Homemade Barbeque Lentils Over Cornbread

If you love barbeque sauce and are a fan of baked beans then you’ll love this take on homemade baked beans. We’ve swapped one protein for another– lentils! Our HOMEMADE BARBEQUE LENTILS OVER CORNBREAD is just the thing for a cozy night in, bringing back the summertime tasting vibes. Healthy lentils are cooked until tender and are added to our homemade sweet and smokey barbeque sauce that has the perfect blend of oregano, basil, onion, garlic, and paprika. A touch of sweetness from fresh pineapple and a blend of tomato sauce and classic ketchup along with a few other added ingredients is just what your belly is looking for. We’re serving our barbeque lentils over our Crock-Pot Cornbread ( Recipe Link-  https://thebunniespatch.home.blog/2020/07/08/crockpot-cornbread-with-fresh-freestone-peaches/  Just omit the peaches. Although, I’m sure the peaches could be a nice addition on the side. ) but they would pair nicely with a baked potato, over polenta, or next to a steamy vegetable like broccoli. Our Crock-pot cornbread is so simple to make you won’t want to use your oven to bake cornbread again. So, let’s get cooking! 

HOMEMADE BARBEQUE LENTILS OVER CORNBREAD:
INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup dried lentils
• 4 cups water
• 1 Tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Vegetable base 
• Extra virgin olive oil for the pan
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 cup plain tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano 
• 1 teaspoon dried basil 
• 1 Tablespoon dried onions 
• a few shakes of liquid smoke 
• 1 cap full of apple cider vinegar 
• salt & pepper to taste 
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce 
• 1/3 cup ketchup 
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 cup fresh pineapple, chopped 
• 1 Tablespoon hot sauce 
• 1 Tablespoon maple syrup 
• 2 ladles of the vegetable/lentil broth 

METHOD:

• Start by rinsing the dried lentils in a colander under the faucet to be sure to wash away any dirt that might be in them. Pour the rinsed lentils into a large saucepan. Add in the 4 cups of water and better than bouillon base. Bring that to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook until lentils are tender. 
• When the lentils are tender, reserve two ladles of the broth before draining the rest of the liquid from the lentils. Set the colander of lentils aside.
• In the same saucepan, add a drizzle of olive oil along with chopped onion, and garlic cloves. Let saute a few minutes. 
• When the garlic has perfumed the pan, add in tomato sauce,dried oregano, dried basil, dried onions, a few shakes of liquid smoke, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, pineapple, and salt & pepper. Let cook until it comes to a simmer. 
• Add in 1 ladle of reserved broth and cooked lentils. Give it all a stir to incorporate together. Let simmer for 5-10 minutes.
• As the barbeque lentils cook, they will thicken up a bit. If you’d like them not as thick, add more of the reserved broth until you reach desired consistency.
• As the lentils are cooking, now would be a great time to start making the cornbread. Recipe link can be found in the above description paragraph. 
• Enjoy!