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    Home » Collections

    20 Best Lentil Recipes

    Published: Oct 11, 2022 · by Nico

    Jump to Recipe

    If you're looking for the best lentil recipes, you've come to the right place. These 20 lentil meals are easy to make, packed with fiber, and with simple ingredients.

    Browse through this list, and take your pick: from 30-minute dinners, and salads, to easy and quick family-friendly side dishes. All of them with dried, canned, red, brown, or green lentils!
    Let's see how these easy and wholesome everyday meals are made!

    best lentil recipes with curry and salad

    1. Lentil curry

    This creamy and rich lentil curry is a guaranteed family favorite. With split red lentils, it's ready in just 30 minutes, and it pairs with practically any veggie. Simply serve it with white rice, and dinner is ready!

    lentil curry with basmati rice and yogurt

    2. Lentil bolognese

    This rich and earthy lentil bolognese is a wonderful sauce for spaghetti and linguine pasta. It's plant-based, made with green or brown lentils, and a restaurant-worthy meal with authentic Italian flavor.

    spaghetti with lentil bolognese

    3. Lentil tabbouleh salad

    This lentil tabbouleh salad is a refreshing starter or side dish with added plant-based protein. Serve as is with toasted bread and hummus, and enjoy a wholesome vegetarian lunch!

    lentil tabbouleh

    4. Italian lentil pasta

    This Italian lentil pasta is perfect as a tasty and easy everyday dinner or as a make-ahead meal. We use green or brown lentils to make a rich, wholesome, and satiating pasta dish. Freeze your leftovers, or eat them the day after - this pasta is even more flavourful the day after.

    pasta and lentils

    5. Cauliflower lentil salad

    This cauliflower lentil salad is a light and refreshing way of eating lentils. Roasted cauliflower makes the vegetable base, add canned and rinsed lentils and drizzle with our creamy cumin dressing.

    lentil and cauliflower salad

    6. Sweet potato and lentils salad

    Sweet potato cubes are perfect in this colorful sweet potato lentil salad. Have it for lunch, a make-ahead dinner, or bring it to potlucks and picnics. This is one of our favorite ways of eating canned lentils; a real family favorite!

    lentils and sweet potato salad

    7. Carrot salad with lentils

    Our Moroccan carrot salad is a delicious and aromatic recipe with tender boiled carrots, fragrant ground cumin, canned lentils, and a few other simple ingredients. It's a perfect lunch idea for school or the office, and stores for 3-4 days in the fridge.

    moroccan carrot salad with lentils

    8. Lentil soup with leafy greens

    This lentil soup is perfect as an everyday dinner, and as a make-ahead meal as you can store it for up to 4 days in the refrigerator, and for up to 3 months in the freezer! It's made with green lentils and a one-pot method, simply serve it with a slice of toasted bread for a balanced lentil-packed dinner.

    lentil soup with bread

    9. Lentil hummus

    Creamy, velvety smooth, and ready in 5 minutes! If you're looking for a dip to go with your appetizer or vary your hummus routine a little, you need to try this velvety smooth lentil dip.

    lentil hummus in a bowl with bread

    10. Stuffed zucchini boats

    These lentil zucchini boats fall without doubt into the healthy comfort food category, are plenty nutritious, and are packed with wholesome plant-based protein.

    yogurt drizzled stuffed zucchini

    11. Red lentil soup

    This hearty and tomato-rich red lentil soup is a winter weeknight favorite of ours. Red lentils cook in 15-20 minutes, which makes this soup ready in just 30 minutes!

    red lentil soup with lemons and toasted bread

    12. Lentil and rice 'Mujaddara'

    Lentil, rice, and onion Mujaddara is a delicious Middle-Eastern dish seasoned with spices and caramelized onions. Eat it as a wholesome dinner with mint yogurt and a side of tomato salad.

    Mujaddara lentil and rice on a platter

    This list is updated daily.

