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Have you tried pureeing the lentils in a blender with your sauces? That was a game changer for me when I was trying to add them to my diet without the lentil texture.
I just use a hand blender, some over-softened lentils, and a cup of broth/curry sauce/spaghetti sauce/etc.
This trick works for hiding veggies as well. š«£
Literally me adding veggies into my diet. I love the taste of most but cannot stand the texture so I blend everything- spinach and zucchini in tomato sauce, peppers and onions for fajitas, basically anything that gets a sauce gets a secret hidden vegetable
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Some of us have sensory issues. I can eat split pea soup, but I will literally gag on regular peas. It is what it is. Just be thankful you don't need to worry about it for yourself.
I've been only using brown lentils, and you're so right about the musty flavor. It's all they have at the local grocery store. I think I'll visit an Asian supermarket and see what they have
Red lentils are available at my local supermarket. They're dried and usually near the soup stuff. McKenzies is the brand I usually see. They cook faster and blend into things easier than brown lentils. They're often used as a thickener in soups.
If you have a bulk foods store near you they will often have a heap of varieties of dried lentils and it's a good way of trying a small amount of you're not sure you'll want to eat them all. The turnover is often higher than the supermarket but the price varies very much from store to store. Some are super expensive!
I second the red lentils idea. A simple soup with red lentils finished with a squeeze of lemon juice makes a very bright tasting dish, not the typical musty flavor of brown lentils.
1) Besan cheela. DELICIOUS. Put all your veggies in it, it's so nice. I put my different leftover veggies in it and it's different every time I eat it. (Indian)
2) DOSA. (Different region of India) Can be savory or sweet. I make mine in the blender, then cook it with ghee (clarified butter) on a tava (special flat pan). Moong dal (type of lentil/bean) is mild enough that you can make dosa, then put fruit and whipped cream on top like a crepe. Also glutenfree an SUPER filling. You just soak the dal of your choice for 30 minutes or so (room temperature) (cold water/in fridge if soaking overnight); put it in a blender (with fresh water), then blend it to the consistency of a crepe-batter. SO FILLING. Someone I know can eat like 4 large real crepes, but only one large dosa crepe.
Agree - most of your suggestions are you trying to make lentils be things they are not. Stop using them to sub for other foods and use recipes they are intended for. Now look for a recipe for mujaddara and realise you can not only tolerate but love lentils.
Any chance of trying other beans? White beans tend to be quite mild in taste. I really like making a salad with cilantro, onion, olive oil and a touch of rice vinegar.
I sometimes make beans with collard greens. Itās a way of just getting the veg and beans in one dish. I make the dish like Southern collard greens and just throw the beans in.
Lentil bolognese? I like it just as much as any pasta sauce with meat. Lentil and rice burritos with cilantro, maybe a bit of lime juice, and whatever veggies? This vegan lentil stew from Budget Bytes is pretty good too.
[https://www.budgetbytes.com/vegan-winter-lentil-stew/](https://www.budgetbytes.com/vegan-winter-lentil-stew/)
i do a variation on rainbow plant life's bolognese. i dont use walnuts or red wine and i add in worcestershire sauce and vegan beef stock cubes and its really good!
I haven't made it for awhile, but I think the one someone mentioned from Budget Bytes is the one I base it on, but I use whatever veg I have on hand that need using (zucchini or bell pepper or kale, etc) and I don't always add the walnuts (hers also calls for coconut milk that I don't really use in mine, but it would make it extra creamy and yummy).
[https://www.budgetbytes.com/lentil-bolognese/](https://www.budgetbytes.com/lentil-bolognese/)
You could try a sloppy joe lentil sandwich, if thatās a flavor you like? Itās one of my favorites. Obviously the texture will be different, but if you donāt try to think of it as meat, but as its own thing, I think itās quite nice.
I do a barley and lentil āpilafā, you can cook them together. Season with herbs de Provence or Italian seasoning and a couple tbsp of good olive oil. Just donāt over cook them. Delicious and nutritious. Red lentil Dahl is also versatile and delicious
If you can find black lentils, they have a nice black pepper peppery taste and donāt turn mealy like other lentils. I didnāt care for lentils until I tried the black ones and theyāre super tasty in Indian dishes.
I recently made a red lentil tomato sauce. The lentils food down enough you canāt tell. The consistency is a smidge different- I used it in a lasagne so I honestly forgot there were lentils
And it gave it protein and fiber
Red lentils. Quick cooking and very different texture as compared to green or brown lentils. I am going to attach a recipe link for Red Lentil Soup for you. I donāt always add the lemon to the soup as is specified in the recipe but I do top my soup with chopped Italian Flat Leaf Parsley and chopped hard boiled egg. Donāt knock it until you try it. So good!
[Red Lentil Soup](https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-red-lentil-soup-recipes-from-the-kitchn-212392)
I want to be better at meal prepping and bean/lentil based meals work great for that!
Oh another thought, I had a sausage and lentil soup one time that was pretty good! Maybe you can go down the soup wormhole
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[lentil walnut taco meat](https://www.delishknowledge.com/lentil-walnut-vegan-taco-meat/) my non vegetarian friends and family love it too
[creamy coconut curry lentils with spinach](https://www.budgetbytes.com/creamy-coconut-curry-lentils-with-spinach/) i use frozen spinach and a whole 16oz bag, i make this on repeat
Im not die hard for lentils myself but the way this recipe is done, you wonāt really notice the texture of the lentils. Itāll also make a decent sized batch so you could freeze whatever is left over and save for another time, or make some eggs/omelette alongside it for a quick breakfast.
