Learn the way to prepare dinner lentils to perfection each time! flavorful, nutritious, and straightforward to put together, they’re an effective way to add protein to salads, garnishes, and extra.
varieties of lentils and how to use them
Not all kinds of lentils are interchangeable, and every works significantly nicely in several types of recipes. Listed here are the varieties you will see most frequently in shops, together with tips about how to use them:
le puy or French inexperienced lentils
My favourite form of lentils! these guys maintain their form whereas cooking and have a agency, scrumptious texture. I like to use them in lentil salad and pasta sauce, and their hearty texture can also be scrumptious in my lentil curry soup.
beluga lentils
These black lentils are very comparable to the French inexperienced selection. actually, you can use them interchangeably in most lentil recipes! they prepare dinner in about 20 minutes and have a pleasant chew. I flip to them after I need to add lentils to a salad or serve them on their very own as a hearty garnish.
common inexperienced or brown lentils
For those who’re making a selfmade soup or stew, common inexperienced or brown lentils can be a terrific selection. as a substitute of holding their form, they soften and turn into mushy as they prepare dinner. I like to add the dried lentils to a big pot of soup and let it simmer till softened, about half-hour.
crimson lentils
Pink (or yellow) lentils prepare dinner a lot sooner than every other selection. they turn into delicate and tender after simmering for simply quarter-hour! as they prepare dinner, they soften and dissolve, making a deliciously creamy texture. consequently, they’re a wonderful selection to add to thick curries, stews, or an Indian dal. I even combine them right into a scrumptious hummus-like dip!
favourite lentil recipes
Beneath is my go-to technique for seasoning cooked French lentils. I combine them with lemon juice, dijon mustard, recent herbs, and crimson pepper flakes to make a nutritious garnish or base for plant-based mostly bowls. They maintain within the fridge for up to 5 days, so that they’re certainly one of my favourite meal prep proteins to maintain readily available within the fridge.
Past this straightforward preparation, there are limitless methods to use them. As well as to the lentil recipes I discussed above, listed below are a few of my favorites:
- Sauté cooked French inexperienced lentils with garlic, cumin, cilantro, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper to use as a hearty filling for vegetarian tacos. you too can add a handful of chopped walnuts for crunch!
- swap them for the chickpeas in my multi-veg soup, including them to the pot concurrently the broth.
- combine them with a easy vegetable pasta for additional protein.
- use them in a salad with Moroccan spices, just like the Uncooked Roasted Carrots Salad on web page 121 of On a regular basis Love and Lemons.
- stuff them with greens to make a protein-packed vegetarian entrée, just like the Mediterranean Stuffed Eggplant on web page 179 of affection and lemons each day. alternatively, pile them into a comfortable baked candy potato.
- use them in selfmade falafel! discover my crimson lentil falafel recipe on web page 137 of affection and lemons each day.
- lemon and herb couscous
- farro with herbs
- quinoa
- crispy roasted chickpeas
- cauliflower rice
- zucchini noodles
- spaghetti squash
- crispy baked tofu
- marinated baked tempeh
- rice with cilantro and lime
Do you could have a favourite lentil recipe? let me know within the feedback!
extra plant-based mostly cooking fundamentals
in the event you love this recipe, strive certainly one of these plant-based mostly cooking components beneath:
