Bring On The New Year Like An Italian With Lentils

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As soon as the clock strikes 12, Italians everywhere reach for one humble ingredient thought to bring on good luck: the lentil!

In Italian tradition, lentils are thought to be harbingers of prosperity and wealth, likely due to their coin-like shape. Because of this, after midnight on January 1st, it's custom to serve up a plate of lentils for luck in the coming year. We could all use a little luck, and when we have delicious recipes on deck featuring the lucky lentil, why not give it a try?

Traditionally in Italy, lentils are served stewed alongside Cotechino sausage, a very rich and heavily seasoned pork sausage. If you can get your hands on some and truly want to emulate the custom, have at it! If not, we've rounded up some of Giada's best dishes that showcase lentils as the star.

You don't have to be superstitious to make these recipes: they're just plain good! They're healthy to boot, so you can get a kickstart on all those New Year's Resolutions... while potentially sending good vibes for prosperity into the universe, of course!