À La Carte: Getting comfy with lentils

Savory lentil pancakes, lentil patties, Pret-inspired soup + more 🍲

Hi friends,

In the early years of my transition to plant-based cooking, lentils were, to me, one of the more intimidating ingredients. Whereas beans I’ve always been onboard with, and chickpeas were equally easy to incorporate, lentils took me a while to get the hang of.

Firstly, there are the different types, which have completely different personalities. While a green lentil, for instance, you have to be careful not to overcook (they get mushy), the whole point of a red lentil is to cook it until it falls apart.

Green lentils also have a strong earthy flavor, and you have to learn how to balance it with different seasonings.

With all that said, getting comfy with lentils was still a priority because they are such a nutritional powerhouse. 1 cup of cooked green lentils has a whopping 24 grams of protein, a ton of fiber, and so many minerals (particularly iron, calcium, and folate). Plus, lentils are super affordable and shelf-stable, so they’re excellent to have around.

These days, I feel like I finally get them, and love sharing the lentil gospel with you all. Here are some of my favorite ways to cook with lentils.

1. Red Lentil Carrot Soup

A velvety, warming, creamy soup with coconut milk, ginger, and yellow curry powder. File under “foolproof”.

2. Lentil Patties

These “meaty” cutlets are endlessly adaptable: you can pop them on a salad with an herby sauce, on pasta with marinara, or form the mixture into burgers instead. Made with green lentils, brown rice, mushrooms, and walnuts. Perfect for meal prep!

3. Warm Lentil Salad with Balsamic Shallots

This Mediterranean-inspired salad has a shocking amount of flavor in every bite thanks to balsamic-glazed shallots, parsley, capers, and a lemon vinaigrette.

4. Red Lentil Pancakes

These dosa-inspired savory pancakes are one of the more unusual ways to use red lentils. You soak the lentils in water, blend them into a batter with fresh ginger and jalapeño, then cook them up on a non-stick skillet.

5. Moroccan Lentil Soup

A TNB reader favorite, this green lentil soup is inspired by the one sold at Pret A Manger. Flavored with cumin, coriander, and smoked paprika.

Planning to make one of these? Tell me how it goes in the comments section or tag me with your creation on Instagram.