remove later)
- 4
Cook, reverse mode, resting the basket on the lid in place of the measuring cup: the exact time depends on the lentils, check the pack (some cook in as little as 25-30 minutes)
⏱ 35-40 minvel 1🌡 100°C - 5
Remove the bay leaf, being careful not to burn yourself
- 6
Fit the measuring cup back on the lid and blend, gradually increasing the speed, until you get a smooth, silky cream. If it looks too thick, add half a small cup of hot water and blend for another 10 seconds
⏱ 1 minvel 4-8 - 7
Meanwhile, cut the bread into rough cubes and toast it: in a pan with a drizzle of oil over high heat until golden and crispy, or in the air fryer
⏱ 4-5 min🌡 190°C - 8
Pour the hot velouté into a dark, deep bowl (it brings out the color), place the croutons in the center and finish with a drizzle of raw oil and, if you like, a twist of black pepper
Tip
The time-saving trick: with canned, already-cooked lentils (2 cans, rinsed and drained), cut the water to 400 g and cook for just 10 minutes instead of 35-40, then blend as usual.
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