Lentils are nutritious and budget-friendly, but don’t be fooled by their simplicity! This collection of delicious lentil recipes offers ideas that are perfect for vegetarians, vegans, and anyone looking for a hearty and flavorful meal.
Low in calories and high in nutrition, lentils are a plant protein that’s pretty darn perfect—and they’re budget friendly too! Luckily, they also have that most important final element that’s necessary for any food: they’re delicious. Here at A Couple Cooks we’re a married pair of cookbook authors who have been writing recipes for over 15 years. Here’s what we’ve found: Prepared correctly, lentils can be one of the best ingredients for a healthy, satisfying, economical, and delicious meal. So what are you waiting for? Here are our top lentil recipes, from soup to nachos!
Types of lentils
Before we start, here’s a quick primer on lentil types! We long loved this legume as an economical and delicious superfood (here are some documented benefits of lentils per the National Institutes of Health). Make sure to use the type the recipe specifies, because they have different flavors, shapes, cook times. Here are a few of the most popular types of lentils:
- Brown & green lentils: Brown and green lentils are the most “standard” varieties when you think of lentils. They cook quickly (in 20 to 30 minutes), and tend to fall apart when cooked instead of hold their shape. This makes them ideal for soups and curries.
- Red lentils: Red lentils are bright orange in color and most commonly found in Indian curry dishes like daal. They take about 20 minutes to cook and break down quickly into a uniform texture.,
- French lentils (also called Puy lentils): French lentils hold their shape when cooked, making them different from brown, green and red lentils. These small and greenish-gray lentils are great for salads or stuffing into vegetables like sweet potatoes.
- Black lentils (Beluga lentils): Black lentils are extremely flavorful. They’re very small and dark, like a combination of French lentils and brown lentils. They’ll hold their shape when cooked which works for salads, but when cooked longer they fall apart like in curries and soups.
And now, our top lentil recipes!
Here is a list of the top lentil recipes from this website that we make over and over again, along with a few tasty ideas from some of our other favorite recipe websites.
Here’s our very favorite lentil recipe: this 7 ingredient lentil soup! It’s easy, plant-based, perfect for meal prep, and extraordinarily delicious. We sent it to a recipe tester who said, “How is this SO delicious AND so easy to make?” If you’re looking for easy, healthy budget-friendly meals: this is a game changer.
This 30-minute coconut lentil curry is one of our most popular lentil recipes to date. Inspired by vegetarian cookbook author Erin Alderson, it’s a fast and easy dinner idea that’s healthy and full of flavor. Readers have commented things like, “Absolutely LOVED IT! Definitely am making again.” It’s surprising how much humble brown lentils can inspire so much enthusiasm!
Another of our favorite lentil recipes? Lentil salad! Here the flavor pops with tangy and savory notes, pairing tender lentils with a zippy white wine vinegar Dijon dressing, crunchy cucumber, fresh tomatoes, and salty feta. It stays flavorful in the fridge for days, making leftovers even better!
Lentils in tacos? Yes, lentils make a superb stand-in for taco meat. They make a delicious vegetarian dinner recipe that even carnivores enjoy! The lentils are meaty and savory, and topped crunchy fresh veggies and salsa. Also try this fan-favorite Vegetarian Lentil Tacos recipe made on the stovetop.
This lentil shepherd’s pie is cozy comfort food to the max! Imagine: a creamy gravy filled with tender vegetables, lentils and scented with fennel and sage. Then a fluffy layer of Yukon gold potatoes, topped with fresh rosemary. It’s layered together in a baking dish and then baked until golden. This is one of our fan favorite recipes that always gets great reviews: and one of our top favorite vegan recipes on this entire website.
Masoor dal is Indian for “red lentils”: and wow is this recipe good! It’s an authentic Indian lentil recipe shared by Chef Asma Khan, the force behind the all-women staffed London restaurant Darjeeling Express and author of the cookbook Asma’s Indian Kitchen. These red lentils are equal parts flavorful and cozy: serve them with naan or chapati for dipping.
The texture of red lentils breaks down faster than most other lentils, making them perfect for quick soups or dal. If you’ve got a bag of red lentils, try this simple red lentil soup! It’s deliciously hearty, featuring aromatic vegetables, lemon and a hint of smoked paprika.
This lentil recipe is from vegan blogger and author Gena Hamshaw’s popular book Power Plates, and shows the versatility of this plant-based protein to its fullest! The sweet potatoes are baked whole, until flaky and tender, then topped with lentils mixed with Moroccan flavors: cumin seeds, cinnamon paprika and harissa. They’re drizzled with a creamy Lemon Tahini Sauce that brings it all together.