    More legume-packed recipes

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

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    • 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
    • Bean stew in a bowl with fork
      Bean Stew
    • black bean salad
      Black Bean Salad
    • cauliflower salad
      Cauliflower Salad
    • chickpea pasta salad
      Chickpea Pasta Salad

    Or try one of these 35 favorite chickpea recipes with a variety of meals made with garbanzo bean or chickpea flour.

    For many more 30-minute meal ideas, check out our 30-minute meal category page.

    Recipe

    best lentil recipes including mains and starters

    20 Best Lentil Recipes

    Author: Nico
    Lentil curry is one of our best lentil recipes as it’s easy to make, it can be frozen for those lazy weeknights, and it’s full of flavor, vitamins, and antioxidants.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe
    5 from 1 vote
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Indian, International
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 733 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 medium onion
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 1 inch ginger (optional)
    • 2 teaspoons curry powder
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • ⅓ teaspoon chili flakes
    • ½ teaspoon coriander (optional)
    • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder (optional)
    • 1 teaspoon garam masala (optional)
    • ½ teaspoon pepper
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 2 cups vegetable stock
    • 1 cup split red lentils or de-hulled red lentils
    • 1 small can (15 ounce) crushed tomatoes
    • 1 small can (13.5 ounce) coconut milk full fat or reduced fat

    Serving suggestions

    • 4 wedges lemon
    • 1 handful cilantro or flat leaf parsley
    • 4 tablespoons unsweetened dairy-free yogurt optional
    • 2 cups basmati rice

    Instructions
     

    • To a pot add the oil and chopped onion. Gently fry the onion for 3 minutes, then add grated garlic and grated ginger and fry gently for another minute.
      adding ginger and garlic to the onion
    • Turn the heat to low, then add the spices: 2 teaspoons curry powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, ⅓ teaspoon chili flakes, ½ teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala, ½ teaspoon pepper.
      Toast the spices while stirring on low heat for a short minute.
      toasting the spices
    • Add vegetable stock, rinsed red lentils, crushed tomatoes, salt, stir and cook for about 20 minutes, or till the lentils are almost cooked.
      adding red lentils
    • Add the coconut milk, stir well, and finish cooking for another 10 to 15 minutes, till the curry is thicker and creamier, and the red lentils are fully cooked.
      adding coconut milk
    • Serve the lentil curry on basmati rice with a generous squeeze of lemon juice, freshly chopped cilantro (or flat-leaf parsley) and optionally a spoonful of unsweetened plant based yogurt.
      serving the red lentil curry with basmati rice

    Video Recipe

    LENTIL curry

    Notes

    To reduce the calories in this meal you can make the curry without oil, with reduced-fat coconut milk, serve it with less rice, or just eat a smaller portion.

    Nutritional Values

    Nutrition Facts
    20 Best Lentil Recipes
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 733 Calories from Fat 144
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 16g25%
    Saturated Fat 8g50%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 6g
    Potassium 945mg27%
    Carbohydrates 124g41%
    Dietary Fiber 18g75%
    Sugar 8g9%
    Protein 21g42%
    Vitamin A 619IU12%
    Vitamin B6 1mg50%
    Vitamin C 15mg18%
    Vitamin E 3mg20%
    Vitamin K 17µg16%
    Calcium 110mg11%
    Folate 245µg61%
    Iron 7mg39%
    Manganese 2mg100%
    Magnesium 111mg28%
    Zinc 4mg27%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you like this recipe?We are not much on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Leave us a comment below instead, it would mean the world to us 🙂

    If you liked these best lentil recipes, you might also enjoy:

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    Nico and Louise founders of the Plant-Based School.

    Hi, we are Nico and Louise, and we love cooking! Welcome to our blog.

    Here we share veggie-packed recipes for the whole family.

    Omnivores, flexitarians, vegetarians, and vegans, you are ALL WELCOME to this community.

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