29 Creative Lentil Recipes That Go Way Beyond Soup
While we love cooking with beans, we urge you not to sleep on their equally delicious, high-protein cousins: lentils. This collection of lentil recipes will show you how approachable and versatile these legumes—which are also easy on the wallet—really are. Make one big batch of marinated lentils, for example, and you’ll have meals for a week: Fry them and use them as the base for a pseudo grain bowl on Monday, simmer them into soup on Tuesday, pack them into a lentil burger on Wednesday, make a quick dal on Thursday, transform them into pasta sauce on Friday, and if you have some left, level up your salad game over the weekend. See the endless possibilities for yourself by scrolling through our favorite lentil recipes below.
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Sue Li, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski1/29Loaded Sweet Potatoes
This lentil recipe calls for black lentils, which some call the caviar of legumes. (They even look like caviar once they're cooked, which is why they're also called beluga lentils.) Reasons to love them: They only need to be boiled for 20 minutes until they’re tender yet toothsome, they've got a thick skin that helps them hold their shape better than green or red lentils, and they keep in the fridge for days.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro2/29
Just-Keeps-Getting-Better Lentil Salad
What can you make on Sunday night that will taste great for lunch on Wednesday? This nutrient-rich salad. Just liven it up with an extra hit of lemon juice.
- Photo by Laura Murray, food styling by Susie Theodorou3/29
Green Curry Lentil Soup
Is it lentil soup? Is it lentil curry? It’s both. Earthy brown lentils, aromatics, sweet potatoes, and leafy greens come together with coconut milk and green curry paste to present you with the easy lentil comfort food that will make your doctor happy.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata. Food Styling by Micah Morton. Prop Styling by Paige Hicks4/29
Jalebi
Protein-packed fried sweets do exist. (Thank you, world.) These South Asian treats, which use urad dal (ivory white lentil) powder, are surprisingly simple to make.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, food styling by Kat Boytsova5/29
Marinated Lentils With Lemony Broccolini and Feta
One of our best lentil recipes, this healthy, hearty dish can be a warm vegetarian main or a cold lunch left to marinate in the fridge overnight. The spiced oil is even better the next day.
- Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by France Boswell6/29
Fried Lentils and Bratwurst
How to cook lentils? As you're starting to see, there are many ways, and here's another: Simmer black or French lentils in salted water until tender, then fry them. Their creamy-crispy texture pairs beautifully with juicy bratwurst.
- Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman7/29
Kimchi-Lentil Stew With Poached Eggs
This is a one-pot lentil soup recipe that you could easily eat with a fork and a hunk of crusty bread if you want to. She's hearty.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou8/29
Lentil Burgers
You might wonder whether the world needs another veggie burger recipe—until you see how easy this one is. We'd venture to guess you could use the same mixture to make lentil meatballs or even vegetarian meatloaf. (If you try it, let us know.)
- Photograph by Yudi Ela, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk9/29
Grilled Cauliflower and Broccoli With Lentils
When you need a nourishing, gluten-free main dish that involves minimal prep time, this is the delicious lentil recipe to make. You'll need a grill, a blender, and plenty of olive oil.
- Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Sue Li10/29
Zucchini-Lentil Fritters With Lemony Yogurt
These crispy zucchini fritters take inspiration from the traditional Bengali snacks called piyaju. Soaked and blended red lentils make up the batter, which you'll spike with turmeric and chile powder.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Sue Li11/29
Simple Khichari
You do not need an Instant Pot for this restorative stew; it all goes down on the stovetop. We do recommend using two forms of dried lentils, though: both red split lentils and yellow split mung dal.
- Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott12/29
Lentil Purée With Cumin, Cilantro, and Lime
This creamy dip, also known as Fava in Greek cuisine, requires almost no effort to blend together. It's often served alongside fish or as part of a meze spread.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton13/29
Big Green Lentil Salad
A question we're often asked is, "What makes lentils taste better?" We happen to like their flavor, but for those who don't, this lentil recipe offers a tasty solution with its sauce of Greek yogurt, garlic, turmeric, and black pepper.
- Alex Lau14/29
Quinoa Bowl With Lentils and Mustard Vinaigrette
Yes, you can cook lentils and quinoa together. Total time simmering in a large saucepan: 20 minutes. In this recipe, they provide the base for a hearty salad, of sorts, but they could also work as the protein in lentil tacos.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski15/29
Black Lentil and Harissa-Roasted Veggie Bowl
This filling, endlessly riffable Mediterranean-style bowl is perfect with roasted sweet potatoes, but hardy vegetables such as delicata squash, cauliflower, or eggplant would be just as delicious.
- Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Pearl Jones16/29
Lemony Lentils and Rice With Caramelized Onions
Inspired by mujadara, a simple combination of lentils, rice, and onions that exists in various forms across the Middle East, this lentil recipe is comforting but not too rich. Serve as a main or a side.
- Photograph by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by D'Myrtrek Brown17/29
Pasta With Lentils and Mushrooms
Why boil pasta then toss it with sauce when you could cook it directly in the sauce? In this recipe, as the noodles cook, they absorb the tomato-rich broth while releasing the starches that eventually form a creamy sauce. Genius.
- Alex Lau18/29
Lentil Soup With Sausage and Mustard Greens
Any type of lentil (black beluga, French, brown, or green) will work in this weeknight soup. Or, substitute a couple cans of cannellini beans in their place.
- Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski19/29
Lentil Niçoise Salad
Feel free to off-road with this recipe. Pair whatever produce you’ve got with 7-minute eggs, a mustardy dressing you can make ahead, and almost any protein: leftover steak or salmon, rotisserie chicken, beans, or chickpeas.
- Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich20/29
Lentil-Smothered Greens on Fried Bread
A little smoked paprika (1½ teaspoons) and a lot of garlic (11 cloves) make this weeknight dinner sing. Use any hardy greens you have: spinach, kale, or Swiss chard.
- ALex Lau21/29
Confetti Lentils
These fast-cooking legumes, high in protein and fiber, pair delightfully with sockeye salmon. We could also see them as one component of a vegetarian Shepherd's Pie. Couldn't you? Sauté mushrooms, leeks, and carrots; bind them together with tomato paste; layer that mixture on top of the lentils and some cooked peas; then top it all with mashed potatoes.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio22/29
Chicken-Lentil Soup With Jammy Onions
This soup coaxes big flavors from a short ingredient list. Just be patient while browning the onions and garlic: They're essential to adding depth to the finished dish.
- Peden + Munk23/29
Lentils with Cucumbers, Chard, and Poached Egg
Calling all savory breakfast people: This lentil recipe is for you. Black or green lentils (or even chickpeas) mixed with scallions, dill, and lemon zest provide the base, which gets topped with sautéed Swiss chard, crunchy cucumbers, and a poached egg. Good morning, indeed.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou24/29
Marinated Lentils With Crunchy Vegetables
We don't really need to do much to advertise this lentil recipe; just read the comments. Or read the ingredient list: beluga lentils, coriander and cumin seeds, sherry vinegar and olive oil, radishes, scallions, parsley, celery. Sold yet?
- Alex Lau25/29
Lentil Croquettes With Watercress and Kefir
For those unfamiliar, allow us to introduce the sprouted lentil. One of many cool things about this super-nutritious form of the legume is that they don’t need to be cooked.
- Photo by Heidi's Bridge, styling by Molly Baz26/29
Vegan Coconut Lentil Soup
Never has such a flavorful, hearty, and warming meal come together so quickly, using so many pantry staples. We love it with a dollop of yogurt on top, but feel free to omit or use a non-dairy yogurt to keep it vegan.
- Nicole Franzen27/29
Spicy Lamb and Lentils With Herbs
Fragrant bits of spicy ground lamb and heaps of fresh herbs transform French green lentils into a lick-the-plate weeknight main. We love this with a little bit of goat cheese smooshed on the side of the plate.
- Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Adriana Paschen, Prop Styling by Elizabeth Jaime28/29
Beluga Lentil and Root Vegetable Slaw
Any crunchy vegetable or fruit can work in this colorful slaw. Try fennel, small turnips, or Asian pear, shaved or cut into matchsticks.
- Photograph by Julian Cousins, Food styling by Adriana Paschen29/29
Dal Palak
Our final lentil recipe calls for red lentils, or masoor dal, which are a weeknight superstar: They're budget-friendly and their cook time is about 30 minutes. (As a mom of two, a cookbook author, and the founder of the small-batch Indian condiment company Brooklyn Delhi, Chitra Agrawal, who wrote this recipe, knows a thing or two about quick and easy dinners.) Serve this spinach-packed dal palak with steamed rice or naan and you're good to go.