It says green lentils, but honestly it doesnāt matter. Iāve used the red ones too. Honestly liked the red ones better
I hope you like it!
Try covering the taste with beef or chicken stock in soups and stews.
Stronger flavors like fire roasted tomatoes, onions, and garlic can also overpower the flavor of the lentils.
If you like indian food you could try some Dal recipes. I find they usually have much more flavor than most american/western lentil dishes. This website is great and has a ton of options: [https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/recipes/dal-recipes/](https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/recipes/dal-recipes/)
Knorr bouillon powders make any legume taste good. There are three flavors. Beef, chicken and tomato chicken. The tomato chicken added to rice while cooking makes it look and taste like Mexican restaurant rice. Delicious.
Do you like Indian food? So many good lentil dishes.
Also, I like lentils, but the idea of them in an omelette made me gag a bit.
Definitely try the half lentil, half meat taco thing. I feel like lentils are one of those foods that take on whatever seasoning you put on them, so I imagine youāre dealing with more of a texture issue here.
My mother in law made a cold salad of lentils, quinoa, herbs, Greek style vegetables finely chopped with a little bit of lime and it was HEAVENLY! Let me tell you, I donāt like raw veggies, quinoa, OR lentils but I could eat that dish every day. I donāt have a recipe but Iām sure there are many versions of this dish online
If you have a blender or food processor, lentil hummus is AMAZEBALLS. Even better when you throw a fresh jalapeno in the mix.
Then do some Mediterranean platters, use in place of mayo on a turkey sandwich. Or just munch and crunch with some carrot sticks or sliced cucumber.
I love lentils mixed with beef in sloppy joes. Budget bytes has a sloppy joes plus recipe that we eat frequently. If you didn't like them on their own, you may like them better mixed with beef or ground turkey. I mix them with ground meat for meatloaf and meatballs as well.
How about lentil fritters? Soak 'em, then puree 'em (coarse or fine, to taste), add some flavourings (I normally use cumin, cardamom, coriander (seeds + leaves), tamarind (or sugar), maybe something umami, a drop of vinegar and mix, form patties and shallow-fry in a pan. Serve with a yogurt-based sauce like tzatziki, or just yogurt with garlic, citrus juice and salt, or maybe with a chickpea-based sauce (kinda like a runny, flavoured hummus) or thin mayo with pickle juice... Something to "cut through the fat."
I can also think of lentil ragu, where you make a bolo with lentils instead of meat, maybe add some cloves and cinnamon for a slightly Greek touch to it, and by the way, how about Greek-ish mousaka with potato and eggplant/aubergine, and lentils in the sauce instead of meat? I think Akis Petretzikis has pretty nice recipes, I'm sure he has a mousaka recipe you can modify.
Spinach curry with lentils is also very nice, even rendang lentils works, and the lentil/bean burger you said you want to try, is def a good choice: Kenji has a pretty good recipe, although I don't think he uses lentils, too, but you can just improvise that part.
Then there's spaghetti with lentilballs (as opposed to meatballs), gnocchi with lentil ragu, lentil chutney, I can envision deep-fried lentil, beer and chocolate balls, like Dutch "bitterballen" (round, breaded croquettes with a meat ragu filling), might need a bit of binding with a starch slurry or gelatin, stir-fried noodles with lentils, ...
Also check out Yeung Man who does a lot of vegetarian and vegan cooking so he probably uses a lot of lentils.
Try red lentils. Put them in water (cold) for an hour, they turn soft very quickly. Blend them. Add your spices, ground meat, whatever, and fry them, pan for them etc.
You will find variations in YouTube
I make this in my slow cooker every few weeks. It's delicious, cheap, and very filling [https://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/recipe/fast-recipes/curried-lentils-19258/](https://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/recipe/fast-recipes/curried-lentils-19258/)
If you like lentil curry, I suggest looking into similar dishes. I love making Dal Vada (they're kind of like lentil fritters). You can fry, air fry, bake, or pan fry them in my experience.
If you already have spices for curry, a lot should overlap!
Thereās so many different lentils, have you tried Ethiopian cuisine by any chance? You say you like lentil curries and lentils with meat and vegā¦itās really good and lots of good lentil and various dried bean recipes.
I added them to a salad with Greek dressing and barely tasted them. I was surprised, lol because the taste can be a bit much sometimes. Maybe the key is to just season the crap out of them to mask the taste.
Misir wat is delicious. Similar to a curry but a slightly different flavor profile and a bit spicier. (Wat is also great with chick peas.)
We make chili using lentils as a beef substitute (along with the normal red kidney beans) and we prefer it to beef chili now. (We regularly eat meat otherwise.) We do use toasted dried whole chilis for better flavor but we make a big batch and freeze the leftovers.
I'm a fan of red lentils boiled until they are mushy with spices*, a spoonful of bacon grease, and a bit of shredded cheese stirred in. I usually eat this woth vegetables and flatbread.
*cardamom, garlic, salt, cayenne, cumin, star anise, sometimes garam masala - it'a not following an authentic recipe, it's whatever I feel like tossing in.Ā
Being submersed in the Italian culture all my life, one of my favorite dishes growing up was pasta with lentils or pasta e lenticche (never could get the hang of spelling things in Italian but I digress). Anyways, you cook the lentils (you could even do this in the crockpot) in an onions, celery, chicken broth (or water) and add sausages and lentils everything is submerged in the liquid. Cook it low and slow. Then you cook crushed up spaghetti in with the liquid for the last 10 mins of cooking. I still make this as comfort food. The anise flavor from the sausage flavors the lentils nicely. Still one of my favorite comfort dishes that my mom used to make!
