Love lentils? These delectable, protein-packed legumes are one of the crucial versatile plant-based meals on the market. Right this moment 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 stuffed with fiber and different important vitamins, they’re comparatively low value, and really straightforward to organize. Lentils are a part of the legume household, together with beans, peas, and chickpeas. They’re wealthy in folic acid, an necessary nutrient, particularly for pregnant ladies. Lentils are additionally a fantastic supply of potassium, a mineral that has been proven to assist cut back hypertension. The protein in lentils make them a fantastic wholesome substitute for meat, and their excessive fiber content material helps hold you full and happy.
Lentils are available in pink, brown, inexperienced and black varieties, and every have a novel 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 referred to as French or Puy lentils, have a firmer texture and make scrumptious salads. Purple lentils are delicate and delicate and are fantastic in Indian dishes equivalent to dal. There are infinite methods to organize this glorious edible seed, however right this moment I’ve put collectively ten of my all-time favourite plant-based recipes. I hope you get pleasure from these hearty and flavorful dishes!
High 10 Tasty Plant-Primarily based Lentil Recipes
Mini Curried Lentil Wellingtons
Whereas it’s the good 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 out of doors occasion (LA people, suppose Hollywood Bowl). You can also make them prematurely 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 basic 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 even throw all of those components right into a sluggish cooker within the morning, and a savory, aromatic meal will greet you once you come dwelling on the finish of the day. You should utilize an Immediate Pot to get the meal carried out much more shortly.
Indian Model Yellow Lentil Stew
The key ingredient on this recipe is contemporary ginger—which provides simply the proper pungent, sweet-spicy chunk. And the perfume of this stew is kind of spectacular. Although this stew is so fairly, because of its sunny colour of yellow lentils, pink bell pepper, carrots, and tomatoes, you possibly can shift the colour palate with totally different selections of components. You may attempt a distinct kind of lentil (inexperienced, brown, pink) or greens (inexperienced beans, peas, candy potatoes) within the recipe.
Purple Lentil Stew with Root Greens
This savory Purple Lentil Stew with Root Greens is a vivid, sunny shade of orange—the proper option to cheer up the cloudiest of days. Its hearty taste and texture make it very best 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 neglect. 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 fantastic, too.
These Spicy Lentil Tacos are full of 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 option to get in lentils! This recipe was impressed by a visit to my farmers market, the place an area mushroom grower sells assorted mushrooms—enoki, shiitake, cremini, hen of the woods, maitake, oyster—by the large bag for $10. I carry dwelling one every week and get artistic within the kitchen all week lengthy. On this recipe, I showcase lentil pasta, since this gluten-free, nutritious pasta is wealthy in protein and provides a pleasant texture and colour 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 conventional 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 may whip them up very quickly. The creamy, savory mushroom sauce is a wonderful topping. Serve this with whipped potatoes and a facet salad for a hearty meal that may fulfill the thoughts, physique and soul.
For extra scrumptious lentil recipes, try extra of my favorites:
Acorn Squash Filled with 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 guide
