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Not sure how to use your lentils? You’re in the right place. This collection of scrumptious lentil recipes is a great place to start, full of ideas and cooking inspiration!
And it includes something for everyone!
Whether you’re looking for a hearty bowl of soup or a sensational salad, this roundup includes delicious lentil recipes from my blog and from around the internet, and it’s absolutely perfect to inspire you!
Lentils are an essential part of any well-stocked pantry and a staple in vegan and vegetarian recipes. They’re a fantastic source of plant-based protein, fiber, and other nutrients. They are extremely healthy and delicious!
Added bonus? Because of their size, lentils cook much more quickly than dried beans and do not have to be soaked before cooking.
What’s more, they’re incredibly versatile and inexpensive.
Their delicate, earthy flavor works well in a variety of dishes and across almost any cuisine.
You can add lentils to almost any savory dish, from dips to soups to pastas, and turn the simplest dish into a filling, hearty, and delightful meal.
Your options are endless, and now let’s get you excited about incorporating more lentils into your diet. Enjoy! : )
Lebanese Lentil Soup
This delicious, slightly spicy Lebanese lentil soup (Shorbat Adas) is a supreme example of how to turn inexpensive ingredients into a fabulous healthy meal. We love it because it’s deliciously thick, warming, and a breeze to make with just a handful of cupboard essentials.
Vegan Lentil Soup
The flavors in this vegan lentil soup will surprise you in a big way! The veggies and the protein-packed lentils are cooked in a rich cherry tomato broth amped up with plenty of aromatic dried herbs.
Spicy Tomato Lentil Soup
This soup uses red lentils, pepper, tomatoes, curry powder, fresh cilantro, and it's sure to please your taste buds. Don't forget crusty bread for dunking!
Lentil Tabbouleh
What about turning your lentils into a salad? This light, irresistible lentil tabbouleh is anything but ordinary! it’s a healthy salad that’s full of fresh flavor in every bite.
Mediterranean Lentil Soup
This fragrant Mediterranean lentil soup uses basic ingredients and it’s deliciously thick and full of warming ginger, cinnamon, turmeric and aromatic herbs. It’s also vegan, healthy, and economical.
Swiss Chard Soup with Lentils
In this soup the red lentils are combined with Swiss chard, garlic, and broth infused with cumin, turmeric and cinnamon. Bright lemon juice and fresh coriander make the perfect final touches.
Sexy Lentil Salad
Photo Credit: www.recipetineats.com
This salad is made with hearty lentils, feta, tomatoes, cucumber and drizzled with a beautiful lemon salad dressing. How delicious is that?!
Spicy Lentil Soup
Filled with plant-based protein and laced with bold flavors and creamy coconut milk, this spicy lentil soup is deliciously thick, comforting and full of nutrients.
Lentil Veggie Bolognese.
Photo Credit: www.howsweeteats.com
In this hearty and decadent lentil bolognese the sauce is made with lentils and packs so much flavor that you won't even miss the meat!
Carrot Lentil Soup
You'll love how the combination of tender sweet carrots and hearty lentils makes this soup delicious and filling. A perfect family meal during busy winter nights!
Jerusalem Artichoke Lentil Burgers
Photo Credit: fullofplants.com
The base of these easy veggie burgers is green lentils and Jerusalem artichokes. it makes a delicious and satisfying winter meal!
Red Lentil Pasta Recipe
This red lentil pasta recipe makes a delicious family meal that uses healthy everyday ingredients. It’s the perfect blend between chunky pasta and smooth soup, deliciously filling and slightly spicy.
Lentil Kale Soup
This hearty lentil kale soup is a must-make for soup season! Packed with plant-based protein and fresh kale, it makes a warming, nourishing soup that is full of flavor and texture.
Lentil Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Photo Credit: fullofplants.com
You can use lentils to stuff your veggies like in these soft baked sweet potatoes topped with spicy-sweet-smoky green lentils and drizzled with tahini sauce. The combination of flavors and texture is super delicious!
Sweet Potato Lentil Soup
This sweet potato lentil soup makes a healthy filling family meal that uses seasonal sweet potatoes and protein-packed lentils. It’s rich, nourishing, and absolutely delicious.
Vegan Sunflower-Lentil Falafel
Photo Credit: www.blissfulbasil.com
These falafels are made with greens lentils and ground sunflower seeds. Enjoy them all on their own or tuck them into wraps and generously drizzle with smoky tomato aioli.
Instant Pot Lentil Soup
Photo Credit: www.loveandlemons.com
This instant oot lentil soup is a new staple in our cold weather recipe rotation. Packed with lentils and fresh veggies, it's warming, nourishing and full of flavor.
Green Lentil soup recipe
If you lovegreen lentils, I'm sure you'll love this soup. It requires mainly cupboard ingredients, minimal effort, but the touch of of ginger, cumin, and coriander makes it so flavorful.
Moroccan Lentil-Stuffed Eggplant
Photo Credit: minimalistbaker.com
These stuffed baked eggplant with Moroccan-spiced lentils are packed with protein and make the perfect side dish or entrée. And they look so scrumptious and hearty!
Carrot, Walnut & Red Lentil Hummus
Photo Credit: www.blissfulbasil.com
This carrot, walnut & red lentil hummus is a nutritional powerhouse of a dip and it's absolutely delicious served chilled with an array of crisp, refreshing crudités.
