Lentils are nutritious and budget-friendly, however don’t be fooled by their simplicity! This assortment of scrumptious lentil recipes affords concepts which are excellent for vegetarians, vegans, and anybody on the lookout for a hearty and flavorful meal.
Low in energy and excessive in diet, lentils are a plant protein that’s fairly darn excellent—and so they’re finances pleasant too! Fortunately, in addition they have that the majority essential last factor that’s mandatory for any meals: they’re scrumptious. Right here at A Couple Cooks we’re a married pair of cookbook authors who’ve been writing recipes for over 15 years. Right here’s what we’ve discovered: Ready accurately, lentils may be among the finest components for a wholesome, satisfying, economical, and scrumptious meal. So what are you ready for? Listed here are our prime lentil recipes, from soup to nachos!
Varieties of lentils
Earlier than we begin, right here’s a fast primer on lentil varieties! We lengthy beloved this legume as a cost-effective and scrumptious superfood (listed below are some documented advantages of lentils per the Nationwide Institutes of Well being). Be certain that to make use of the kind the recipe specifies, as a result of they’ve totally different flavors, shapes, cook dinner instances. Listed here are just a few of the preferred kinds of lentils:
- Brown & inexperienced lentils: Brown and inexperienced lentils are probably the most “normal” varieties if you consider lentils. They cook dinner rapidly (in 20 to half-hour), and have a tendency to disintegrate when cooked as a substitute of maintain their form. This makes them ideally suited for soups and curries.
- Pink lentils: Pink lentils are brilliant orange in shade and mostly present in Indian curry dishes like daal. They take about 20 minutes to cook dinner and break down rapidly right into a uniform texture.,
- French lentils (additionally referred to as Puy lentils): French lentils maintain their form when cooked, making them totally different from brown, inexperienced and crimson lentils. These small and greenish-gray lentils are nice for salads or stuffing into greens like candy potatoes.
- Black lentils (Beluga lentils): Black lentils are extraordinarily flavorful. They’re very small and darkish, like a mix of French lentils and brown lentils. They’ll maintain their form when cooked which works for salads, however when cooked longer they disintegrate like in curries and soups.
And now, our prime lentil recipes!
Here’s a checklist of the highest lentil recipes from this web site that we make time and again, together with just a few tasty concepts from a few of our different favourite recipe web sites.
This is our very favourite lentil recipe: this 7 ingredient lentil soup! It is simple, plant-based, excellent for meal prep, and terribly scrumptious. We despatched it to a recipe tester who mentioned, “How is that this SO scrumptious AND really easy to make?” When you’re on the lookout for straightforward, wholesome budget-friendly meals: it is a recreation changer.
This 30-minute coconut lentil curry is one among our hottest lentil recipes so far. Impressed by vegetarian cookbook creator Erin Alderson, it’s a quick and simple dinner concept that’s wholesome and filled with taste. Readers have commented issues like, “Completely LOVED IT! Positively am making once more.” It’s shocking how a lot humble brown lentils can encourage a lot enthusiasm!
One other of our favourite lentil recipes? Lentil salad! Right here the flavour pops with tangy and savory notes, pairing tender lentils with a zippy white wine vinegar Dijon dressing, crunchy cucumber, recent tomatoes, and salty feta. It stays flavorful within the fridge for days, making leftovers even higher!
Lentils in tacos? Sure, lentils make an outstanding stand-in for taco meat. They make a scrumptious vegetarian dinner recipe that even carnivores take pleasure in! The lentils are meaty and savory, and topped crunchy recent veggies and salsa. Additionally do this fan-favorite Vegetarian Lentil Tacos recipe made on the stovetop.
This lentil shepherd’s pie is cozy consolation meals to the max! Think about: a creamy gravy stuffed with tender greens, lentils and scented with fennel and sage. Then a fluffy layer of Yukon gold potatoes, topped with recent rosemary. It’s layered collectively in a baking dish after which baked till golden. That is one among our fan favourite recipes that at all times will get nice evaluations: and one among our prime favourite vegan recipes on this whole web site.
Masoor dal is Indian for “crimson lentils”: and wow is that this recipe good! It’s an genuine Indian lentil recipe shared by Chef Asma Khan, the power behind the all-women staffed London restaurant Darjeeling Categorical and creator of the cookbook Asma’s Indian Kitchen. These crimson lentils are equal elements flavorful and comfy: serve them with naan or chapati for dipping.
The feel of crimson lentils breaks down quicker than most different lentils, making them excellent for fast soups or dal. When you’ve bought a bag of crimson lentils, do this easy crimson lentil soup! It’s deliciously hearty, that includes fragrant greens, lemon and a touch of smoked paprika.
This lentil recipe is from vegan blogger and creator Gena Hamshaw’s in style e-book Energy Plates, and exhibits the flexibility of this plant-based protein to its fullest! The candy potatoes are baked entire, till flaky and tender, then topped with lentils combined with Moroccan flavors: cumin seeds, cinnamon paprika and harissa. They’re drizzled with a creamy Lemon Tahini Sauce that brings all of it collectively.
