Lentils are nutritious and budget-friendly, however don’t be fooled by their simplicity! This assortment of scrumptious lentil recipes presents concepts which are good for vegetarians, vegans, and anybody in search of a hearty and flavorful meal.
Low in energy and excessive in vitamin, lentils are a plant protein that’s fairly darn good—they usually’re finances pleasant too! Fortunately, additionally they have that almost all vital remaining component that’s essential 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 appropriately, lentils may be probably the greatest elements for a wholesome, satisfying, economical, and scrumptious meal. So what are you ready for? Listed below are our prime lentil recipes, from soup to nachos!
Kinds of lentils
Earlier than we begin, right here’s a fast primer on lentil sorts! We lengthy liked 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 to make use of the kind the recipe specifies, as a result of they’ve completely different flavors, shapes, prepare dinner occasions. Listed below are a number of of the most well-liked varieties of lentils:
- Brown & inexperienced lentils: Brown and inexperienced lentils are essentially the most “normal” varieties once you consider lentils. They prepare dinner rapidly (in 20 to half-hour), and have a tendency to crumble when cooked as a substitute of maintain their form. This makes them very best for soups and curries.
- Pink lentils: Pink lentils are shiny orange in coloration and mostly present in Indian curry dishes like daal. They take about 20 minutes to prepare dinner and break down rapidly right into a uniform texture.,
- French lentils (additionally known as Puy lentils): French lentils maintain their form when cooked, making them completely different from brown, inexperienced and purple 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 mixture of French lentils and brown lentils. They’ll maintain their form when cooked which works for salads, however when cooked longer they crumble like in curries and soups.
And now, our prime lentil recipes!
Here’s a record of the highest lentil recipes from this web site that we make again and again, together with a number of 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, good for meal prep, and terribly scrumptious. We despatched it to a recipe tester who stated, “How is that this SO scrumptious AND really easy to make?” If you happen to’re in search of simple, wholesome budget-friendly meals: it is a recreation changer.
This 30-minute coconut lentil curry is one in all our hottest lentil recipes so far. Impressed by vegetarian cookbook writer 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! Undoubtedly am making once more.” It’s stunning 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 excellent stand-in for taco meat. They make a scrumptious vegetarian dinner recipe that even carnivores get pleasure from! The lentils are meaty and savory, and topped crunchy recent veggies and salsa. Additionally do that 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 crammed 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 in all our fan favourite recipes that all the time will get nice critiques: and one in all our prime favourite vegan recipes on this complete web site.
Masoor dal is Indian for “purple lentils”: and wow is that this recipe good! It’s an genuine Indian lentil recipe shared by Chef Asma Khan, the pressure behind the all-women staffed London restaurant Darjeeling Specific and writer of the cookbook Asma’s Indian Kitchen. These purple lentils are equal elements flavorful and comfy: serve them with naan or chapati for dipping.
The feel of purple lentils breaks down sooner than most different lentils, making them good for fast soups or dal. If you happen to’ve bought a bag of purple lentils, do that easy purple 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 writer Gena Hamshaw’s fashionable ebook 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 perfect 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 elements (ideally corn, oil, and salt).
This curry lentil soup is ideal for anytime! It’s filled with hearty purple lentils and root greens, and the broth is swirled with purple curry paste and coconut milk. With all the feel and taste happening, it feels wealthy and splendid.
This Ethiopian purple lentil curry known 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 function on our web site, and we collaborated along 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 prepare dinner time for this flavorful vegetarian dish. It’s tremendous savory and wealthy, that includes plenty 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 concept in the event 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 a fantastic job of replicating the meaty taste of a conventional bolognese. And so they 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 a fantastic substitute for floor beef in a chili recipe! This flavorful chili options purple 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 when you’re at it? These simple baked vegetarian lentil Meatballs are easy, wholesome, gluten free, and protein packed! They make a satisfying meatless meal served over pasta. by way of Nicely Plated
One in every 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 in all 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 crammed with nutrient-rich meals like lentils, butternut squash, leeks, and chard: and a splash of white wine for some class.
In search of an simple 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’ll be able to 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 an enormous 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 simple lentil soup is just 7 elements (excluding salt and water) and easy to meal prep as a lunch or dinner recipe! It’s one in all 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. Deliver 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 extra 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 can too freeze them for as much as 3 months). Leftovers could absorb 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, in the event you like). You can even substitute different spices like dried tarragon, dried oregano, and extra.
- Class: Major Dish
- Technique: Stovetop
- Delicacies: Soup
- Food plan: Vegan
