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How to cook lentils recipes. How to cook lentils - a versatile product that can replace meat? Tomato soup with lentils and meatballs

Ecology of consumption: For all its merits, lentils are not the easiest product to digest. Today we share the secrets of cooking lentils and original recipes.

For all its merits, lentils are not the easiest product to digest. Today we share the secrets of cooking lentils and original recipes.

A good lentil dish will always find a place on the table in summer and winter. This surprisingly satisfying type of legume is almost on a par with meat in protein content, and surpasses many side dishes in taste.

However, it is important to remember that, like other legumes, grains, and seeds, lentils remain a hard-to-digest food that, if not properly cooked, can hamper the digestive tract and cause bloating. Are there ways to avoid such unpleasant consequences?

The answer is: yes, and many intuitively use them all the time. In today's review, we share the secrets of making easy-to-digest lentils, and also share 3 delicious lentil recipes for practicing the skill.

How to properly prepare lentils

As we just said, unprepared lentils are literally a digestive challenge. The fact is that absolutely all legumes contain special substances - inhibitors that do not allow grains to germinate without sufficient moisture and literally block our enzymes, thus slowing down digestion. This is exactly what happens every time we boil dry lentils. Of course, with good digestion, such a process can pass without a trace. However, if you got the sensitive organs of the gastrointestinal tract, or if lentils get on your table with enviable regularity, then you should think about the "workarounds" of cooking.

Pre-soaking lentils for several hours in water is exactly this way, which essentially imitates the grain getting into moist soil and neutralizes inhibitors, also converting all nutrients into a more bioavailable form. Rinse the grains, fill them with water and leave them in a saucepan under the lid.

According to various sources, it is better to soak lentils for 3-7 hours or even overnight - that is how much is required to neutralize the inhibitors. Also, experts advise soaking lentils in a warm place - this way the process will go even faster. After soaking, drain the water, rinse the lentils and proceed to the selected cooking method.

How to cook lentils: useful tips

Pay attention to spices

Choose spices for lentils that have a positive effect on the absorption of legumes: asafoetida, turmeric, coriander, black pepper, fresh and dried ginger.

Choose the type of lentil

Different varieties of lentils, according to their characteristics, are better suited for different dishes. For example, green French "marbled" lentils practically do not boil soft, so cooks often use them to add to salads. Orange lentils are the perfect base for a hearty soup, while brown lentils are good as a side dish and as the main ingredient in a main course with meat.

Record the time

Lentil varieties also differ in cooking time. Boil red for 25-30 minutes, brown will be ready in 20-25 minutes, but for elastic green it will take all 40 minutes. It is important to note that it is not recommended to boil lentils in salted water, as this only increases the cooking time - just salt them at the end.

Red lentil and carrot soup

Light, nutritious and quick to prepare, soup is an excellent dietary lunch option for all occasions.

Ingredients:

Cumin 2 tsp

red pepper flakes

Olive oil 2 tbsp. l.

Grated carrots600 g

Red lentils 140 g

Vegetable broth1 l

Milk125 ml

Cooking method:

Soak lentils overnight. Drain the water and rinse it.

Heat the cumin and pepper flakes in a dry skillet until fragrant.

Transfer half of the spices from the pan to a plate, and add oil to the remaining ones and add carrots, lentils, broth and milk. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes until soft.

Run the soup in a blender until smooth or more textured.

Serve hot with Indian flatbread, garnishing the soup with the remaining spices.

2. Salad with green lentils and red onions

A bright vitamin salad that can decorate even a festive table. To prepare this dish, we advise you to take a dense variety of green "De Puy" lentils, which will retain their shape when cooked.

Ingredients:

  • Green lentils "De Puy" 250 g
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • Juice of half a lime
  • White wine or apple cider vinegar 1 tbsp. l.
  • Red onion 1 pc.
  • Olive oil 2 tbsp. l.
  • Ground cumin 1 tsp
  • Garlic 1 clove
  • Mango sauce or dressing to taste 2 tbsp. l.
  • cilantro
  • Cherry tomatoes 250 g
  • Spinach 85 g

How to cook lentils correctly? Do I need to soak lentils before cooking? You know, these are the fastest grains in terms of cooking time from the entire legume family. And they don't require soaking before they're cooked. Lentils are a healthy food. It is well compatible with a variety of foods or seasonings, has a high nutritional value, and is available throughout the year. Lentils are nutritious, rich in antioxidants, selenium, vitamins that strengthen the immune system. So, below are cooking tips.

