Lentils are filling, versatile, cheap, and nutritious, so it’s no shock people have been consuming them for 1000’s of years. This straightforward edible legume has been traced again to round 8,000 BC—again then, lentils probably helped to maintain folks dwelling on the banks of the Euphrates River. All through the next centuries, they had been eaten by the poor (in historical Greece), the wealthy (in Historic Egypt), and everybody in between. And it’s the identical story at the moment. In 2023, the worldwide market reached 16 million tons of lentil manufacturing.
These days, nonetheless, lentils are greater than only a easy vitamin supply. Their many various varieties (together with brown, crimson, inexperienced, and black) are utilized in a variety of inventive, scrumptious, and nutritious plant-based recipes—as you’ll be able to see from our checklist under! The vegan life-style is rising in reputation, and that is pushing easy plant-based complete meals, like lentils, into the highlight. A fast seek for lentils on TikTok, for instance, brings up pages of recipe movies, some boasting hundreds of thousands of views.
The rising reputation of lentils is nice for our well being, and it’s good for the planet, too. Earlier than we get to the enjoyable half (the meals), right here’s slightly bit extra about this humble legume and its many advantages.
Are lentils nutritious?
It’s a giant sure. Lentils are low in fats, wealthy in protein (100 grams of boiled lentils present round 9 grams of protein), excessive in dietary fiber, they usually’re filled with nutritional vitamins and minerals, together with folate, iron, potassium, and magnesium. They’re additionally a fantastic supply of antioxidants, which assist to guard the physique’s cells from injury attributable to dangerous free radicals and in flip, might assist to decrease the chance of power illness.
Unsplash
Are lentils sustainable?
Lentils should not solely good for us, however they’re good for the setting, too. For one, they require considerably fewer assets, like water and land, than meat to provide, they usually additionally assist to advertise biodiversity and soil well being, due to their nitrogen-fixing properties.
Lentils are additionally a reasonably resilient meals supply, too. They will develop in semi-arid and arid areas, as they don’t want enormous quantities of rain to outlive. This implies they will tolerate vital quantities of drought stress (an necessary high quality, because the frequency of utmost climate occasions will increase with the local weather disaster).
prepare dinner with lentils: 12 vegan recipes
If you wish to study extra about how you can put together this versatile, sustainable, wholesome ingredient, we’ve compiled a few of our favourite vegan lentil recipes under. You’re very welcome.
1 Simple Vegan Lentil Bolognese Spaghetti Squash Boats
Stuffed with a crimson lentil Bolognese sauce, these Italian-inspired roasted spaghetti squash boats are greatest topped with vegan parmesan and recent basil. This dish is scrumptious consolation meals with a singular, plant-based twist.
Get the recipe
2 Vegan Creamy Curried Carrot and Lentil Soup
This hearty recipe combines carrots, onions, celery, and crimson lentils to create a flavorful, nutritious creamy soup. Garnish with cilantro for a comforting, nourishing meal, and ensure to pair with loads of rustic bread.
Get the recipe
Charity Morgan
3 Meaty Vegan Lentil Chili Con Chili
Made with a hearty mixture of inexperienced or brown lentils, beans, and greens, this nourishing, simple chili is ideal for recreation day. You may even permit company to customise their bowls with a wide range of toppings (loads of vegan cheese, please).
Get the recipe
4 Vegan French Lentil and Kale Stew
This scrumptious French lentil and kale stew recipe combines tangy balsamic vinegar and luscious coconut cream for a flavorful, comforting weeknight dish. It’s greatest served with vegan parmesan and a few hearty do-it-yourself meatballs.
Get the recipe
5 Simple, Smoky Vegan Bean and Lentil Chili
For a simple, nourishing midweek dish, you’ll be able to’t go fallacious with this smoky vegan bean and crimson lentil chili, which additionally packs in recent greens, chickpeas, and a tasty mix of chili powder and cinnamon.
Get the recipe
6 Vegan Heat Lentil, Candy Potato, and Arugula Salad
This nutritious, satisfying salad balances candy potatoes’ pure sweetness with protein-packed inexperienced lentils. The dressing, which mixes soy sauce, maple syrup, and whole-grain mustard, provides the proper mix of tangy, salty, and candy.
Get the recipe
Dreena Burton
7 Savory Vegan Lentil and Candy Potato Meatloaf
Candy potatoes, lentils, and Italian herbs come collectively to create this scrumptious and filling vegan meatloaf recipe. Serve with mashed potatoes and garlicky inexperienced beans, for a nutrient-packed, comforting weeknight meal.
Get the recipe
Ashley Madden
8 Vegan Pink Lentil Marinara Spaghetti
Served with crimson lentil marinara, this straightforward, gluten-free spaghetti dish makes for a fast, crowd-pleasing weeknight meal—particularly when it’s complemented by salad or crusty bread.
Get the recipe
Sam Turnbull
9 Candy Vegan Korean-Impressed Lentils
This simple, versatile plant-based dish might be served with rice, tacos, or wraps, and comes collectively in slightly below 20 minutes. It’s additionally filled with taste and protein, due to the wealthy soy-sesame sauce and crimson lentils.
Get the recipe
10 Herb Roasted Autumn Harvest Bowls
On this autumnal dish, roasted parsnips, Brussels sprouts, candy potatoes, and inexperienced lentils are topped with tahini dressing and pumpkin seeds—it’s a easy, nutritious weeknight delight.
Get the recipe
Kenden Alfond
11 Vegan Candy and Bitter Pineapple Meatballs
Made with a mixture of oats and cooked brown lentils, these meatballs are hearty, nutritious, and scrumptious, particularly when served in a tangy pineapple juice-based candy and bitter sauce.
Get the recipe
12 French Lentil Soup With Herbes de Provence
Made with inexperienced French lentils, recent greens, aromatic herbs, and a drop of dry sherry, this soup is a comforting, nourishing, lunchtime delight. Serve with a heat, toasted baguette, smothered in vegan butter.
Get the recipe
For extra on vegan cooking, learn:
Charlotte is a author and editor based mostly in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.
