Laurel Sanville If you’re looking for a food that’s easy to cook, affordable, and healthy, lentils are a smart choice. These tiny legumes may not look fancy, but they’re packed with protein, fiber, and nutrients your body needs—without the high cost or long cooking time of many other foods. Whether you’re trying to eat less meat, stretch your grocery budget, or simply add more plant-based meals to your diet, lentils make it easy. Best of all, they soak up flavor beautifully, so they can taste mild and comforting or bold and spicy, depending on how you cook them. Whether you’ve eaten lentils before or not, read on for some fresh details about the small but mighty lentil.
What Are Lentils?
Lentils are small, round seeds that grow in a pod, just like peas and beans. The lentils come in different colors and are part of the legume family.
Why Are Lentils Good for You?
Lentils give your body lots of good things, like:
- Protein – helps your muscles grow strong
- Fiber – keeps your tummy happy and helps you feel full
- Iron – helps carry oxygen in your blood
- Folate – helps your body make healthy new cells
- Potassium – keeps your heart and muscles working well
How Much Should You Eat?
One serving of lentils is ½ cup of cooked lentils. That’s about the size of a small apple. It gives you around 9 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. That’s a lot for such a little food!
Cool Facts About Lentils
- Lentils don’t need to soak like other dried beans.
- They cook in 15 to 30 minutes!
- They come in many colors. Lentils aren’t just brown! You can find green, red, yellow, black, and orange lentils. Each color has a slightly different taste and texture.
- Lentils are ancient. Mentioned in the Bible and eaten by pharaohs in ancient Egypt and Roman soldiers.
How to Cook Lentils
Cooking lentils is super easy!
- Rinse them in water to clean them.
- Use 3 cups of water for every 1 cup of lentils.
- Put them in a pot and bring to a boil.
- Lower the heat and let them simmer.
- Cook for 15–30 minutes, depending on the type.
- Drain extra water and enjoy!
(Tip: Red and yellow lentils cook faster and get soft. Green and brown lentils stay firmer.)
10 Easy and Tasty Ways to Eat Lentils
- Lentil soup – Our version uses a slow cooker and requires minimal prep work.
- Lentil tacos – Use seasoned lentils instead of meat. Try cooked lentils in this taco recipe in place of or in addition to the soy crumbles. You could also use a mixture of ½ ground meat and ½ cooked lentils.
- Toss into a Salad – Mix in a handful of cooked lentils to your favorite salad. They add protein and make your salad more filling. Our Kale and Orange salad is a perfect recipe to try on.
- Lentil burgers – Mash cooked lentils with breadcrumbs, egg, spices, and chopped veggies. Form into patties and cook. Top with your favorite burger toppings.
- Lentil curry – Many Indian recipes use lentils. A common one is Dal, a flavorful dish.
- Lentil spaghetti sauce – Boost your family’s protein and fiber intake by adding cooked lentils to your favorite pasta sauce.
- Lentil wraps –Wrap It Up! Spoon warm lentils into a tortilla or pita. Add shredded cheese, lettuce, and salsa. Wrap and eat like a burrito.
- Lentil and rice bowls – Mix any cooked lentil with rice and top with your favorite sauce. Add any leftover vegetable for a complete meal.
- Lentil chili – Red lentils are a delicious substitute for meat in chili. Spicy and hearty, perfect for game day
- Baked lentil casserole – Layer lentils with sauteed veggies and cheese. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top and bake until bubbly.
Lentils are healthy, affordable, and easy to love. Try them in your next meal and see just how tasty they can be!
Laurel Sanville, MS, RDN, LD | Edited by Jung Sun Lee, PhD, RDN; Edda Cotto-Rivera; and the nutrition education team