25+ Lentil Recipes (easy meals)

If you’re looking for the best lentil recipes, you’ve come to the right place. These 25 lentil meals are easy to make, packed with fiber, and with simple ingredients.

From hearty soups to vibrant salads, these recipes show how lentils can transform into mouthwatering dinners and meal–prep-friendly lunch ideas.

These lentil varieties offer distinct flavors and textures:

1. Red lentils, swift to cook and tender in texture, infuse dishes with a mild sweetness.
2. Brown lentils, robust and earthy, stand firm in hearty stews and soups.
3. Green lentils bring a slightly peppery taste, pairing exquisitely with salads.
4. Yellow lentils radiate a gentle flavor and are excellent for creamy curries and dahl.
5. Black or beluga lentils work well in salads, soups, stews, and curries.

Whichever shade you choose, lentils add wholesome richness and plant–based protein to your meals.

Let’s explore how to cook nourishing and tasty meals with this versatile legume.

Our Best Lentil Recipes

1. Lentil curry

Our first lentil recipe is a creamy and rich lentil curry, a favorite dinner recipe in our home. It’s ready in 30 minutes using split red lentils and pairs with most veggies.

Serve your curry with white rice and lemon wedges; dinner is ready.

2. Lentil bolognese

This rich and earthy lentil bolognese is an excellent sauce for spaghetti, lasagna, and linguine pasta.

It’s plant-based, made with green or brown lentils, and a restaurant–worthy meal with authentic Italian flavor.

3. Lentil tabbouleh salad

This lentil tabbouleh salad is a refreshing starter or side dish with added plant–based protein.

Serve as is with pita bread and hummus, and enjoy a wholesome Middle-Eastern side dish.

4. Easy lentil pasta

This Italian lentil pasta is perfect for a tasty, easy everyday dinner and one-pot meal.

We use green or brown lentils to make a rich, wholesome, and satiating pasta dish.

Tip: Freeze the leftovers or eat them the day after—this pasta becomes even more flavourful after a couple of days.

5. Curry lentil soup

In this comforting bowl of curry lentil soup, aromatic spices, such as turmeric, curry, and cumin, take center stage. They enhance the earthy richness of the lentils.

These golden spices add a vibrant color and bring anti–inflammatory benefits, creating a hearty and wholesome soup that nourishes the body and soul.

6. Sweet potato and lentil salad

This colorful sweet potato lentil salad features sweet potato cubes. It is perfect for lunch or a make-ahead dinner and great for potlucks and picnics.

This is one of our favorite ways of eating canned lentils, a crowd–pleaser and family favorite.

7. Carrot salad with lentils

Our carrot lentil salad is a delicious and aromatic recipe with tender boiled carrots, fragrant ground cumin, canned lentils, and other simple ingredients.

It’s a perfect lunch idea for school or the office, and it can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days.

8. Lentil soup

This lentil soup is perfect as an everyday dinner and a make–ahead meal, as you can store it for up to 4 days in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer.

It’s made with green lentils using a one–pot method. Serve it with a slice of toasted bread for an Italian–inspired dinner.

9. Lentil hummus

This hummus with lentils is creamy, velvety smooth, and ready in five minutes.

Try this easy and creamy lentil dip if you want a dip with your appetizer or vary your hummus routine.

10. Stuffed zucchini boats

These lentil zucchini boats fall without doubt into the healthy comfort food category.

They are nutritious, easy to make, and packed with wholesome plant-based protein.

13. Lentil vegetable soup

This spinach lentil soup is wholesome, hearty, and has a beautiful herby flavor.

The lentils make the dish nutritious and fulfilling, providing texture, protein, iron, and gut-healthy fiber.

For busy weeknights, make a big batch of the soup and store it in the fridge for 3-4 days.

14. Mushroom lentil Wellington

If you’re looking for a tasty vegetarian centerpiece with lentils, this is our choice: lentil mushroom Wellington.

