31 Hearty Lentil Recipes to Keep You Nourished
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Lentil recipes aren’t just dinner inspiration; they’re a way to make the most of a well-stocked pantry. (And often fix a meal without a trip to the store.) Lentils can fortify simple soups and add texture to pasta sauces. Mix these quick-cooking legumes with quinoa, cabbage, and a lemony dressing, and you’ve got a tote-anywhere lunch that you’ll actually look forward to. Toss whatever mix of dals you have on hand into your Instant Pot with pearl barley, rice, and lamb to make a comforting haleem, or quickly sauté soaked lentils to make a crunchy topper for your salad or roasted veggies. Below, you’ll find a bunch of our favorite lentil recipes to try with whatever variety you have on hand.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell1/31Lentil and Chicken Soup With Sweet Potatoes and Escarole
Lentil recipes don’t stop at soups, but these little legumes do improve pretty much any pot of broth you’ve got simmering on the stove. For this hearty number, you’ll pair the lentils with store-bought rotisserie chicken (or a simple roast chicken if you’re up for it), sweet potatoes, fresh dill, and lemon.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert3/31Sopa de Lentejas
“So simple and yet so delicious,” writes one reviewer of this recipe excerpted from The Mexican Home Kitchen by Mely Martinez.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton6/31Lentils With Caramelized Onion Aioli and Crispy Chile Oil
Canned Puy, green, or brown lentils meet caramelized onions and garlicky chili crisp in this recipe from Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage. It’s one of the highlights of our comfort-food-focused vegetarian meal plan.
Photo and Food Styling by Anna Stockwell7/31Lentil Bolognese
Here’s the smart meal prep move to make the most of your cook time: Make a big batch of marinated French lentils early in the week so you can easily serve both this simple braised celery dish and the hearty, pantry-sourced pasta shown here.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce10/31A Vegetarian’s Dream Sweet Potato Dinner
Featuring roasted sweet potatoes, crisp mushrooms, and tender lentils over a dill-spiked feta-tahini sauce, this flavor-packed vegetarian (and gluten-free!) dinner created by Anna Stockwell is just what we want to be eating now. The best lentil for this recipe is one that’ll hold its shape and not get mushy—beluga lentils are particularly nice. Drizzle each serving with a little olive oil before you dive in.
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich11/31Lentil-Smothered Greens on Fried Bread
You’ll steam spinach, kale, or Swiss chard on top of the lentils to make this quick but deeply satisifying budget-friendly dinner recipe.
John Kernick12/31Veggie Balls
Need another reason to cook lentils? These mushroomy vegetarian meatballs are it. Top with a drizzle of pesto or your favorite tomato sauce.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Stevie Stewart13/31Lentil Soup With Coconut
Add fresh cilantro, a little chopped garlic, and a squeeze of lime juice just before serving this coconutty lentil soup that’s scented with whole cloves. This isn’t the moment for firm types of lentils like the French green ones; we love lentils with a softer texture here.
Photo by Alex Lau15/31Quinoa Bowl With Lentils and Mustard Vinaigrette
If you’re going to add this crunchy mix to your bring-to-work lunch plan, split it into portable containers and keep the delicate mint and celery leaves separate to add at the last minute.
Photo by Isa Zapata, Prop styling by Tim Ferro, Food styling by Taneka Morris16/31Just-Keeps-Getting-Better Lentil Salad
Kale salads don’t always eat like a meal, but this one will power you through the afternoon, thanks to chopped almonds, black beluga or French green lentils, crumbled feta, and Castelvetrano olives.
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton19/31Big Green Lentil Salad
A swoosh of garlicky yogurt is a lovely landing place for this arugula, lentil, and basil salad with crunchy sunflower seeds.
Quentin Bacon21/31Beluga Lentil Caviar on Blini
These blini look like they’re topped with caviar, but this vegan-friendly snack is actually made with marinated lentils.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell22/31Lentil Soup With Wheat Berries and Kale
Got wheat berries, spelt, unhulled barley, or short-grain brown rice in your pantry? As long as the grains aren’t pearled, you can use any of them in this recipe. And you don’t need to deplete your stash of homemade chicken or vegetable broth; the pot has enough aromatics to give this plenty of flavor.
23/31Mujadara
Peden & Munk24/31Lentils With Cucumbers, Chard, and Poached Egg
Eat this for dinner or serve it as a breakfast bowl for those who prefer things savory in the morning. The lentils are dressed with lemon juice, dill, scallions, salt, and black pepper; feel free to adjust the seasoning to your taste.
Christopher Testani27/31Eggplant With Lentils and Goat Cheese
Looking for a vegetarian main for your next dinner party? Consider these eggplant halves, stuffed with lentils and mint and topped with fresh goat cheese.
28/31Lentil Salad With Tomato and Dill
This two-step recipe from Gourmet is the summer side dish that hits every time. It’s a great way to use up any fresh herbs growing in your garden.
Photo by Sarah Britton30/31Four Corners Lentil Soup
This nourishing lentil soup recipe from Sarah Britton’s My New Roots gets bright flavor from tomatoes and three lemon slices that are added right to the pot.
Willian Meppem31/31Spiced Pumpkin, Lentil, and Goat Cheese Salad
This earthy, sweet, and creamy salad is one of those lentil recipes that easily becomes a family staple. Both sugar pumpkin and butternut squash work well with the smoked paprika and cumin seasoning used here—all you need on the side is a hunk of crusty bread.