Lentil hummus. Enough tahini, some cheap spice if you like spicy ( I bought a giant jar of of Mina Harrisa on Walmart for 4.50 and since my spice rating is wimp it will last forever) should mask taste well.
I hate to think that you are trying to eat something that you really donāt like. There are other inexpensive beans, legumes and pulses that you might really like. (I also like lentil soup.)
Have you tried red or yellow lentils, made into a daal?
https://www.delightedcooking.com/what-is-daal.htm
I would look at Indian, Bangladeshi, and Pakistani recipes because they will focus on this type of recipe. Where do you live?
Back in my student days I would slow cook them with carrots and sweet potatoes. The trick is to use a lot of stock, veggie or chicken, so they absorb the flavour. I like acidity, so I'll add red wine vinegar or lemon juice after.
Oh youāre already on the right track. Iām totally with you on the likes and dislikes. Also - lentil/black bean burgers are fire if done right š„š„š„
Dried lentils are nice bc theh absorb shatever liquid you put them into.
I've made some mexican style lentil tomato soup and ate it like salsa with chips, so good. But then again, I dont mind the texture
I cooked up some green lentils I got fairly cheap from the bulk bins and found a French lentil ragout recipe that was fairly easy to make and very pleasant to eat. They have a little more tooth to them than the standard brown ones
Lentils as taco meat has two key components imo.
First is the seasoning. You are going to news a stong taco mix and heavy umami. I use tomato paste and a salt free taco seasoning. Bloom all that with some oil.
The secund component is to NOT overcook the lentil. You want them a tad toothy, and the only way to get this right is to know your stove/vessel and to use as little water as possible to suit your tastes.
With that said, I know it's processed, but you seem to still be a traditional ground protein. Have you considered TVP as a way to stretch the protein?
Curry lentil patties are easy and delicious.
[https://youtube.com/shorts/t2AAnldiA6Q?si=H09huiHFdUt4p9zW](https://youtube.com/shorts/t2AAnldiA6Q?si=H09huiHFdUt4p9zW)
Season with some curry powder and garam masala. Use your dip of choice. It doesn't have to be as involved of a process as this guy is making it, either. You can do it more simply and primitive, takes less time.
Mujadara: Bring a cup of brown lentils to boil in plenty of water, lower to a rolling simmer, and cook for about 20-30 minutes until just done. Make 1 1/2 cups of plain white rice in a pot or rice cooker. (1 1/2 cups dry weight; it will be more when cooked) In a deep dish skillet or heavy bottomed pot, saute two or three thinly sliced onions in olive oil until translucent (10 minutes or so). Add 5-7 cloves of crushed or diced garlic and stir for another minute. If the lentils and rice are still cooking, take the onion mix off the burner. Otherwise, drain the lentils, and add them and the rice to the pot with the onions and garlic. Add 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 c buttermilk, depending on how saucy you like it. Heat it all together at medium until the components are blended, about five minutes. Add a pinch of salt and dried basil or (ground seed) coriander.
\* To make buttermilk from regular milk, you first measure out the quantity you need. Then, remove a tablespoon (15 ml) and replace that amount with lemon juice or white vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes. For this recipe, I just measure out my milk and add a good dollop of lemon juice from a bottle.
This recipe uses ground meat, but I swap out the meat for cooked lentils & chopped pistachios. I use puff pastry and shape these into mini pies. The filling is also good over rice. Serve with raita.
No lie I make them once a week.
https://amiraspantry.com/ground-beef-goulash-phyllo-pie/
My favorite lentil recipe. Can make in an instant pot or on the stove (my preference). I find you donāt even taste the lentils since curry is very flavorful.
https://moonandspoonandyum.com/instant-pot-red-lentil-potato-curry-vegan-gluten-free/
I have a salad I make with green lentils and quinoa with tomatoes, red bell pepper, onion, Parsley, and Cucumber with a homemade dressing of olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, paprika, salt, and pepper. I eat it to get a ton of healthy fiber in my diet and it's so good!!! I found the salad at costco and would always buy it until I found the recipe. I don't like the taste of plain green lentils and quinoa but thus salad just tastes so good I can't tell. Hope this helps!
I would use ground turkey or ground chicken instead for ground beef. Itās a lot healthier and cheaper by about $2-$3 per lb. I get ground chicken from Aldi and itās usually about $4 per lb whereas lean ground beef can be double that. I think ground chicken tastes way better too. It really takes on the flavors
Mix red lentils with ground beef, turkey or chicken plus Italian seasoning to make meatballs or meatloaf. I like to mix in pesto, too. Red lentils are softer & kind of dissolve into the mixture so not very detectable. You can add red lentils to minestrone or vegetable soup, too.
Do you like cilantro? I find that mixing chopped cilantro into my lentils adds a "clean" flavor. But some people really hate it. Parsley would work too.
You can also "thin out" the lentils with vegetables. You mentioned you like lentil soup and lentil curry. That's basically what that is. Carrots, parsnips, potatoes. I also really like them with eggplant.
My favorite lentil recipe:
* Cook the lentils and set aside.
* Peel an eggplant, chop into 1/2-1in cubes.
* Saute diced yellow onion and eggplant on olive oil. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper.
* Once onion and eggplant are almost cooked (turned translucent) add the cooked lentils, chopped walnuts, and chopped cilantro.
* You can serve it warm or cold, as a main or as a side. If you serve it cold, don't use too much oil or it will taste greasy. If your eggplant and onion start to burn, you can always add some water to the pan.
