Anna Jones' Favorite Lentils with Roasted Tomatoes & Horseradish Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

How to make and eat lentils? ›

To prepare lentils, first rinse them in a strainer. Next, place one cup of lentils in a large pot with 2½ cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain well.

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil, add lentils. Cover, reduce heat and simmer the lentils, stirring occasionally for 15-40 minutes or until tender and fluffy textured on the inside. In general, red lentils will take 15 minutes, while brown will take 20 minutes and green lentils will take up to 40 minutes.

Red split lentils are nutty and sweet tasting, and they have a great creamy consistency that makes them perfect for hearty soups and stews. Plus, they cook so fast, and you never have to soak them in advance.

Split red lentils are best used in sauces, soups/stews, or pureed for use in batters and baked goods because with the seed coat removed they tend to blend more easily into foods.

Lentils add essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber to the diet. They also provide protein and are an excellent replacement for meat in meals. When a person replaces meat in the diet with a high fiber food, such as lentils, they decrease their risk of heart disease.

Lentils do not require it but can be soaked in order to reduce cooking time by about half. Before cooking, rinse lentils in cold water, pick over to remove debris or shrivelled lentils, then drain.

Black Lentils (Beluga lentils)

Thanks to the robust flavor, these lentils pair well with meaty veggies and marinated proteins like mushrooms, tofu, and seitan. Best of all, black lentils are the most nutritious variety of lentils, boasting the highest amount of protein, plus high levels of calcium, potassium, and iron.

Black Beluga lentils have the most flavor, adding a rich, earthy taste and a firm texture that holds up well during cooking.

Brown lentils may be the most common. However, red lentils are a close second. Red Lentils feature a sweet and nutty flavor, making them an excellent substitute for grains like quinoa and buckwheat. They have about the same cooking time as brown lentils and will thoroughly cook in just 15-20 minutes.

I toss them with lemon juice, Dijon mustard, fresh herbs, and red pepper flakes to make a nutritious side dish or base for plant-based bowls.

What is an interesting fact about lentils? ›

They grow in pods and appear as lens-shaped seeds. Lentils were among one of the first crops to be domesticated in the Near East and have been part of our diets since the Stone Age. Montana is the top producer of lentils in the United States, producing almost 40% of the lentils grown in the US.

Eating half a cup of cooked lentils gives you lots of essential nutrients and their high fiber content makes you feel full. However, the fiber in lentils can be hard for your body to break down. Eating too many lentils can cause gas, bloating, and cramping.

Honestly, the best way to tell if lentils are done are to taste them. They should be tender to the bite, with some varieties of lentils being a bit more firm and others more soft. That said, if you would like your lentils to be softer, just simmer them a few minutes longer until they reaches your desired consistency.

Stovetop Red Lentils: Combine 1 cup lentils and 3 cups water. Bring the water to a boil, reduce to a low simmer, then cover and cook the lentils until they reach desired texture, anywhere from 5 to 12 minutes. Most, if not all, of the water will be absorbed by the lentils.

How long should I cook red lentils? Cook red lentils for about 6-8 minutes if you'd like them to still be a little firm and tender and for 10 minutes or longer if you prefer them to go soft and mushy.

Lentils are a nutritious food that's low-fat and high in protein and fiber. While they make a delicious addition to a soup, stew or salad, you should not eat them raw. No matter which type of lentils you buy, you can easily cook them by boiling your lentils in water on the stove.

Cook the lentils: In a medium saucepan, combine the lentils and water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 17 to 20 minutes or until tender but not mushy. Drain any excess water, let cool. Use in any recipe that calls for cooked lentils.

Soaking naturally deactivates the harmful compounds and activates all the goodness of the seed and increases its nutritional value manifold. The process of soaking removes the gas-causing elements from the lentils. While legumes contain complex oligosaccharides, a type of complex sugar responsible for bloating and gas.

3. Toss them. No, not out of your kitchen, but rather use lentils in your salads either as a sidekick to other veggies—such as wild rice, squash and bulgur—or enjoy them on their own merits with a bit of oil and vinegar.