In short: Lentils with caviar: viral haute cuisine recipe (Dabiz Muñoz, Quique Dacosta). 300g pardina lentils + 50g Osetra caviar + crème fraîche + chives. Budget version with salmon roe.
Table of Contents
The viral origin of the dish
"Lentils with caviar" went from being a humorous exaggeration in traditional Basque cuisine ("lentils with caviar is like sneakers with a tuxedo") to a real Spanish haute cuisine dish around 2023. Dabiz Muñoz published a version on social media that popularized the combination, followed by Quique Dacosta, Eneko Atxa, and several Basque chefs.
The core concept: a deliberate contrast of culinary worlds. Lentils are humble, popular, and inexpensive comfort food. Caviar is luxurious, scarce, and expensive. When combined, each enhances the other: the creaminess of the lentils highlights the "pop" of the caviar; the caviar transforms the lentils into something elegant.
Ingredients (4 servings)
- 300g pardina lentils
- 50-60g Osetra or Sevruga caviar (premium) — or 100g salmon roe (budget version)
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 small carrot
- 1 bay leaf
- 200ml crème fraîche or sour cream
- Fresh chives, chopped
- Mild arbequina EVOO
- Salt, pepper
Step-by-step (40 min)
- Sauté onion, garlic, and carrot in a pot with EVOO for 8 min.
- Add lentils and bay leaf. Cover with water + 2 fingers. Cook for 25-30 min until tender but intact.
- At the end, drain almost all the liquid. The lentils should be dense, not soupy. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve in a small soup bowl: a base of lentils (60g), a spoonful of crème fraîche on top (10g), a generous teaspoon of caviar (10-15g) over it.
- Sprinkle with fresh chives and a final drizzle of raw arbequina EVOO.
- Serve immediately with mother-of-pearl or plastic spoons (NO metal, it oxidizes the caviar).
Budget version with salmon roe
If Osetra caviar (80-150 €/100g) is out of your budget, smoked salmon roe is the best alternative. It costs 8-15 €/100g (10x less), provides a similar texture, and a distinct but equally oceanic, slightly smoky flavor profile.
Same process, substitute caviar with 20g salmon roe per person. Chives and crème fraîche remain key.
Chef's variations
Dabiz Muñoz style: add a touch of wasabi to the crème fraîche. Extra pop.
Quique Dacosta style: add reduced shrimp broth as a base.
Nordic style: use Dijon mustard + dill instead of chives.
Vegetarian: substitute roe with "vegetable caviar" made from seaweed (seaweed pearls). You lose umami but gain a vegan option.
Caspian Osetra Caviar for your lentils
Imported Osetra Caviar from Iran, premium quality. For dishes where caviar is the star or enhancer. Guaranteed refrigerated shipping.
Frequently asked questions
Who invented lentils with caviar?
What type of caviar should I use?
How much caviar per person?
Pardina or Beluga lentils?
What to do if I don't have caviar?
Sour cream or crème fraîche?
Pairing?
To conclude
Lentils with caviar are the most cost-effective recipe of the year: a humble dish transformed into gourmet by a spoonful of caviar. If you're not budgeting for Osetra, salmon roe gives 80% of the effect at 10% of the price.
Premium salmon roe (budget version)
Norwegian salmon roe, a quality alternative to traditional caviar. 10x more economical, similar oceanic profile.