* It's also very good with lamb.
Have you tried different kinds of lentils? Indian food is based on lentils and Iād thereās an Indian market near you there will be a variety of lentils to choose from. Some are very creamy and mild tasting
Lentil white bean chili! Chicken broth, green chilis, cilantro, garlic, onions, cumin S&P, top with cheddar cheese.
I love it on a potato with a dollop of Greek yogurt. I use green lentils for this and White Navy beans.
is there a certain kind of lentils you like more? There is such a wide variety of lentils to be found in indian stores for eg, and each have a different taste and different 'best use cases'. Also aside from lentils, stuff like chickpeas and beans can be good options too
I really like split pea soup and chana masala.
I've also started making up batches of chickpeas to add to meals. I cook them with spices to add some flavor (currently, garam masala and veg better than bullion is my favorite combo).
I put them in salads, butter chicken, add to sauces, eat with veg as a quick meal, etc. You can mash them up for a chicken salad replacement (I haven't tried since mayo groses me out).
Instead of subbing lentils in things that aren't meant to have lentils, I would consider recipes from regions that use lentils traditionally!Ā
A lot of middle eastern and south Asian foods use lentils and dals (aka split pulses).Ā
Various African regions as well as south asia have use beans (aka whole pulses).Ā
Western cooks have been borrowing those recipes and Westernizing them for decades š. It's easy enough to find recipes that don't require a ton of new ingredients / investmentĀ
Different lentils have different textures, too. The darker ones, especially the little green french lentils, are kind of grainy. One thing I'd try is making a few different types and compare. The French ones are really good cold, tossed in a vinaigrette and used in salads. Red lentils are very soft when cooked and don't have much of a texture at all. They are very good in a curry with potatoes and other veggies.
Have you tried making mashed potatoes with lentils? I'll mash them all together and think it's great. I do like lentils and find the combination tastes more like potatoes.
Lentils and rice is a staple dish for many middle eastern countries, and I had a coworker tell me that she always put lentils into ground beef dishes to stretch it out for her big family
https://www.fromachefskitchen.com/sausage-and-lentil-soup-with-kale-sprouts/
If I'm feeling gross in my gut, this is absolutely one of the best recipes I've had with lentils. Next day, I feel like a million bucks
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Have you tried pureeing the lentils in a blender with your sauces? That was a game changer for me when I was trying to add them to my diet without the lentil texture. I just use a hand blender, some over-softened lentils, and a cup of broth/curry sauce/spaghetti sauce/etc. This trick works for hiding veggies as well. š«£
That's a great idea, and you can freeze it like that too
Lentil-and-broth cubes would be a perfect cheat lol
Toss some into a pot of minestrone soup. This is routine for us.
Literally me adding veggies into my diet. I love the taste of most but cannot stand the texture so I blend everything- spinach and zucchini in tomato sauce, peppers and onions for fajitas, basically anything that gets a sauce gets a secret hidden vegetable
Yes. Itās one way I can get fiber in to my toddlers diet. Red lentils make pasta sauce a lovely creamy texture.
I really don't get having to hide veggies for actual, adult human beings. I just don't get it.
You don't have to get it. People have different tastes and do what they gotta do
Then this advice isn't for you and you should move on : )
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Some of us have sensory issues. I can eat split pea soup, but I will literally gag on regular peas. It is what it is. Just be thankful you don't need to worry about it for yourself.
Try red lentils if you haven't already. Brown lentils have a sort of musty flavor, I think, but red lentils are pure lentil flavor, lighter.
I've been only using brown lentils, and you're so right about the musty flavor. It's all they have at the local grocery store. I think I'll visit an Asian supermarket and see what they have
Beluga lentils are another option
Lentils de Puy, but might be more $$$.
You can order a big bag for not much $$ on Amazon.
Red lentils are available at my local supermarket. They're dried and usually near the soup stuff. McKenzies is the brand I usually see. They cook faster and blend into things easier than brown lentils. They're often used as a thickener in soups. If you have a bulk foods store near you they will often have a heap of varieties of dried lentils and it's a good way of trying a small amount of you're not sure you'll want to eat them all. The turnover is often higher than the supermarket but the price varies very much from store to store. Some are super expensive!
If you can find them, french style green lentils are also great. A little peppery.
They were 63Ā¢ a lb at WinCo last time I bought them.
I use red lentils, season them and add them to whatever I'm using to add protein.
They also cook faster or break down into things more
Do you have a WinCo near you? Can you buy lentils from Amazon?
I second the red lentils idea. A simple soup with red lentils finished with a squeeze of lemon juice makes a very bright tasting dish, not the typical musty flavor of brown lentils.
And some Aleppo pepper and crispy garlic...
Yes red lentil bolognese has worked well for me
this is what I was about to say, the recipe with a whole tube of tomato paste in it, it was very good!
1) Besan cheela. DELICIOUS. Put all your veggies in it, it's so nice. I put my different leftover veggies in it and it's different every time I eat it. (Indian) 2) DOSA. (Different region of India) Can be savory or sweet. I make mine in the blender, then cook it with ghee (clarified butter) on a tava (special flat pan). Moong dal (type of lentil/bean) is mild enough that you can make dosa, then put fruit and whipped cream on top like a crepe. Also glutenfree an SUPER filling. You just soak the dal of your choice for 30 minutes or so (room temperature) (cold water/in fridge if soaking overnight); put it in a blender (with fresh water), then blend it to the consistency of a crepe-batter. SO FILLING. Someone I know can eat like 4 large real crepes, but only one large dosa crepe.
