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1. Finely chop the onion, carrot, and celery. Mince the garlic. Rinse the green lentils and rice separately under cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain well.
1 piece yellow onion,
2 piece carrot,
2 piece celery stalk,
2 clove garlic clove,
0.8 cup green lentils (dry),
1 cup white rice (short or medium grain)
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2. Heat olive oil in a wide deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring often, until softened and lightly golden at the edges, about 7 to 8 minutes.
2 tbsp olive oil,
1 piece yellow onion,
2 piece carrot,
2 piece celery stalk
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3. Add the garlic, sweet paprika, ground turmeric, and dried oregano to the skillet and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Keep the heat moderate so the spices do not burn.
2 clove garlic clove,
1.5 tsp sweet paprika,
0.5 tsp ground turmeric,
1 tsp dried oregano
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4. Stir in the rinsed green lentils and rice so they are coated in the aromatic oil. Add tomato passata, vegetable broth, water, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper, stirring to combine and scraping up any bits from the bottom.
0.8 cup green lentils (dry),
1 cup white rice (short or medium grain),
1.5 cup tomato passata,
3 cup vegetable broth (low-sodium),
1 cup water,
1 piece bay leaf,
1.2 tsp salt,
0.2 tsp black pepper
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5. Bring the mixture up to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low so it simmers steadily. Cover with a lid and cook for 25 minutes without stirring, checking once after about 15 minutes to be sure it is gently bubbling, not boiling hard.
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6. After 25 minutes, remove the lid, quickly stir in the frozen peas, and smooth the top again. Cover and cook until the rice and lentils are tender and the mixture is thick but still saucy, about 5 to 10 minutes more. If it looks too thick, splash in a little extra water and simmer a minute longer.
1 cup water,
0.8 cup frozen peas
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7. Turn off the heat. Remove the bay leaf. Squeeze the lemon over the skillet to taste and gently fluff the surface with a fork. Taste and adjust seasoning with a little more salt or pepper if needed.
1 piece bay leaf,
1.2 tsp salt,
0.2 tsp black pepper,
0.5 piece lemon
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8. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the top, if using, and serve the paella-style skillet hot, spooned straight from the pan.
2 tbsp fresh parsley (garnish)