Lentils on nachos: why not? These loaded vegan nachos are the best because they’re piled high with smoky, meaty lentils, crunchy veggies, and topped with our vegan nacho cheese. To keep them healthy, look for organic corn chips with minimal ingredients (ideally corn, oil, and salt).
This curry lentil soup is perfect for anytime! It’s full of hearty red lentils and root vegetables, and the broth is swirled with red curry paste and coconut milk. With all the texture and flavor going on, it feels rich and luxurious.
This Ethiopian red lentil curry called mesir wat is a delicious dish similar to Indian curry, but is flavored with cardamom and ginger. This recipe was provided to us with permission by a local refugee organization from an Ethiopian immigrant named Diborah to feature on our website, and we collaborated with her to create this recipe! It’s full-flavored and extremely satisfying served over rice for a hearty meal.
Dal translates to “lentils” in Hindi; you may find it spelled daal or dahl. Makhani translates to “buttery”, so this dish literally means “buttery lentils”. It’s a traditional Indian dish made with black lentils, beans, butter and cream. This recipe uses canned beans and black lentils to shorten the cook time for this flavorful vegetarian dish. It’s super savory and rich, featuring lots of garlic, ginger, and garam masala. Serve with naan and enjoy!
Photo Credit:
jessicainthekitchen.com
This vegan meatloaf makes a perfect hearty dinner idea if you’re craving something more “solid” than a soup or salad. It takes only 15 minutes of prep time and has an incredible texture rated 5 stars by dozens. It’s moist and flavorful, topped with a zingy glaze. via Jessica in the Kitchen
Photo Credit:
jessicainthekitchen.com
Why not make that classic Italian dish vegan with lentils? Hearty lentils and the buttery walnuts do a great job of replicating the meaty flavor of a traditional bolognese. And they pair so well with the rich, deep flavors of tomatoes, tomato paste, veggie broth, and wine. via Jessica in the Kitchen
Photo Credit:
minimalistbaker.com
Lentils are also a great replacement for ground beef in a chili recipe! This flavorful chili features red lentils along with spices, tomatoes, jalapenos and corn to make a thick and hearty stew.
Photo Credit:
www.wellplated.com
Why not turn lentils into meatballs while you’re at it? These easy baked vegetarian lentil Meatballs are simple, healthy, gluten free, and protein packed! They make a satisfying meatless meal served over pasta. via Well Plated
One of our favorite lentil recipes starring black lentils is these lentil stuffed sweet potatoes! Imagine: the savory sweet combination of sweet potatoes stuffed with black lentils, fresh herbs and tangy goat cheese. It’s one of our house favorites over here.
This hearty butternut squash lentil soup comes together in about an hour and is perfect for serving on colder winter days. It’s filled with nutrient-rich foods like lentils, butternut squash, leeks, and chard: and a splash of white wine for some class.
Looking for an easy lunch or dinner recipe? Here’s one that’s super simple and totally customizable: a Brown Lentil Bowl! This recipe results in perfectly seasoned, tender lentils. You can eat them as-is, or add them as a component to tacos, salads, and more.
And to round out these lentil recipes, this hearty lentil stew! The broth is flavored with tangy fire-roasted tomatoes, garlic and smoked paprika, and it’s full of vegetables and hearty lentils. It was a big hit over here, as lentil recipes usually are! It makes a simple lunch or dinner that’s nourishing for the body — and the soul, too.
Description
This easy lentil soup is only 7 ingredients (excluding salt and water) and simple to meal prep as a lunch or dinner recipe! It’s one of our top cheap and delicious healthy meal prep ideas.
- 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 green or brown lentils
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin*
- Optional garnishes: Finely chopped parsley, freshly ground black pepper, grated Pecorino cheese
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the celery, carrot, onion, and garlic and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until tender.
- Add the water, lentils and cumin. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 30 minutes until the lentils are tender. Add the additional ½ to 1 cup of water as needed. Taste and add additional salt to taste.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate for meal prep: the soup lasts up to 1 week refrigerated and leftovers taste even better (you can also freeze them for up to 3 months). Leftovers may soak up extra broth, so you can add a splash of water and pinch of salt if the texture becomes too thick.
Notes
*If desired, you can change up the spices. This soup is great with 2 to 3 teaspoons curry powder (and a half can of coconut milk, if you like). You can also substitute other spices like dried tarragon, dried oregano, and more.
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Soup
- Diet: Vegan
