Frequently asked questions
This recipe results in perfectly seasoned, tender lentils. You can eat them as-is, or add them as a component to tacos, salads, and more. They’re a great easy vegan recipe or healthy vegetarian dinner. Ready to get started cooking?
You can substitute green lentils for brown lentils. Green lentils have a more peppery flavor than brown lentils. Avoid substituting red lentils, French lentils, or black lentils, since they cook differently. Red lentils cook quicker and can become mushy: try them in Masoor Dal or Red Lentil Soup instead. French lentils and black lentils are smaller and hold their shape when cooked; cook them with this French Lentils and Black Lentils methods.
Ways to serve brown lentils
Because of the broth and spices, these brown lentils come out perfectly seasoned! We love making this recipe because you can just eat them right away. They’re perfect for a healthy lunch or dinner. We like to serve them with a dollop of Greek yogurt, torn cilantro, tomatoes, and pita bread cut into wedges. This is the most basic way to serve these brown lentils, but the sky is the limit! Here are a few more ideas to get your wheels turning:
Add roasted vegetables to the bowl and drizzle with tahini sauce Serve with scrambled eggs Add to this couscous bowl (instead of chickpeas) Use as a filling for lentil tacos Add them to lentil salad Add a whole grain like rice, quinoa, farro, or freekah to the bowl
Lentils have a large amount of plant-based protein. 1 cup of cooked lentils has about 18 grams of protein and 15 grams of fiber. (Source) Lentils have virtually no saturated fat and are low in calories. Lentils are rich in polyphenols, micronutrients thought to help protect against cardiovascular disease. (Source)
5 from 8 reviews
4 cups vegetable broth (or water, or a combination of both) 1 ½ cups brown lentils 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder 1 ½ teaspoons paprika 1 teaspoon oregano ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon black pepper ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
To serve as shown
Pita bread Greek yogurt Cilantro Tomato wedges Other ideas: with Roasted Vegetables, Chorizo Eggs or Scrambled Eggs, in a Couscous Bowl, in Lentil Tacos