We make it with vegetables and walnuts. Served with creamy mushroom gravy and a side of green beans, it’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

15. Stuffed bell peppers

Next on our list is stuffed bell peppers with lentils, rice, fresh herbs, and fragrant spices.

The aromatic filling absorbs the juice of the bell peppers, and the combination of flavors and textures makes this recipe an irresistible vegetarian dinner.

19. Vegetarian lentil loaf

This vegetarian recipe is lovely for special occasions like Thanksgiving and Christmas. You can prep most of it in a loaf pan and bake it shortly before serving it.

The lentil loaf slices beautifully; it has a rich, earthy flavor and a slightly chewy and almost meaty texture – perfect for meatless meals and family dinners.

20. Harira soup

Harira soup is a traditional Moroccan meal with lentils, chickpeas, and a rich and flavorful broth with warm spices, herbs, and tomatoes.

It’s a nourishing and fulfilling Mediterranean meal with over 20 grams of healthy, high-quality plant protein per small bowl

21. Cauliflower lentil salad

This cauliflower lentil salad is a light and refreshing way of eating lentils.

Roasted cauliflower makes the vegetable base, and we add canned lentils and drizzle with our creamy cumin dressing.

This dish looks spectacular, and because it is a protein-rich main dish, you can serve it at the center of the table.

You’ll love this recipe because it combines the sweet notes of the roasted butternut squash with the savory and meaty lentil filling.

23. Lentil patties

Lentil patties are easy to make and seasoned with fresh herbs, spices, and vegetables.

Prepare the lentil batter in a food processor and cook it in a skillet, oven, or air fryer.

24. Vegetarian lasagna

Vegetarian lasagna with lentils is the closest thing to authentic Italian lasagna you can get without meat.

While our vegetable lasagna used seasonal veggies as filling, this vegetarian lasagna used our lentil bolognese to remind us of the original Italian dish.

25. Dal

Our dal recipe is a creamy and comforting Indian dish that can be made in about 30 minutes with split lentils (we use yellow split lentils) in one pot.

The recipe is excellent for a weeknight dinner as the lentils cook fast, and it keeps well for meal prep for days.

26. Lentil stew

This lentil stew is an easy one-pot recipe that combines earthy lentils with umami-rich mushrooms and tender winter squash.

As it simmers on the stove, the aromas of herbs and vegetables fill the kitchen.

27. Barley soup

As you eat this barley lentil soup, you’ll feel nourished and hugged by the thick, creamy broth’s warmth and comforted by the chewy barley and tender legumes.

Rustic and hearty soups, such as Tuscan bean soup, cabbage soup, and barley soup, are the easiest and most satisfying to make.

28. Lasagna soup

This lasagna soup combines tender noodles with rich and healthy lentil bolognese, fresh basil, and a dollop of creamy ricotta cheese.

This Italian-inspired recipe is lovely for a cozy weeknight dinner and meal prep.

Do lentils have protein?

Yes, lentils are an excellent source of protein.

They contain about 18-25% protein by weight, making them a valuable plant–based protein source.

Including lentils in your diet can help meet your protein needs and offer additional nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

In conclusion, lentils offer a rich and “meaty” alternative to animal–based protein. They can help you cook various meatless meals and high-protein vegetarian dishes.

More legume recipes

If you’re looking to incorporate more fiber-rich legumes into your diet, take a peek at these vibrant plant-based recipes:

• Cauliflower salad with chickpeas for a boost of plant-based energy to keep you full all day long
• Mediterranean farro salad with roasted veggies, chickpeas, and pistachios
• Chickpea pasta salad: a quick and easy lunch idea ready in 25 minutes!
• Black bean salad: Inspired by Mexican flavors, this recipe is perfect for making ahead and eating for a quick and nutritious lunch or bringing potlucks and picnics.
• Italian bean stew with authentic Italian flavor, pinto beans, and tomato sauce

Salads

Cauliflower Salad

30-Min Meals

Chana Saag (Chickpea Spinach Curry)

Salads

Black Bean Salad

Salads

Farro Salad