Lentils are filling, versatile, cheap, and nutritious, so it’s no shock people have been consuming them for hundreds of years. This easy edible legume has been traced again to round 8,000 BC—again then, lentils probably helped to maintain folks residing 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 immediately. In 2023, the worldwide market reached 16 million tons of lentil manufacturing.
These days, nonetheless, lentils are greater than only a easy diet supply. Their many alternative varieties (together with brown, crimson, inexperienced, and black) are utilized in a variety of artistic, scrumptious, and nutritious plant-based recipes—as you possibly can see from our listing under! The vegan way of life 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 thousands and 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 a bit of bit extra about this humble legume and its many advantages.
Are lentils nutritious?
It’s an enormous 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 full of nutritional vitamins and minerals, together with folate, iron, potassium, and magnesium. They’re additionally an awesome supply of antioxidants, which assist to guard the physique’s cells from harm brought on by dangerous free radicals and in flip, could assist to decrease the danger of persistent illness.
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Are lentils sustainable?
Lentils aren’t solely good for us, however they’re good for the atmosphere, too. For one, they require considerably fewer assets, like water and land, than meat to supply, they usually additionally assist to advertise biodiversity and soil well being, due to their nitrogen-fixing properties.
Lentils are additionally a fairly resilient meals supply, too. They’ll develop in semi-arid and arid areas, as they don’t want enormous quantities of rain to outlive. This implies they’ll tolerate important quantities of drought stress (an essential high quality, because the frequency of maximum climate occasions will increase with the local weather disaster).
Tips on how to cook dinner with lentils: 12 vegan recipes
If you wish to be taught extra about the right way to 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
Crammed with a crimson lentil Bolognese sauce, these Italian-inspired roasted spaghetti squash boats are greatest topped with vegan parmesan and contemporary basil. This dish is scrumptious consolation meals with a singular, plant-based twist.
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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.
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Charity Morgan
3 Meaty Vegan Lentil Chili Con Chili
Made with a hearty mixture of inexperienced or brown lentils, beans, and greens, this nourishing, straightforward chili is ideal for sport day. You’ll be able to even permit friends to customise their bowls with quite a lot of toppings (loads of vegan cheese, please).
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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 home made meatballs.
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5 Simple, Smoky Vegan Bean and Lentil Chili
For a simple, nourishing midweek dish, you possibly can’t go fallacious with this smoky vegan bean and crimson lentil chili, which additionally packs in contemporary greens, chickpeas, and a tasty mix of chili powder and cinnamon.
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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 right mix of tangy, salty, and candy.
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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.
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Ashley Madden
8 Vegan Purple 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.
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Sam Turnbull
9 Candy Vegan Korean-Impressed Lentils
This straightforward, versatile plant-based dish might be served with rice, tacos, or wraps, and comes collectively in slightly below 20 minutes. It’s additionally full of taste and protein, due to the wealthy soy-sesame sauce and crimson lentils.
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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.
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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.
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12 French Lentil Soup With Herbes de Provence
Made with inexperienced French lentils, contemporary 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.
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and author based mostly in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.