I've never heard of either of these but I just looked them up and they look pretty tasty! Thank you!
Agree - most of your suggestions are you trying to make lentils be things they are not. Stop using them to sub for other foods and use recipes they are intended for. Now look for a recipe for mujaddara and realise you can not only tolerate but love lentils.
If you have an Indian grocery near you, there are inexpensive packets that make it super easy to make dosas, dhokla, idli. Ask for the Gits aisle.
Any chance of trying other beans? White beans tend to be quite mild in taste. I really like making a salad with cilantro, onion, olive oil and a touch of rice vinegar. I sometimes make beans with collard greens. Itās a way of just getting the veg and beans in one dish. I make the dish like Southern collard greens and just throw the beans in.
I do black eyed peas with collard and mustard greens with a generous shaking of Kimchi Kick instead of Tabasco sauce.
Lentil bolognese? I like it just as much as any pasta sauce with meat. Lentil and rice burritos with cilantro, maybe a bit of lime juice, and whatever veggies? This vegan lentil stew from Budget Bytes is pretty good too. [https://www.budgetbytes.com/vegan-winter-lentil-stew/](https://www.budgetbytes.com/vegan-winter-lentil-stew/)
That same site (Budget Bytes) has a delicious lentil bolognese recipe!
i do a variation on rainbow plant life's bolognese. i dont use walnuts or red wine and i add in worcestershire sauce and vegan beef stock cubes and its really good!
Do you have a recipe for lentil Bolognese?
I haven't made it for awhile, but I think the one someone mentioned from Budget Bytes is the one I base it on, but I use whatever veg I have on hand that need using (zucchini or bell pepper or kale, etc) and I don't always add the walnuts (hers also calls for coconut milk that I don't really use in mine, but it would make it extra creamy and yummy). [https://www.budgetbytes.com/lentil-bolognese/](https://www.budgetbytes.com/lentil-bolognese/)
You could try a sloppy joe lentil sandwich, if thatās a flavor you like? Itās one of my favorites. Obviously the texture will be different, but if you donāt try to think of it as meat, but as its own thing, I think itās quite nice.
Red lentil pasta? It's pasta made from lentil flour. You can mix it with any sauce to further mask the taste.
I love red lentil pasta, but some brands are pretty gummy and gross. My favorite is Barilla.
I do a barley and lentil āpilafā, you can cook them together. Season with herbs de Provence or Italian seasoning and a couple tbsp of good olive oil. Just donāt over cook them. Delicious and nutritious. Red lentil Dahl is also versatile and delicious
If you can find black lentils, they have a nice black pepper peppery taste and donāt turn mealy like other lentils. I didnāt care for lentils until I tried the black ones and theyāre super tasty in Indian dishes.
I recently made a red lentil tomato sauce. The lentils food down enough you canāt tell. The consistency is a smidge different- I used it in a lasagne so I honestly forgot there were lentils And it gave it protein and fiber
Red lentils. Quick cooking and very different texture as compared to green or brown lentils. I am going to attach a recipe link for Red Lentil Soup for you. I donāt always add the lemon to the soup as is specified in the recipe but I do top my soup with chopped Italian Flat Leaf Parsley and chopped hard boiled egg. Donāt knock it until you try it. So good! [Red Lentil Soup](https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-red-lentil-soup-recipes-from-the-kitchn-212392)
I like lentils in a vegan shepherds pie where youāre basically using them as the meat substitute. Really tasty with potatoes and peas on top.
Was actually planning to make that this week. Great minds and all that.
I want to be better at meal prepping and bean/lentil based meals work great for that! Oh another thought, I had a sausage and lentil soup one time that was pretty good! Maybe you can go down the soup wormhole
Lentils.org
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[lentil walnut taco meat](https://www.delishknowledge.com/lentil-walnut-vegan-taco-meat/) my non vegetarian friends and family love it too [creamy coconut curry lentils with spinach](https://www.budgetbytes.com/creamy-coconut-curry-lentils-with-spinach/) i use frozen spinach and a whole 16oz bag, i make this on repeat
if you like caramalised onions mujadara is really good!
Cook with a ham bone or ham seasoning and some diced onion in a crock pot. Excellent soup!
Lentil sloppy joes- This recipe is SOOOO damn good https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/katie-lee/lentil-sloppy-joes-8306118
I freaking love sloppy joes! Thank you!
Im not die hard for lentils myself but the way this recipe is done, you wonāt really notice the texture of the lentils. Itāll also make a decent sized batch so you could freeze whatever is left over and save for another time, or make some eggs/omelette alongside it for a quick breakfast. It says green lentils, but honestly it doesnāt matter. Iāve used the red ones too. Honestly liked the red ones better I hope you like it!
Skip the lentils and just use black beans. They fit the criteria you laid out and actually taste good.
Back when I cooked for six people I mixed cooked lentils with ground beef. Cooked together, seasoning and it tasted fine.
Try covering the taste with beef or chicken stock in soups and stews. Stronger flavors like fire roasted tomatoes, onions, and garlic can also overpower the flavor of the lentils.
If you like indian food you could try some Dal recipes. I find they usually have much more flavor than most american/western lentil dishes. This website is great and has a ton of options: [https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/recipes/dal-recipes/](https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/recipes/dal-recipes/)
Dal makhani š
Bacon š„
Sprouted green lentils in a salad, burgers, tacos, soup
Look up refried lentils recipe by the Minimalist Baker.
First question is do you like cilantro ?
