10 Top Vegan Lentil Recipes

First up in our vegan lentil recipes...ready for the best ever soup? You won’t even remember this recipe does your body and the planet good. You’ll just feel like you’re wrapped in a cozy hug. Did we mention it’s a totally plant based dinner recipe, too? This vegan lentil soup is ready to amaze you.

Got an Instant Pot? Here's a pressure cooker version: Instant Pot Lentil Soup

Lentil nachos? Yes, please! These loaded vegan nachos are the BEST. They're piled high with smoky, meaty lentils and crunchy veggies. What really takes the cake?Our vegan nacho cheese. It's creamy, it's savory, it's cheesy...and you'll never believe it doesn't have an ounce of cheese! Look for organic corn chips with minimal ingredients (ideally corn, oil, and salt).

Dal is one of the quintessential vegan lentil recipes. Masoor dal translates as “red lentils” in Hindi. There are many types of dal: you may have heard of chana dal (chickpeas) or urad dal black lentils). Or you may have dried dal makhani, literally “buttery lentils.” This authentic masoor dal recipe is a basic dal and it comes out cozy and nuanced, with just the right amount of gentle flavoring from the turmeric. You'd never imagine lentils could taste this good.

Lentils are the perfect stand-in for meat in tacos. These Instant Pot tacos are filled with our smoky Instant Pot lentils and rice, loved by plant-based eaters and carnivores alike! The lentils stand in for taco meat, then they're loaded up with colorful veggies, salsa, and cilantro sauce or chipotle cream. Don’t have an Instant Pot? No problem. Make the stovetop Lentil Tacos filling!

Here's a knockout in our vegan lentil recipes: baked sweet potatoes with Moroccan lentils! The flavor here is truly exceptional. The sweet potatoes are baked until moist and tender, then topped with Moroccan-spiced lentils featuring cumin seeds, cinnamon, paprika and harissa. To top it all off: a creamy lemon tahini sauce brings it all together. The vibrant sweet potatoes against the savory spiced lentils are the perfect match: drop-dead delicious!

While this red lentil soup is quite simple to make, it turns out with a complex flavor and lovely warm color. It's flavored with garlic, cumin and paprika. But what takes the cake in this red lentil soup recipe is the garnish – don’t skimp on this one! Add a bit of cilantro and if desired, cashew cream or vegan yogurt for an added punch.

Here's a tasty basic lentil recipe that can be served many different ways: as part of a bowl meal, in a taco, and more!! The great part: pressure cooker lentils are totally hands off. The lentils come out perfectly spiced and very moist, cooked with veggie broth, onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, and oregano. Serve them with pita wedges, sliced tomatoes, and a dollop of cashew cream, and they're divine.

Try either: Instant Pot Lentils or Seasoned Brown Lentils

One of our most special vegan lentil recipes is this Ethiopian red lentil curry called mesir wat. It’s similar to an Indian curry, but is flavored with cardamom and ginger. Serve over rice for a hearty meal. The base recipe was contributed to us by a refugee from Ethiopia; head to the recipe to read her story!

This tomato artichoke lentil stew is all about flavor! It's Italian style and seriously cozy. It’s grown into our family favorite. In fact, we eat it each year on Christmas Eve–and other days in between! Starring fire roasted tomatoes, tangy artichokes, and kale, it’s flavor and nutrient packed.

Also try: Butternut Squash Lentil Soup or Hearty Lentil Stew

And for the last in our vegan lentil recipes: more tacos! And these are themed around....a color! FIrst we've got a filling of green lentils, spiced with taco seasoning. Combine that with crunchy green onion and green cabbage, and spoon on a bit of green salsa (salsa verde). Then to top it all off...drizzle with a bit of bright green cilantro sauce. They're seriously tasty...and done in just 30 minutes!