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Wondering how to cook lentils? Here’s our tried and true stovetop method, whether you want them straight up or seasoned for a fast dinner!
Looking to eat more lentils? Lentils are a total powerhouse: they’re full of plant-based protein, low in calories, have a host of health benefits, and are super affordable. And, they’re seriously tasty when prepared correctly! When Alex and I started eating a mostly plant based diet over 10 years ago, we kept hearing, “Eat more lentils!” It took a while to figure out the best ways to eat them, but now we’re pros ant incorporating them in meals. This recipe is a basic lentil recipe that can be served many different ways: as part of a bowl meal, in a taco, and more! Even better: our two-year-old Larson adores them. Keep reading for how to cook lentils: of the brown or green variety!
Related: Instant Pot Lentils & Rice
How to cook lentils
Ready to get started? This recipe for how to cook lentils uses green or brown lentils. This is the most basic type of lentils and is easy to find at the grocery store. There are quite a few other types of lentils — see the Types of lentils section below for more info!
Now, this method for how to cook dried lentils is designed to work either as a component in another recipe, or seasoned to eat as a quick lunch or dinner recipe! If you want to make the lentils to go in another recipe, you can skip all the seasonings and just cook them in either vegetable broth or water. Cooking lentils in vegetable broth adds a ton of flavor, but if you don’t have it you can absolutely use water.
Here are the ingredients you need for how to make lentils on the stovetop:
- Brown or green lentils (either will work)
- Vegetable broth (you can sub water in a pinch, but veggie broth adds great flavor)
- Onion powder
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Oregano
- Salt & pepper
Simply place all the ingredients into a pan, bring to a brisk simmer, and simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape. This recipe is seriously simple: and if you want an even simpler version, try our Instant Pot Lentils! It’s the same recipe but takes about 15 minutes total using a pressure cooker.
How to serve these lentils
If you’re using these lentils as a quick lunch or easy dinner recipe, here are some great ideas for how to use them:
- As a bowl meal (pictured): Throw them in a bowl with pita bread, a dollop of Greek yogurt, tomato wedges, and chopped cilantro
- In a taco: Throw them into a tortilla with salsa and sour cream: or try them in place of the filling in one of our taco recipes
- With eggs: This morning Alex and Larson ate a delicious brunch of scrambled eggs and lentils! Here’s our Best Scrambled Eggs recipe.
Types of lentils
Before we start with How to cook lentils, a quick primer on lentil types. All lentils are not created equal! Here are a few of the most popular types of lentils:
- Brown & green lentils: These are the most “standard” varieties when you think of lentils — and the type featured in the recipe below! They cook quickly (in 20 to 30 minutes), and tend to fall apart when cooked instead of hold their shape. Try them: Quick Lentil Curry, Vegan Sloppy Joes, or Lentil Tacos.
- Red lentils: These bright orange colored lentils take about 20 minutes to cook and break down easily into a “mush”. Try them: Masoor Dal or Red Lentil Soup
- French lentils (Puy lentils): These lentils hold their shape when cooked, making them very different from brown, green and red lentils. They’re small and greenish-gray. Try them: Easy French Lentils, Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie or French Lentil Salad.
- Black lentils (Beluga lentils): Black lentils are the most flavorful around. They’re very small and dark, and similar to French lentils. They hold their shape when cooked which works for salads, but if you cook longer they’ll also fall apart like in curries. Try them: Seasoned Black Lentils, Lentil Salad, Sweet Potatoes with Goat Cheese & Lentils or Dal Makhani
Lentils nutrition facts
Lentils are protein packed and a healthy vegetable choice for any meal. Here are a few of lentils nutrition facts: ½ cup cooked (¼ cup dry) lentils has:
- 12 grams protein
- 169 calories
- 5 grams fiber
- 0.5 grams fat
- 30 grams carbohydrates
Harvard shows that legumes have lots of additional health benefits. Scientific studies have linked a diet high in legumes with a lower risk of developing diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, and strokes.
Lentil Q&A
And before we get to how to cook lentils: all your lentil questions answered! If you have a question that’s not included, let us know in the comments below and we’ll add it.
See the recipe below!
Lentils and beans are both legumes. Bean can be used as a synonym for legume, so lentils are technically part of the bean family. But in common usage, beans are larger and rounder, whereas lentils are lens shaped.
According to Harvard, scientific studies have linked a diet high in legumes with a lower risk of developing obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, or strokes. So yes, lentils are a great choice for a healthy diet.