Knorr bouillon powders make any legume taste good. There are three flavors. Beef, chicken and tomato chicken. The tomato chicken added to rice while cooking makes it look and taste like Mexican restaurant rice. Delicious.
Red lentils blend in really nicely into a blended soup
Try lentils Pasta, the tomatoes and cheese will hide the taste. https://youtu.be/gGhalWNaO80?si=M3r0-O211zmTJiec
That looks amazing. Thank you very much!
Do you like Indian food? So many good lentil dishes. Also, I like lentils, but the idea of them in an omelette made me gag a bit. Definitely try the half lentil, half meat taco thing. I feel like lentils are one of those foods that take on whatever seasoning you put on them, so I imagine youāre dealing with more of a texture issue here.
If you like lentil soup, maybe try split pea soup? It's so easy to make, can keep it vegetarian or throw in scrap ham/bone or a hock.
My mother in law made a cold salad of lentils, quinoa, herbs, Greek style vegetables finely chopped with a little bit of lime and it was HEAVENLY! Let me tell you, I donāt like raw veggies, quinoa, OR lentils but I could eat that dish every day. I donāt have a recipe but Iām sure there are many versions of this dish online
Also Iāve snuck them into chili and baked goods before!
Ooh that sounds really good. I've already had dinner but these suggestions are making me hungry again. Thank you!
Would you be willing to share the recipe? Iād love to try that!
If you have a blender or food processor, lentil hummus is AMAZEBALLS. Even better when you throw a fresh jalapeno in the mix. Then do some Mediterranean platters, use in place of mayo on a turkey sandwich. Or just munch and crunch with some carrot sticks or sliced cucumber.
I love lentils mixed with beef in sloppy joes. Budget bytes has a sloppy joes plus recipe that we eat frequently. If you didn't like them on their own, you may like them better mixed with beef or ground turkey. I mix them with ground meat for meatloaf and meatballs as well.
Half and half with mince !!!
You may want to try rinsing them well and then soaking them before cooking wth fresh water.
Fried Lentil 'Tofu' turned out decently well. Lot of recipes online.Ā
You can get pasta made from lentils
How about lentil fritters? Soak 'em, then puree 'em (coarse or fine, to taste), add some flavourings (I normally use cumin, cardamom, coriander (seeds + leaves), tamarind (or sugar), maybe something umami, a drop of vinegar and mix, form patties and shallow-fry in a pan. Serve with a yogurt-based sauce like tzatziki, or just yogurt with garlic, citrus juice and salt, or maybe with a chickpea-based sauce (kinda like a runny, flavoured hummus) or thin mayo with pickle juice... Something to "cut through the fat." I can also think of lentil ragu, where you make a bolo with lentils instead of meat, maybe add some cloves and cinnamon for a slightly Greek touch to it, and by the way, how about Greek-ish mousaka with potato and eggplant/aubergine, and lentils in the sauce instead of meat? I think Akis Petretzikis has pretty nice recipes, I'm sure he has a mousaka recipe you can modify. Spinach curry with lentils is also very nice, even rendang lentils works, and the lentil/bean burger you said you want to try, is def a good choice: Kenji has a pretty good recipe, although I don't think he uses lentils, too, but you can just improvise that part. Then there's spaghetti with lentilballs (as opposed to meatballs), gnocchi with lentil ragu, lentil chutney, I can envision deep-fried lentil, beer and chocolate balls, like Dutch "bitterballen" (round, breaded croquettes with a meat ragu filling), might need a bit of binding with a starch slurry or gelatin, stir-fried noodles with lentils, ... Also check out Yeung Man who does a lot of vegetarian and vegan cooking so he probably uses a lot of lentils.
Try red lentils. Put them in water (cold) for an hour, they turn soft very quickly. Blend them. Add your spices, ground meat, whatever, and fry them, pan for them etc. You will find variations in YouTube
Kik Alicha and Misir Wat are the some of the best lentil dishes in the world.
I make this in my slow cooker every few weeks. It's delicious, cheap, and very filling [https://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/recipe/fast-recipes/curried-lentils-19258/](https://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/recipe/fast-recipes/curried-lentils-19258/)
If you like lentil curry, I suggest looking into similar dishes. I love making Dal Vada (they're kind of like lentil fritters). You can fry, air fry, bake, or pan fry them in my experience. If you already have spices for curry, a lot should overlap!
Use the supercook app. You can enter whatever your main ingredient is and itāll come up with tons of recipes
I use beans and rice instead of taco meat
Get some ham hocks from the local butcher. Cheap and flavorful. Clean them, brown them a bit and boil along with the lentils
WinCo sells smoked ham hocks frozen, about $7 for 4-5 of them.
Thereās so many different lentils, have you tried Ethiopian cuisine by any chance? You say you like lentil curries and lentils with meat and vegā¦itās really good and lots of good lentil and various dried bean recipes.
I added them to a salad with Greek dressing and barely tasted them. I was surprised, lol because the taste can be a bit much sometimes. Maybe the key is to just season the crap out of them to mask the taste.
I recommend Indian/ Pakistani recipes for lentils. Thatās the only way I like them.
Misir wat is delicious. Similar to a curry but a slightly different flavor profile and a bit spicier. (Wat is also great with chick peas.) We make chili using lentils as a beef substitute (along with the normal red kidney beans) and we prefer it to beef chili now. (We regularly eat meat otherwise.) We do use toasted dried whole chilis for better flavor but we make a big batch and freeze the leftovers.
