Lentils are just about the easiest way to eat nutritious and keep things delicious. Filled to the brim with dietary fiber, protein and iron, they’re really just here to help you out. Super food? Try super awesome food. From dumplings to quiche, here are 18 lovely lentil-filled recipes that you never saw coming. But they’ll probably end up making an appearance in your kitchen pretty soon.
1. Lentil Mango Picadillo: Picadillo is a traditional Latin American dish that’s kind of like a hash. This one’ll win your taste buds over in no time. (via Eats Well with Others)
2. Lentil Dumplings With Yogurt Sauce: Dumplings are super cute and are great for a light snack after work. Served with a Greek yogurt dip, they’re even better. (via Ocado)
3. Hearty Vegetarian Lentil Soup: When you’ve got the sniffles (those allergies are the worst!), all you want is a nice bowl of hot soup. (via Simply Scratch)
4. Lentil Salad With Grapes + Feta: When warm weather hits, everyone just wants to eat light food, like this delectable lentil-filled dish. It’s finally salad season, folks! (via Rachel Cooks)
5. Red Lentil Dal: Hesitant to try out Indian food? Don’t be! It’s actually a lot easier to make than it seems, and when you’re in your own kitchen, you get to control the spice level ;) (via La Fuji Mama)
6. Lentil Bread: We have good news for you: Bread can actually be healthy. When it’s made with lentils, bread can be a huge source of protein and fiber. (via Natural Noshing)
7. Baked Red Lentil Falafel Salad: Like our friend hummus, falafel is a tasty Middle Eastern staple. And while it tastes great in a pita pocket, why not mix it up and add it to a salad. (via The Kitchn)
8. Lentil + Quinoa Chili: Quinoa is another one of those things that tastes so good, you forget it’s healthy. And here’s a protein-packed trio of quinoa, lentils and beans for ya. (via Ambitious Kitchen)
9. Sloppy Joe Lentil Sliders: Remember the sloppy joes from your grade-school cafeterias? Yeah, these are not those sloppy joes. (via Vegan Fling)
10. Smokey Red Lentil Hummus: So you decided to make a pita sandwich with those falafels after all, eh? Here’s a delicious and beautifully colored recipe for some smokey hummus to add to it. (via Kashi)
11. Mung Bean + Pigeon Pea Stew: It’s true, the whole world loves lentils. And you know what this Indian dal would taste great with? Some homemade naan. (via Vegan Richa)
12. Smokey Tomato + Lentil Risotto: Risotto is the ultimate elegant comfort food. It’s tasty, colorful and, with the addition of lentils, healthy! (via Cheeky Clean)
13. Lentil + Vegetable Quiche: One of the things we love most about quiche is that it’s way easier to make than it sounds. Serve this lentil and vegetable version at your next get-together and all your friends will be in awe of your amazing talents. (via Healthy Home Cooking)
14. Vegetable Nori Rolls With Crunchy Lentils: We’re on a roll with these lovely lentil recipes. Ba dum tsh! (via Food Fitness Fresh Air)
15. Sweet Potato, Apple and Lentil Soup: More soup, please. Because it’s one of the greatest things ever invented. Can we just blend everything from now on? (via What Would Cathy Eat?)
16. Salmon Lentil Cakes: Check out how cute these little salmon cakes are. They make the perfect hor d’oeuvre. (via Muffin Tin Mania)
17. Lentil + Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie: It’s a sweet potato shepherd’s pie! Hearty, creative and vegetarian. (via One Ingredient Chef)
18. Cheddar Lentil Bites: All this healthiness is getting to us. We just had to share a real comfort food with y’all. Cheese sticks! (via Yummy Mummy Club)
Are you mental for lentils yet? Which recipe will you try next? Drop us a line in the comments below!
Sonia Rao
Sonia is a determined, television-obsessed gal on a quest to find the best cinnamon waffles recipe out there. If she isn’t researching the latest fashion trends or avidly crafting, you can catch her curled up on the couch with a few (meaning a billion) cookies, watching the hilarious antics of Leslie Knope or Mindy Lahiri. Sonia loves writing for Brit + Co as much as she loves desserts, and is equally proud of her quirky, pop culture reference-filled Twitter feed.
