Love lentils? These delectable, protein-packed legumes are one of the vital versatile plant-based meals on the market. In the present day I’m sharing a few of my favourite lentil recipes, from appetizers to entrees.
Lentils are considered one of my favourite plant-based sources of protein. Not solely are they filled with fiber and different important vitamins, they’re comparatively low value, and really straightforward to arrange. Lentils are a part of the legume household, together with beans, peas, and chickpeas. They’re wealthy in folic acid, an essential nutrient, particularly for pregnant ladies. Lentils are additionally an ideal supply of potassium, a mineral that has been proven to assist scale back hypertension. The protein in lentils make them an ideal wholesome substitute for meat, and their excessive fiber content material helps hold you full and happy.
Lentils are available purple, brown, inexperienced and black varieties, and every have a singular texture and taste profile. Brown lentils have a gentle nutty taste, and can be utilized to bulk up soups, stews, and chilis. Inexperienced lentils, additionally known as French or Puy lentils, have a firmer texture and make scrumptious salads. Pink lentils are gentle and delicate and are great in Indian dishes akin to dal. There are infinite methods to arrange this wonderful edible seed, however at this time I’ve put collectively ten of my all-time favourite plant-based recipes. I hope you take pleasure in these hearty and flavorful dishes!
High 10 Tasty Plant-Primarily based Lentil Recipes
Mini Curried Lentil Wellingtons
Whereas it’s the excellent elegant entrée, with its savory, fragrant lentil vegetable filling encased in layers of crisp puff pastry, these mini Wellingtons are additionally actually scrumptious as an appetizer or a complicated hand-held sandwich at a picnic or outside occasion (LA people, suppose Hollywood Bowl). You can also make them upfront and eat them chilly, or simply heat them up within the oven previous to consuming.
French Inexperienced Lentil Salad with Cherry Tomatoes
A French ami shared her mom’s conventional recipe for lentil salad with me years in the past. This easy salad, seasoned with a French French dressing, is a traditional dish in France. It makes an exquisite, protein-rich spotlight of any meal. As a result of the flavors proceed to meld, it’s additionally nice the subsequent day.
Pair this chili with a salad and a serving of rustic complete grain bread or my Cumin Cornbread Muffins, and you’ve got a balanced meal very quickly. You can too throw all of those components right into a sluggish cooker within the morning, and a savory, aromatic meal will greet you whenever you come dwelling on the finish of the day. You should utilize an Immediate Pot to get the meal performed much more rapidly.
Indian Fashion Yellow Lentil Stew
The key ingredient on this recipe is recent ginger—which affords simply the fitting pungent, sweet-spicy chew. And the perfume of this stew is kind of spectacular. Although this stew is so fairly, due to its sunny coloration of yellow lentils, purple bell pepper, carrots, and tomatoes, you may shift the colour palate with completely different decisions of components. You possibly can strive a special kind of lentil (inexperienced, brown, purple) or greens (inexperienced beans, peas, candy potatoes) within the recipe.
Pink Lentil Stew with Root Greens
This savory Pink Lentil Stew with Root Greens is a vibrant, sunny shade of orange—the right strategy to cheer up the cloudiest of days. Its hearty taste and texture make it ultimate to pair with a easy salad or sandwich half.
Sage Lentils with Squash and Mushrooms
Flip to savory lentils ready with seasonal squash, earthy mushrooms, and fragrant sage for a easy, rustic meal you gained’t quickly overlook. You will get this straightforward plant-based dish for Sage Lentils with Squash and Mushrooms on the desk in 40 minutes. I like to serve it with complete grain bread and a crisp kale salad for a physique and soul satisfying meal on a cool night. The leftovers are great, too.
These Spicy Lentil Tacos are crammed with a wide range of highly effective herbs and spices, together with garlic, chili peppers, chili powder, oregano, cumin, cayenne pepper, and cilantro. Heavy on taste and well being, you gained’t even miss the meat on this plant-based recipe!
Retailer-bought lentil pasta is one other nice strategy to get in lentils! This recipe was impressed by a visit to my farmers market, the place a neighborhood mushroom grower sells assorted mushrooms—enoki, shiitake, cremini, hen of the woods, maitake, oyster—by the big bag for $10. I deliver dwelling one every week and get inventive within the kitchen all week lengthy. On this recipe, I showcase lentil pasta, since this gluten-free, nutritious pasta is wealthy in protein and affords a pleasant texture and coloration to this dish.
Lentil Walnut Bolognese with Spaghetti
Consuming extra pulses—beans, lentils, dried peas—is a wholesome, cancer-fighting technique too. On this tremendous straightforward, one-dish meal, you swap out a standard meat-based sauce for a tomato-forward, lentil and walnut Bolognese sauce, smothered over spaghetti noodles. Savory and scrumptious, your complete household will like it. Plus, it’s straightforward on the pocketbook and makes nice leftovers the subsequent day!
Herbed Lentil Patties with Mushroom Sauce
I like these straightforward Herbed Lentil Patties with Mushroom Sauce for a consolation meals meal any day of the week. You possibly can whip them up very quickly. The creamy, savory mushroom sauce is a wonderful topping. Serve this with whipped potatoes and a aspect salad for a hearty meal that can fulfill the thoughts, physique and soul.
For extra scrumptious lentil recipes, take a look at extra of my favorites:
Acorn Squash Full of Sage Lentils and Wheat
Nourish Lentil Bowl
Curried Lentil Cauliflower Salad
Written by Ally Mirin, Dietetic Intern with Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN
Picture: Dessert Sage Lentils from my upcoming California Vegan e book