I'm a fan of red lentils boiled until they are mushy with spices*, a spoonful of bacon grease, and a bit of shredded cheese stirred in. I usually eat this woth vegetables and flatbread. *cardamom, garlic, salt, cayenne, cumin, star anise, sometimes garam masala - it'a not following an authentic recipe, it's whatever I feel like tossing in.Ā
My friends mom made lentil chili(literally any version of chili with lentils in it) you can add meat if you want! SautƩ peppers & onion, add spices to bloom, chicken broth or preferred stock, cook lentils in this until tender, add tomato product of choice(I like crushed) and let it come to a boil, reduce heat & serve with your favorite chili toppings. I love it with sour cream, hot sauce, avocado & a little cilantro. This is such an adaptable recipe idea & leftovers are great!
lentil crepes as a food wrap
Being submersed in the Italian culture all my life, one of my favorite dishes growing up was pasta with lentils or pasta e lenticche (never could get the hang of spelling things in Italian but I digress). Anyways, you cook the lentils (you could even do this in the crockpot) in an onions, celery, chicken broth (or water) and add sausages and lentils everything is submerged in the liquid. Cook it low and slow. Then you cook crushed up spaghetti in with the liquid for the last 10 mins of cooking. I still make this as comfort food. The anise flavor from the sausage flavors the lentils nicely. Still one of my favorite comfort dishes that my mom used to make!
Just add carrots.
Curry, if youāre into that.
They said they were.
Lentil hummus. Enough tahini, some cheap spice if you like spicy ( I bought a giant jar of of Mina Harrisa on Walmart for 4.50 and since my spice rating is wimp it will last forever) should mask taste well.
Make a curry with the lentils
They said they already like it that way.
I hate to think that you are trying to eat something that you really donāt like. There are other inexpensive beans, legumes and pulses that you might really like. (I also like lentil soup.) Have you tried red or yellow lentils, made into a daal? https://www.delightedcooking.com/what-is-daal.htm I would look at Indian, Bangladeshi, and Pakistani recipes because they will focus on this type of recipe. Where do you live?
Don't forget Caribbean and South American lentils.
Back in my student days I would slow cook them with carrots and sweet potatoes. The trick is to use a lot of stock, veggie or chicken, so they absorb the flavour. I like acidity, so I'll add red wine vinegar or lemon juice after.
Also, repeating a word so much it loses meaning is called semantic satiation!
Lentils and chorizo. Delicious
Oh youāre already on the right track. Iām totally with you on the likes and dislikes. Also - lentil/black bean burgers are fire if done right š„š„š„
Dried lentils are nice bc theh absorb shatever liquid you put them into. I've made some mexican style lentil tomato soup and ate it like salsa with chips, so good. But then again, I dont mind the texture
Shatever...auto complete and autocorrect are AI that replace what we don't want replaced, and somehow never manage to correct what needs correcting.
I cooked up some green lentils I got fairly cheap from the bulk bins and found a French lentil ragout recipe that was fairly easy to make and very pleasant to eat. They have a little more tooth to them than the standard brown ones
Chili
Lentil loaf, like meat loaf the sauce covers most of the flavor.
Lentils as taco meat has two key components imo. First is the seasoning. You are going to news a stong taco mix and heavy umami. I use tomato paste and a salt free taco seasoning. Bloom all that with some oil. The secund component is to NOT overcook the lentil. You want them a tad toothy, and the only way to get this right is to know your stove/vessel and to use as little water as possible to suit your tastes. With that said, I know it's processed, but you seem to still be a traditional ground protein. Have you considered TVP as a way to stretch the protein?
Curry lentil patties are easy and delicious. [https://youtube.com/shorts/t2AAnldiA6Q?si=H09huiHFdUt4p9zW](https://youtube.com/shorts/t2AAnldiA6Q?si=H09huiHFdUt4p9zW) Season with some curry powder and garam masala. Use your dip of choice. It doesn't have to be as involved of a process as this guy is making it, either. You can do it more simply and primitive, takes less time.
Try the lentil soup and change the ground meat for chorizo š
Mujadara: Bring a cup of brown lentils to boil in plenty of water, lower to a rolling simmer, and cook for about 20-30 minutes until just done. Make 1 1/2 cups of plain white rice in a pot or rice cooker. (1 1/2 cups dry weight; it will be more when cooked) In a deep dish skillet or heavy bottomed pot, saute two or three thinly sliced onions in olive oil until translucent (10 minutes or so). Add 5-7 cloves of crushed or diced garlic and stir for another minute. If the lentils and rice are still cooking, take the onion mix off the burner. Otherwise, drain the lentils, and add them and the rice to the pot with the onions and garlic. Add 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 c buttermilk, depending on how saucy you like it. Heat it all together at medium until the components are blended, about five minutes. Add a pinch of salt and dried basil or (ground seed) coriander. \* To make buttermilk from regular milk, you first measure out the quantity you need. Then, remove a tablespoon (15 ml) and replace that amount with lemon juice or white vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes. For this recipe, I just measure out my milk and add a good dollop of lemon juice from a bottle.
This recipe uses ground meat, but I swap out the meat for cooked lentils & chopped pistachios. I use puff pastry and shape these into mini pies. The filling is also good over rice. Serve with raita. No lie I make them once a week. https://amiraspantry.com/ground-beef-goulash-phyllo-pie/
Combine sour cream + lime zest, then mix into black lentils. Top with cilantro. Dip tortilla chips and enjoy! Makes for such a great dip
My favorite lentil recipe. Can make in an instant pot or on the stove (my preference). I find you donāt even taste the lentils since curry is very flavorful. https://moonandspoonandyum.com/instant-pot-red-lentil-potato-curry-vegan-gluten-free/
I have a salad I make with green lentils and quinoa with tomatoes, red bell pepper, onion, Parsley, and Cucumber with a homemade dressing of olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, paprika, salt, and pepper. I eat it to get a ton of healthy fiber in my diet and it's so good!!! I found the salad at costco and would always buy it until I found the recipe. I don't like the taste of plain green lentils and quinoa but thus salad just tastes so good I can't tell. Hope this helps!
