Got a thing for lentils? If yes, you’re not alone! We all love lentils — they’re a year-round staple in every healthy person’s pantry. In essence, dried lentils are perfect for tasty salads in summer and excellent for soups in those chilly winter months. What’s more, this versatile pantry staple is chock-full of nutrients that can take your health to the next level. For the most part, lentils are an excellent source of protein, fiber, folic acid, vitamin B6, potassium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and copper. Ready to enjoy this nutrient powerhouse? If yes, be sure to keep up as we explore how to boil lentils!
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Varieties of Lentils
Do you know the good thing about lentils? Besides their nutrients and amazing versatility, lentils give you a choice! In essence, you can always head to the grocery store and get the ones you like. With this in mind, here are some of the most common varieties that you can buy right now.
Red Lentils
Do you want lentils that can be cooked in the quickest possible time? Choose red lentils — they tend to break down faster than other varieties. These lentils are tiny, and after cooking, you’ll find that it’s more like porridge in consistency. We recommend you stick with red lentils if you’re looking to make purees or prepare recipes that demands their softer texture — a thick bowl of Dal is sure to be perfect!
Brown Lentils
Brown lentils are a bit similar to red lentils in the sense that they go soft during cooking. It’s however important to note that they don’t get as soft as red lentils. In other words, they hold their shape well when cooked. That said, you wouldn’t be wrong to use brown lentils for salads, soups, main dishes and side dishes. It’s also good to know that this variety of lentil is super affordable and incredibly easy to find in grocery stores near you.
French Green Lentils
As with brown lentils, Du Puy lentils hold their shape well when cooked and they tend to have a peppery flavor. French green lentils also work great with a number of dishes, including salads and soups. However, unlike brown lentils, this variety is pretty expensive and you may even need to visit a specialty market in order to get some.
Black Lentils
Also known as Beluga lentils, these lentils are tiny and you may need to use a stove if you want them to cook quickly.
Now that we’ve gotten the basics out of the way, let’s jump right into the topic of the day!
Simple Instructions on How to Boil Lentils
- To begin, measure a cup of red lentils and pour the same into a strainer. Now, check them over for stones, debris, or rocks — be sure to do this before tossing the lentils into the saucepan.
- Done picking the stones and shriveled lentils? If yes, pour the perfect red lentils into a glass bowl and add a cup of water. Now rinse thoroughly.
- Transfer the thoroughly-rinsed lentils into a saucepan and pour in two cups of boiled water.
- Now cover the pot and bring it to a rapid simmer — five minutes tops. I’d recommend that you simmer them over a medium to high heat, lowering the heat to allow for a gentle simmer.
- Bring down the pot of lentils from the stove. At this point, your lentils should be soft and tender. Now add a teaspoon of salt to the mixture and stir them thoroughly. Be sure to taste them and add a bit more if necessary.
- Now return the saucepan to the stove and leave it to simmer for five minutes.
- At this point, you have perfectly cooked lentils — super soft and mushy!
- Now it’s time to serve your lentils and eat up.
Trying to figure out how to use your lentils?
Well, after cooking your lentils, you’ll be happy to hear that they can be used for just about any culinary action that crosses your mind. For example, they’re sure to work great in green/grain salads, hearty veggie burgers, or even soups! What’s more, you can choose to season your lentils with fresh herbs, lemon juice, and olive oil. As mentioned earlier, it’s up to you to do what tickles your fancy! The good news? Your taste buds will be super happy with whatever you choose — that’s just how it is!If you’re planning to eat your lentils some other time, you’ll be glad to know that you can refrigerate them for three days to a week. Of course, that’s just enough time to decide if you’re going to be adding them to your soups, salad or burritos.
How Long to Boil Lentils
The answer to this question is pretty simple and straightforward. As we already know, there are several different varieties of lentils and of course, each comes with different cooking times. So basically, how long it takes to cook them depends on the type of lentils you’re using.
Here’s a simple breakdown of everything you need to know:
- Red lentils: Leave to cook for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Yellow or brown lentils: Leave to cook for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Green lentils: Leave to cook for 25 to 30 minutes.
So what do they have in common? Well, unlike beans, lentils do not require soaking prior to cooking. You only need to follow the step-by-step instructions as outlined above.
And that’s it! So far so good, we’ve covered just about everything you need to know about this amazing nutrient powerhouse. Of course, at this point, you’re very much aware of how to boil lentils and we’re pretty sure you’re ready to enjoy them to your heart’s content! Remember, you can always head to the grocery store and buy whatever lentil tickles your fancy. Whichever one you choose, you can be sure of cooking them in the quickest possible time — 30 minutes tops! Don’t forget, they all taste great in soups, salads, and other mouthwatering recipes.
So, how do you plan to eat your lentils? I’d be thrilled to know your thoughts in the comments!
How To Boil Lentils
Ingredients
- One cup of dried red lentils
- Water
- One teaspoon of salt
- Seasoning
What You Need:
- Measuring cup
- Glass bowl
- Spoon
- Strainer
- Stainless steel saucepan with lid
Instructions
- Measure a cup of red lentils and pour the same into a strainer.
- Check them over for stones, debris, or rocks.
- Pour the perfect red lentils into a glass bowl and add a cup of water.
- Rinse thoroughly.
- Transfer the thoroughly-rinsed lentils into a saucepan and pour in two cups of boiled water.
- Cover the pot and bring it to a rapid simmer — five minutes tops.
- Bring down the pot of lentils from the stove. At this point, your lentils should be soft and tender.
- Add a teaspoon of salt to the mixture and stir them thoroughly.
- Return the saucepan to the stove and leave it to simmer for five minutes.
- It's time to serve your lentils and eat up.
Linda
It might be helpful to mention that these instructions use split red lentils as opposed to whole red lentils. This is why the split lentils cook so quickly.
Helena McGinty
I am old and our tastes changeba lot. Fieticians have long recomnended less bland and more tadty food for elferly people. I dislike lentils from their smell to their tazte. Remind me of the smell of wet cardboard. I eat them as s meat subdtute but only if adfing dpices, eg chilli, or strong taste like tomatoe.
My inasrds dont care for them muchbeither but am trying to eat as little meat as posdible both fot my pocket and the ecosystem.
Can recomnend them for chilli. Ok for bolognese type sauce.