Lentil Balls with Zesty Rice
Photo Credit: jessicainthekitchen.com
These lentil balls use canned lentils and the process to make them iis so easy: blend, shape, bake. They're so versatile and filled with flavour.
Smoky Chickpea and Lentil Soup
This smoky protein-packed soup is perfect for cozy, cold winter nights when you’re craving something hearty and comforting yet healthy. It’s also vegetarian, vegan and gluten free for all to enjoy.
Lentil & Couscous Stuffed Peppers
Photo Credit: cookieandkate.com
I love these stuffed peppers full of lentils, couscous, basil and feta! They’re simple to make and make a terrific vegetatian light meal.
Lentil Curry
Photo Credit: www.recipetineats.com
This lentil recipe is an incredible creamy coconut lentil curry made with just two spices. It's easy, economical and tastes amazing.
Red Lentil Hummus
Photo Credit: www.loveandlemons.com
This hummus is creamy, tangy, and nicely spiced with turmeric and other curry spices, because if you run out of chickpeas, you still can whip up a fantastic dippable snack.
Spicy Red Pasta with Lentils
Photo Credit: minimalistbaker.com
This would make the perfect meal when you’re craving something quick, healthy, and filling, making it ideal for weeknight meals. Vegans and meat-eaters alike will love it.
Middle Eastern Lentil Soup
Photo Credit: gatheringdreams.com
Spicy and full of goodness, this delicious Middle Eastern lentil soup will transport you to exotic places. It’s thick, filling, and full of flavor, yet simple and easy to prepare.
Pumpkin Lentil Falafel
Photo Credit: www.blissfulbasil.com
Red lentils and pumpkin purée serve as the base in these lovely and crispy patties. They get pulsed with a flavorful mixture of fresh herbs, aromatic spices, oat flour, lemon juice, red onion, and garlic. YUM.
Detox Moroccan Lentil Soup
Photo Credit: www.simplyquinoa.com
In this Moroccan soup we've got turmeric, ginger, cumin, cinnamon and smoked paprika which makes this soup extra cozy! It's also freezer-friendly and made in just one pot!
Vegan Meatloaf (Thanksgiving Main Dish)
Photo Credit: jessicainthekitchen.com
Made with chickpeas and brown lentils, this incredible vegan main dish takes only 15 minutes of prep time and has an incredible texture and flavor!
Easy Vegan Red Lentil Dal (Masoor Dal)
Photo Credit: www.simplyquinoa.com
This filling red lentil dal is one of the best options for those busy days when you don’t have time to cook dinner from scratch. Not only is it quick, but it's inexpensive and freezes beautifully.
Easy Lentil Meatballs
Photo Credit: minimalistbaker.com
These meatballs are vegan, gluten-free, and packed with flavor thanks to fresh parsley, dried herbs, tomato paste. They're perfect for a weeknight meal when you’re looking for something hearty that doesn’t require too much work.
Mediterranean puy lentil salad
This eye-catching Mediterranean puy lentil salad is beyond delicious. It's a Mediterranean flavorsome salad that uses puy lentils, fresh herbs, eggs and anchovies for extra flavor!
Cauliflower and Lentil Tacos
Photo Credit: cookieandkate.com
You’re going to love this vegetarian lentil tacos with roasted califlower, seasoned lentils and creamy chipotle sauce combine to make a delicious taco!
Tomato and Lentil Stew
Photo Credit: www.blissfulbasil.com
In this warming lentil stew the French lentils are cooked in a comforting tomato broth until tender and plump. It's an incredibly satisfying dish, and you can serve it over brown rice or alongside a warm baguette.
Different types of lentils
There are several varieties of lentils. These are the most common ones you’ll find in your local grocery store:
1. Brown lentils: the most common variety; they hold their shape well and are ideal for salads, soups, casseroles, and veggie burgers.
2. Green lentils: they have a more robust flavor and come in a range of sizes. Green lentils maintain a medium to firm texture, making them perfect for salads, earthy soups, stews, and side dishes.
3. Red & yellow lentils: they’re also known as “split lentils” because they have been split in half. For this reason, during cooking, they break down quickly and turn mushy, making them ideal for soups (but they’re not ideal in salads!). They’re sweet and very common in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine
4. Puy lentils (aka French lentils) are similar to green lentils but with a slightly firmer texture, a more speckled appearance, and they’re grown exclusively in France.
5. Beluga lentils (aka black lentils) hold their shape extremely well, making them great for salads and less common in soups.
Preparation & cooking
You can use canned or dried lentils; both are convenient and perfect for a wide range of dishes. Canned lentils are ready-to-use for a quick meal, while the dried version requires rinsing lentils in cold water, picking over to remove debris, and then draining before cooking.
Below is a rough estimate of the cooking time for each type of lentil, and here are more tips on cooking lentils.
- Brown lentils: 30 minutes.
- Green lentils: 25 minutes.
- Red lentils: 15-20 minutes.
- Puy lentils: 30 minutes.
- Beluga: 25-30 minutes
More recipe collections?
I’ve got you covered with some of my favorite roundups!
- 40 Meatless meals
- 15 Fresh mint recipes
- 34 Recipes with canned tomatoes
- 17 Ricotta recipes
- 13 quick pasta ideas
- Artichoke recipes
- 15 Mozzarella recipes
- 35 Italian appetizers
- 17+ olive recipes
Lastly, if you have any questions, please leave a comment. I would love to hear from you and get your feedback! x
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