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Armenian Lentil Dish – Mshosh

Mshosh is a simple Armenian lentil dish made with dried apricots and walnuts. This budget-friendly recipe is easy to make, flavorful, and very filling.

Armenian lentil dish Mshosh in a bowl.

This article for Mshosh Armenian Lentil Dish was originally written for Curious Cuisiniere.

The legend has it that Mshosh is one of the oldest Armenian recipes. It’s usually prepared during Lent and is more popular among Western Armenians.

How to Serve Armenian Lentil Dish Mshosh

Mshosh is a very versatile dish. Although it’s made with few ingredients, you can serve it in five different ways:

  • As a main dish – Mshosh makes a very filling main dish because it’s high in protein and fiber;
  • As a side dish – Mshosh is a vegan main dish usually served during Lent but it also makes a delicious side dish for meat, poultry, and fish;
  • As a salad – Mshosh can also be served as a cold or warm lentil salad and makes a great addition to veggie and grain bowls;
  • As a spread – You can make a smooth and delicious spread out of Mshosh. Just put it into a blender or food processor and pulse a few times. The spread tastes great as a snack and can be served as an appetizer over crostini. You can also add it to wraps and sandwiches;
  • As a soup – Mshosh can also be made into a soup. Just add some vegetable broth to it until you reach the desired consistency. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook for about 10 minutes.

Top view of Mshosh in a saucepan.

What Type of Lentils Should be Used for Mshosh?

You can use any type of lentils for this dish.

The most popular types of lentils sold in North America are brown, green, and red lentils and all of them make a great base for Mshosh.

Keep in mind that red lentils fall apart during cooking, while brown and green lentils hold their shape better. So, the consistency of Mshosh will depend on the type of lentils used. The flavor will also vary slightly.

Lentils require much less effort to prepare than beans or chickpeas. They don’t need to be soaked before cooking and cook quite fast, which makes them a convenient food to make on a weeknight.

All lentils tend to become quite soft after cooking, so if you have some left-over mshosh, you will probably discover that it becomes a bit mushy overnight. Not to worry! The great thing about mshosh is that it can be made into a delicious spread or soup.

Top view of the Armenian lentil dish Mshosh in a bowl.

Nutritional Benefits of Mshosh

All ingredients used to prepare mshosh are very nutritious and make this modest little dish quite a nutritional powerhouse.

For example, lentils are high in protein and fiber, dried apricots are high in fiber and antioxidants, walnuts are a good source of healthy fats, and parsley is high in vitamins and minerals.

Thanks to the combination of protein, fiber, and fat, mshosh will keep you full for hours!

More Armenian Recipes

If you are interested to try more Armenian Recipes, here are a few recipes for you to check out:

Now It’s Your Turn

So, what do you think about this Armenian recipe? Have you tried it before? Is this something you would like to make in your kitchen? Let us know in the comments below!

Side view of the Armenian lentil dish in a bowl.

Armenian Lentil Dish - Mshosh

Armenian Lentil Dish - Mshosh

Yield: 4 portions
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Mshosh is an Armenian lentil dish made with dried apricots and walnuts. This budget-friendly recipe is healthy and very easy to make. This simple dish is flavorful, filling, and very versatile. You can serve it as a main dish, a salad, a soup, and even as an appetizer.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dried lentils (green, brown, or red)
  • salt to taste
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 15-17 unsweetened dried apricots (should yield 1/2 cup chopped)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • a handful of parsley, chopped
  • black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Rinse the lentils. Place them into a pot and add water. Season with salt to taste. If using green lentils, add 3 cups of water, otherwise cook according to the instructions on the packaging.
  2. While the lentils are cooking, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden for about 5 minutes.
  3. Add the chopped walnuts and apricots. Stir, making sure all pieces are covered in oil and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes until the apricots start to caramelize and the mixture becomes fragrant. Turn off the heat and set aside until the lentils finish cooking.
  4. When the lentils are done, take them off the heat.
  5. Transfer the onion and apricots mixture to the lentils. Stir everything together, cover and let it sit for about 5 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
  6. Garnish black pepper and parsley before serving.
Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1/4 of recipe
Amount Per Serving Calories 364Total Fat 16.4gSaturated Fat 1.8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 14.6gCholesterol 0mgSodium 156.9mgCarbohydrates 42.4gFiber 7.6gSugar 8.8gProtein 14.7g

Nutrition facts provided on this website are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a qualified health care provider for personalized diet advice and make sure that each of the ingredients is allowed in your diet.

Did you make this recipe?

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Jason

Monday 26th of October 2020

That's so an amazing post and looks delicious. I'm starving. I have to try this tonight for my family. Thanks for sharing and love you site.

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