Lentils

What are lentils? Lentils are small legumes that are rich with protein and fiber. Cooking lentils to add to soups and salads make for satisfying meatless meals. Here’s a breakdown on types of lentils and how to incorporate them into your diet along with lentil recipes for you to make at home.

If you’re wanting to add more meatless meals to your diet, lentils is a great place to start.  They’re quick and easy to cook and there’s so many ways you can serve them. 

Plant based diets are becoming more popular these days. It’s said that eating less meat is not only better for our health, but better for the planet. (1)

A plant based diet emphasizes consuming  a diet rich with vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, seeds and nuts, and reduces or eliminates the amount of animal products we consume. When you’re wanting to add more meatless meals to your diet, it helps to have handful of good plant based recipes to get you started.

What Are Lentils?

They’re included in the legume family with beans, chickpeas, split peas and peanuts. They’re also referred to as “pulses” which are the dry edible seeds of the legume plant. They’re low if fat and they’re an excellent source of fiber, vitamin B and plant protein. They’re a great substitute for meat as a source of protein, making them popular in vegetarian and vegan diets. There are several types of lentils to choose from, all are fairly inexpensive to buy and they can be stored for up to a year.

Types of Lentils

I usually keep a variety of them in my pantry so I can whip up a soup or salad on a whim. They make a healthy, filling and inexpensive meatless meals to serve. Certain lentils work best with different types of plant based recipes. Some are best used for soups, while other might work better in a salad. 

1. Brown Lentils 

This is a common type to cook with. They hold their shape pretty well (unless overcooked, then they turn a little mushy). These are great for soups, stews, vegan chili, vegan bolognese, vegan taco meat. 

2. Green Lentils

The texture stays slightly firm when cooked. They’re also great for soups, stews, vegan chili, vegan bolognese, vegan taco meat. 

3. French Green/Puy

These maintain a more firm texture when cooked, and they need a little extra cooking time. They’re good to use for salads and sides.  

4. Red Lentils

These cook quickly and become very soft losing their texture when cooked. They’re perfect for soups.

5. Black/Beluga

These remain slightly firm when cooked, requiring a little longer cooking time. They’re also good to use for soups and salads.

Where To Buy Them

You can purchase dried lentils at the market in the section where you’ll usually find bags of dried beans.  Some stores sell them in bulk bins where you scoop them into a bag and weigh them. You should be able to find the brown, green and red variety at most markets. Health food stores often carry a larger variety of them including the French Green (LePuy) and Black (Beluga) variety.

How To Store Them

Dried lentils can be stored in the sealed bags they come in or airtight containers for up to one year. Store them in a pantry away from light, moisture and heat.

Cooking Lentils

Unlike other legumes, cooking lentils is quick and easy because they don’t require soaking first. They’re great to add to soups and salads or use them to make vegan taco meat, bolognese sauce and vegan meatloaf.  

• Rinse. It’s always good to pick through them as you rinse them under water, removing any shriveled lentils, stones and debris before cooking.
• Combine ingredients.  Flavor them with garlic and a bay leaf and some fresh basil if you have it on hand. Then add everything to a large pot and cover with enough water to cover by 1-1/2 inches or so.
• Simmer.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low, cover with lid, and simmer for 20-40 minutes or until they are just tender, depending on the type of lentils you use.
• Drain.  After they’ve finished cooking, drain and season with salt and pepper.  Now they’re good to serve as a side (with a drizzle of olive oil), use as a meat replacement in recipes or toss in salads.

How to Serve Them

Adding more plant based meals to your diet that look good and taste great is easier than you might think. Here are some ways to make satisfying meals out of the small but mighty lentil.

• Toss them in salads
• Use them for soups and stews and casseroles
• Stuff inside taco shells to make vegan tacos
• Make lentil meat for vegan burgers and meatloaf
• Cook with red sauce for a vegan bolognese sauce
• Blend to make dips (like hummus)
• Make a vegan shepherd’s pie
• Add them to protein bowls with veggies and rice or quinoa

Easy Lentil Recipes For Your Next Meal

These are some of my favorite lentil recipes to make. They’re quick and easy to make and they’re loaded with flavor!

Lentil Salad

This Mediterranean Lentil Salad is one of my favorites! It’s  made with cucumbers, onion, tomatoes, artichoke hearts and kalamata olives all tossed in a light Italian vinaigrette, and it makes a perfect vegetarian side or main. 

Lentil Soup Recipes

This family-friendly Mexican Lentil Soup (Sopa de Lentejas) is a vegetarian soup that’s quick and easy to make. It’s made with Ortega chilis, onion, garlic, vegetables and it’s perfectly seasoned with cumin and oregano. I love to garnish this Sopa de Lentejas with a few nachos, avocado and fresh cilantro.  

• Italian Lentil Soup.This crowd-pleasing soup is quick and easy to make any night of the week!  It’s made with healthy ingredients and seasoned with classic Italian seasoning. This is the best lentil soup recipe to make when you’re craving a rich and hearty bowl of goodness. 
• Vegan Mulligatawny.  This Vegan Mulligatawny Soup is a rich and hearty coconut curry soup made with quinoa and canned chickpeas.
• Red Lentil Soup.This thick and nutritious soup is pure comfort in a bowl!  It’s  made with red lentils (red split lentils), fresh vegetables, canned tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. It’s a quick and easy recipe to pull together and  your whole family will love it!
• French Lentil Soup. This soup has all the flavors we love about French onion soup with added lentils for a more substantially filling and protein rich vegetarian soup. 
• Vegan Lentil Soup. This is a cozy curry flavored soup made with  a delicious exotic combination of flavors.
• Hearty Lentil Stew is a richly flavored vegan stew that’s loaded with chunks of fresh vegetables.  It’s one of my favorite meatless meals to make!

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