How to Cook Lentils (Recipes and Tips)
Everything you need for how to cook lentils perfectly (and not make them mushy!) With tips and tricks for various types of lentils, this is your step-by-step guide for how to cook lentils with recipes.
Ingredients
- 1 cup lentils
- 3 cups liquid, water, broth
Instructions
- Rinse lentils first to remove any dust or debris.
- Place in a saucepan and cover with liquid of choice. Make sure to use a big enough saucepan, as the lentils will double or triple in size when cooked.
- Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer until tender. Season with salt after cooking, if salt is added to the lentils before cooking, then the lentils will become tough.
Lentil Cooking Times:
- Red/Yellow Lentils: 25-30 minutesBlack Lentils: 20-25 minutesBrown and Green Lentils: 25-30 minutesFrench Lentils: 25-30 minutes
Notes
You can add aromatics to your lentils first while cooking if you'd like. Carrots, celery, onions or garlic to the saucepan while cooking and then remove after cooking.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 169kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 12gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 396mgPotassium: 458mgFiber: 15gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 19IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 27mgIron: 4mg