Yes, lentils contain no gluten.
It depends on the type of lentil and what you’ll be using them for. For brown and green lentils, cook them 20 to 30 minutes until tender. The recipe below cooks them until they just hold their shape: other recipes like soups or curries cook them longer.
Yes, lentils are legumes! Legumes include lentils, beans, peas, chickpeas, and peanuts.
Lentils have a high amount of carbs, so they are not included in a keto diet.
Yes, dogs can eat lentils. Start with a small amount and if your dog reacts adversely, do not continue to feed them lentils.
It depends on the type of lentil and how you’re serving them! But in general, brown lentils taste earthy, green lentils taste peppery, and red lentils taste sweet.
Lentils are protein packed! A ¼ cup dry (½ cup cooked) brown or green lentils has 12 grams protein.
You can season lentils any way you’d like! In the recipe below we’ve used onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper. Or, try them in our Quick Lentil Curry, Masoor Dal or Verde Lentil Tacos.
Lentils are vegetables! They are a fantastic plant based protein for vegetarian and vegan diets.
This depends on the recipe! Most of the lentil recipes on this website do not require soaking.
Dry lentils last for 2 to 3 years at room temperature, stored in a sealed container. Cooked lentils last in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Lentil recipes
Outside of this recipe for how to cook lentils, here are some more lentil recipes using all types of lentils: green, brown, red, French and black! The method for cooking each type is different.
- Best Lentil Recipes
- Easy Lentil Salad
- Quick Coconut Lentil Curry
- Masoor Dal (Indian Red Lentils)
- Butternut Squash Lentil Soup with Kale
- Instant Pot Lentil Tacos
- Baked Sweet Potato with Moroccan Lentils
- Tuscan Artichoke Lentil Stew
- Creamy Red Lentil Soup
- Vegetarian Lentil Tacos
This recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
How to Cook Lentils
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 (about 4 cups) 1x
Description
Wondering how to cook lentils? Here’s our tried and true stovetop method, whether you want them straight up or seasoned for a fast dinner!
Ingredients
- 4 cups vegetable broth (or water, or a combination of both)
- 1 ½ cups brown or green lentils
- 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a large saucepan. (If you’re planning to cook them without seasoning to use in a separate recipe, omit the spices, salt, and pepper.)
- Bring to a rapid simmer, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape. There will be some leftover broth but the lentils will soak it up as they sit and become perfectly moist. Taste and add another pinch of salt if you’d like. Serve warm. (Storage info: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator; reheat on the stovetop.)
- Category: Base Recipe
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
At long last! A recipe that flavors my home sprouted black lentils so they don’t taste like dirt.
I used a recently made turkey bone broth from Thanksgiving, and added the spice less the onion powder (not my bag). I allowed them to soak after simmering about 15 minutes which clinched all that flavor, but kept the lentils viable.
I used the sprouted lentils in a Mediterranean Brown Fried Rice recipe. Sautee’d fresh chopped onions and sweet peppers in olive oil and butter, added fresh spinach, then peas, then cooked brown rice until crispy. Added the beautifully spiced and drained sprouted lentils near the end, then added Zaatar and Aleppo along with Kalamatas on top. Lemon wedge for those who want it.
Delicious! The spices combined with water makes this oh so very yummy (and easy to prepare). Today I combined the cooked lentils with a Trader Joe’s tub of Bruschetta sauce, about 1/4 cup of feta, 1/3 cup of chopped cilantro and the juice from about 1/2 a lime. Ate it up with pita bread (or a fork). Sometimes I top it with avocado slices.
Absolutely loved this recipe! I made a slight change to your original one (I didn’t have chicken broth) so I used cashew carrot ginger broth. They came out so delicious!
Is there a specific reason they have to be heated on the stove? Or can they be heated in the microwave too?
This recipe is for stovetop only!
Hi! I see that this recipe is no longer using the same lentil-to-water ratio you have written about separately. Which is better?
Both work! For this recipe we don’t drain the excess liquid, so it’s just a little less water.
Do u cover the pot?
No!
New to lentils but want to try as part of Mediterranean Diet. I see you recommend cooking in veggie broth. If cooking a meatloaf and subbing lentils for ground beef, would it make sense to cook the lentils in beef broth? Not trying for vegan, just eating less red meat. Thanks.
Yes! This would add a lot of flavor.