Lentils on nachos: why not? These loaded vegan nachos are the most effective as a result of they’re piled excessive with smoky, meaty lentils, crunchy veggies, and topped with our vegan nacho cheese. To maintain them wholesome, search for natural corn chips with minimal components (ideally corn, oil, and salt).
This curry lentil soup is ideal for anytime! It’s filled with hearty crimson lentils and root greens, and the broth is swirled with crimson curry paste and coconut milk. With all the feel and taste happening, it feels wealthy and splendid.
This Ethiopian crimson lentil curry referred to as mesir wat is a scrumptious dish just like Indian curry, however is flavored with cardamom and ginger. This recipe was offered to us with permission by a native refugee group from an Ethiopian immigrant named Diborah to characteristic on our web site, and we collaborated together with her to create this recipe! It is full-flavored and very satisfying served over rice for a hearty meal.
Dal interprets to “lentils” in Hindi; you could discover it spelled daal or dahl. Makhani interprets to “buttery”, so this dish actually means “buttery lentils”. It’s a conventional Indian dish made with black lentils, beans, butter and cream. This recipe makes use of canned beans and black lentils to shorten the cook dinner time for this flavorful vegetarian dish. It’s tremendous savory and wealthy, that includes a lot of garlic, ginger, and garam masala. Serve with naan and revel in!
Photograph Credit score:
jessicainthekitchen.com
This vegan meatloaf makes an ideal hearty dinner thought when you’re craving one thing extra “strong” than a soup or salad. It takes solely quarter-hour of prep time and has an unimaginable texture rated 5 stars by dozens. It is moist and flavorful, topped with a zingy glaze. by way of Jessica within the Kitchen
Photograph Credit score:
jessicainthekitchen.com
Why not make that traditional Italian dish vegan with lentils? Hearty lentils and the buttery walnuts do an amazing job of replicating the meaty taste of a conventional bolognese. They usually pair so properly with the wealthy, deep flavors of tomatoes, tomato paste, veggie broth, and wine. by way of Jessica within the Kitchen
Photograph Credit score:
minimalistbaker.com
Lentils are additionally an amazing substitute for floor beef in a chili recipe! This flavorful chili options crimson lentils together with spices, tomatoes, jalapenos and corn to make a thick and hearty stew.
Photograph Credit score:
www.wellplated.com
Why not flip lentils into meatballs whilst you’re at it? These straightforward baked vegetarian lentil Meatballs are easy, wholesome, gluten free, and protein packed! They make a satisfying meatless meal served over pasta. by way of Effectively Plated
Considered one of our favourite lentil recipes starring black lentils is these lentil stuffed candy potatoes! Think about: the savory candy mixture of candy potatoes filled with black lentils, recent herbs and tangy goat cheese. It’s one among our home favorites over right here.
This hearty butternut squash lentil soup comes collectively in about an hour and is ideal for serving on colder winter days. It’s stuffed with nutrient-rich meals like lentils, butternut squash, leeks, and chard: and a splash of white wine for some class.
On the lookout for an straightforward lunch or dinner recipe? Right here’s one which’s tremendous easy and completely customizable: a Brown Lentil Bowl! This recipe leads to completely seasoned, tender lentils. You may eat them as-is, or add them as a part to tacos, salads, and extra.
And to spherical out these lentil recipes, this hearty lentil stew! The broth is flavored with tangy fire-roasted tomatoes, garlic and smoked paprika, and it’s filled with greens and hearty lentils. It was a giant hit over right here, as lentil recipes normally are! It makes a easy lunch or dinner that’s nourishing for the physique — and the soul, too.
Description
This straightforward lentil soup is barely 7 components (excluding salt and water) and easy to meal prep as a lunch or dinner recipe! It’s one among our prime low cost and scrumptious wholesome meal prep concepts.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 9 to 10 cups water
- 1 pound (16 ounces) dried inexperienced or brown lentils
- 1 teaspoon floor cumin*
- Non-obligatory garnishes: Finely chopped parsley, freshly floor black pepper, grated Pecorino cheese
- In a big pot or Dutch oven, warmth the olive oil over medium excessive warmth. Add the celery, carrot, onion, and garlic and sauté for five to six minutes till tender.
- Add the water, lentils and cumin. Carry to a simmer and simmer for half-hour till the lentils are tender. Add the extra ½ to 1 cup of water as wanted. Style and add further salt to style.
- Serve instantly or refrigerate for meal prep: the soup lasts as much as 1 week refrigerated and leftovers style even higher (you may also freeze them for as much as 3 months). Leftovers could take in additional broth, so you’ll be able to add a splash of water and pinch of salt if the feel turns into too thick.
Notes
*If desired, you’ll be able to change up the spices. This soup is nice with 2 to three teaspoons curry powder (and a half can of coconut milk, when you like). You too can substitute different spices like dried tarragon, dried oregano, and extra.
- Class: Major Dish
- Methodology: Stovetop
- Delicacies: Soup
- Weight loss plan: Vegan