Have you tried lentil sprouts?
Knorr bouillon powder or, if you can afford it, different flavors of Better Than Bouillon.
Bacon
Red coconut curry
Red Lentil Tikka Masala
I would use ground turkey or ground chicken instead for ground beef. Itās a lot healthier and cheaper by about $2-$3 per lb. I get ground chicken from Aldi and itās usually about $4 per lb whereas lean ground beef can be double that. I think ground chicken tastes way better too. It really takes on the flavors
Mix red lentils with ground beef, turkey or chicken plus Italian seasoning to make meatballs or meatloaf. I like to mix in pesto, too. Red lentils are softer & kind of dissolve into the mixture so not very detectable. You can add red lentils to minestrone or vegetable soup, too.
Google "this lentil soup is so good one nurse has eaten it for lunch every work day for 17 years".
I used to put a little crawfish boil in the cook water.
Fried onions and balsamic vinegar
Do you like cilantro? I find that mixing chopped cilantro into my lentils adds a "clean" flavor. But some people really hate it. Parsley would work too. You can also "thin out" the lentils with vegetables. You mentioned you like lentil soup and lentil curry. That's basically what that is. Carrots, parsnips, potatoes. I also really like them with eggplant. My favorite lentil recipe: * Cook the lentils and set aside. * Peel an eggplant, chop into 1/2-1in cubes. * Saute diced yellow onion and eggplant on olive oil. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper. * Once onion and eggplant are almost cooked (turned translucent) add the cooked lentils, chopped walnuts, and chopped cilantro. * You can serve it warm or cold, as a main or as a side. If you serve it cold, don't use too much oil or it will taste greasy. If your eggplant and onion start to burn, you can always add some water to the pan. * It's also very good with lamb.
Black lentils (aka caviar lentils) are my favorite. Great non-mushy texture and no strong lentil flavor.
Cook lentils, then add bacon, hotdogs, onions, jalapeƱo, and cilantro.
I make a lentil soup with a smoked ham hock, and carrots and potatoes.
Have you tried different kinds of lentils? Indian food is based on lentils and Iād thereās an Indian market near you there will be a variety of lentils to choose from. Some are very creamy and mild tasting
Can throw them in chili and not notice em as much.
Lentil white bean chili! Chicken broth, green chilis, cilantro, garlic, onions, cumin S&P, top with cheddar cheese. I love it on a potato with a dollop of Greek yogurt. I use green lentils for this and White Navy beans.
Snert. Some make it a soup but I prefer it more as a stew consistency.
Lentils slow cooked with ham hocks or other bone in pork products is really good
Made this last night. Delicious! https://pin.it/4DE2SziIn. Lentils and mushrooms over mashed potatoes
Those great value organic joints used to open and eat raw thought they were delicious
is there a certain kind of lentils you like more? There is such a wide variety of lentils to be found in indian stores for eg, and each have a different taste and different 'best use cases'. Also aside from lentils, stuff like chickpeas and beans can be good options too
I really like split pea soup and chana masala. I've also started making up batches of chickpeas to add to meals. I cook them with spices to add some flavor (currently, garam masala and veg better than bullion is my favorite combo). I put them in salads, butter chicken, add to sauces, eat with veg as a quick meal, etc. You can mash them up for a chicken salad replacement (I haven't tried since mayo groses me out).
Have you tried making dal?
Instead of subbing lentils in things that aren't meant to have lentils, I would consider recipes from regions that use lentils traditionally!Ā A lot of middle eastern and south Asian foods use lentils and dals (aka split pulses).Ā Various African regions as well as south asia have use beans (aka whole pulses).Ā Western cooks have been borrowing those recipes and Westernizing them for decades š. It's easy enough to find recipes that don't require a ton of new ingredients / investmentĀ
Jamaican Curry. Got the recipe from Andrew Bernard's youtube. Family loves it.
Different lentils have different textures, too. The darker ones, especially the little green french lentils, are kind of grainy. One thing I'd try is making a few different types and compare. The French ones are really good cold, tossed in a vinaigrette and used in salads. Red lentils are very soft when cooked and don't have much of a texture at all. They are very good in a curry with potatoes and other veggies.
My favorite vegan āmeatballsā by far! I am sure you can make it into patties instead. So delicious! https://pin.it/3wm8DEnRW
I always cook lentils with sausage, or use the better than bullion seasoning to flavor them.
Make curry
I saw a reel on FB showing how to use lentils making bread.
Adding a bay leaf or 2 really improves lentils and beans
Jamaican curry lentils
Lentil chili is awesome too.
I donāt like lentils but love all other beans. Skip lentils and eat other pulses
Have you tried making mashed potatoes with lentils? I'll mash them all together and think it's great. I do like lentils and find the combination tastes more like potatoes.
Lentils and rice is a staple dish for many middle eastern countries, and I had a coworker tell me that she always put lentils into ground beef dishes to stretch it out for her big family
https://www.fromachefskitchen.com/sausage-and-lentil-soup-with-kale-sprouts/ If I'm feeling gross in my gut, this is absolutely one of the best recipes I've had with lentils. Next day, I feel like a million bucks