51 red lentil recipes

Hearty meatless chili with lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, and tomatoes seasoned with cumin and chili powder. A high-fiber, protein-packed vegetarian one-pot meal.

Brown lentil loaf made with red lentils, sauteed onions, cayenne, and nutritional yeast. A vegan, high-protein main dish that slices like meatloaf without any meat or eggs.

A savory vegetable stew made with dry lentils, potatoes and a bit of sherry.

Whole chicken and lentils baked in a clay cooker with smoked pork, aromatics, red wine, and dry mustard. A one-pot French-style braise with deeply concentrated flavor.

Vegetarian split pea and red lentil soup with sunchokes, carrots, and caraway seeds. A hearty, high-fiber bean soup that's naturally vegan and packed with plant protein.

Hearty lima bean and leek soup with lentils, wild rice, and a meaty broth built from disintegrated lentils. Easily made vegan and packed with plant protein.

Lentil vegetable soup with sun-dried tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, spinach, and a hit of hot sauce. One-pot, naturally vegan, 32g fiber per serving, ready in 80 minutes.

Warm lentil salad with stir-fried carrots, celery, scallions, and water chestnuts tossed in balsamic vinaigrette. High-fiber, diabetic-friendly, and served on crisp lettuce.

Roasted butternut squash and red lentil soup pureed with orange juice and spiced with cinnamon, cumin, coriander, and ginger. A vibrant, velvety vegan bowl.

Wild rice and lentil salad with brown rice, tri-color bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and fresh herbs in a fat-free tomato-herb vinaigrette. A colorful, high-fiber grain salad.

A hearty Bulgarian stew of lentils and navy beans simmered with sweet red peppers, paprika, and herbs in a rich broth deepened with prune juice and tomato paste. Vegan-friendly and high in fiber.

Lentil stew Creole with okra, green beans, tomatoes, and green pepper served over brown rice. A plant-based Southern-style stew with a Tabasco kick and no added fat.

Smoky Western beans with bacon, pinto beans, kidney beans, and lentils simmered in a spiced tomato sauce with cumin and chili powder. Easy one-pot comfort food for a crowd.

Emily's bean soup simmers seven dried beans and lentils with a meaty ham bone, tomatoes, and vegetables into a thick hearty pot. Old-fashioned cold-weather comfort.

Masoor dahl soup with red lentils, turmeric, garlic, and whole peppercorns finished with lemon juice. A simple Indian lentil soup that's vegan, high-fiber, and ready in under an hour.

This is the basic recipe for cooking lentils or beans. Many southern and southwestern regional recipes call for cooked lentils or beans to be stirred gently into a dish near the end of cooking. Therefore, it may be a good idea ot make them a day ahead and have them ready when you begin the actual cooking.