How to cook lentils for a side dish, step by step

  • Rinse the grains under running water, sort them out - if necessary, remove crushed, shriveled grains or small debris.
  • For 1 cup of dry lentils, 2 - 2.5 cups of water are required.
  • Bring the water to a boil, put the washed grains in a saucepan. Don't add salt yet! Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. Then reduce the heat to a minimum, cover the pan with a lid, but leave it slightly ajar so that the water does not boil away too quickly.
  • Check the pot from time to time to make sure the water hasn't sunk below the level of the lentils. Add water as needed.
  • When it softens and can be easily mashed with a fork, it is ready. How long to cook lentils without soaking? It usually takes about 30-45 minutes.
  • Lentils that have been stored with you for a long time do not lose their nutritional properties, they just take longer to cook.
  • Don't mix fresh lentils with old ones. They cook unevenly.
  • Grains of red varieties are cooked faster - 20 minutes, no more.
  • Salt should be 15 minutes before the end of cooking. If you put salt in the pot at the beginning of cooking, the cooking time will double.

When the lentils are cooked through, turn off the heat. Cover the pot tightly with a lid. Let stand 5-10 minutes. During this time, it will absorb excess water, become juicier, more tender. Actually, this is not necessary, but I do it - I like it better.

What do lentils eat with, what is it compatible with, what spices

  • Add diced potatoes - they will take the same amount of time to cook as lentils. You may have to add water in this case, but you can do this during the cooking process.
  • Add spices along with salt. Curry powder, ground cumin, garlic, ground red pepper, cilantro all pair well with lentils. Spices can be added at any time, but the sooner, the more seasoned taste and aroma your dish will acquire.
  • Lentils are usually used to make soups and stews. Green or brown varieties keep their shape quite well. If they are not digested, then they can be added, for example, to salads. For these purposes, it is enough to cook it for 10-15 minutes.
  • Cooked lentils can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Lentils do no harm

Lentils, like any legumes, cause ... flatulence in many people. Add 1-2 cloves to the water - this problem will not affect you. In addition, cloves will add a subtle flavor to your lentils that will perfectly fit into the taste of the finished dish.

Useful properties of lentils

Like other legumes, lentils contain anti-carcinogenic substances of plant origin, rich in protein, iron, folic acid, fiber, which is very beneficial for the digestive system and heart. The high protein content makes it an excellent meat substitute.

Lentils come in different varieties, the main difference is in the color of the grains. Red is by far the fastest to cook and is often used in Indian cuisine. However, green, brown varieties are more nutritious than red ones.

Beans, due to their beneficial properties, have long been included in the diet, lentil grains are considered especially popular, from which side dishes and cereals are prepared. Given that this legume has different varieties, many housewives will undoubtedly have a question: “how to cook lentils properly”? In fact, there are no difficulties in this, the main thing is to know exactly how much each type of grain is brewed, and what cooking features it has.

Not only ordinary cereals can be made from lentils. No less popular are side dishes prepared on the basis of these legumes. The very technology of creating a dish is simple, you just need to decide in advance what type of lentils it will be prepared from - red, brown, black or green. This will help you quickly make a light, low-calorie lunch or dinner.

It is believed that red grains are not suitable for garnishing, since they tend to boil quickly, becoming mashed. But, nevertheless, the red variety has a pleasant spicy taste, and this is the most important condition in order to cook such a delicious dish.

Ingredients

  • Red lentils - 150 gr.
  • Tomatoes - 2 pcs.
  • Meat broth - 100 gr.
  • Onion - 1 pc.
  • Carrot - 1 pc.
  • Garlic - 1-2 cloves.
  • Vegetable oil - 1 tbsp. l.
  • Thyme - 2 sprigs (we use only greens).

Spices for garnish(put to taste): ground black pepper, rosemary (dried), chili, paprika (red), salt, turmeric.

How to prepare a side dish

  1. Wash and clean vegetables.
  2. Cut the onion into half rings.
  3. Three carrots on a fine (or medium) grater.
  4. Pour the cut into the pan, pour the vegetables with vegetable oil and fry them for no more than 2-3 minutes, until a light blush. Saute everything over medium heat.
  5. Soak the lentil red plates in water for a few minutes.
  6. We make cuts on the surface of the tomatoes, after which the fruits are placed in boiling water for a couple of minutes.
  7. Remove the skin from the tomatoes and cut the vegetables into small cubes.
  8. We shift the tomato slices into a pan with onions and carrots, and continue to sauté the vegetables for another 3 minutes over medium heat.
  9. Add salt, lentils and meat broth to the passerovka. Mix everything and simmer the vegetables for 2 minutes.
  10. We skip the garlic through the press, then put it together with herbs and other spices in the garnish.
  11. Finally, we simmer the beans with vegetables for another 5-7 minutes over low heat, after which the dish can be considered ready.

Serve hot red lentil garnish. It is best to present it with fish or meat dishes. It is advisable to serve legumes with sauce or ketchup, you can even make a dressing for a side dish from the red lentils themselves.

Ingredients

  • - 5 glasses + -
  • - 1.5 cups + -
  • - 1 piece + -
  • - at the tip of a knife + -
  • - 1 piece + -
  • 1 tsp or to taste + -
  • 0.5 tsp or to taste + -
  • - 1-2 tablespoons + -
  • - 2 teeth + -
  • Thyme - 2 sprigs + -

How to cook delicious lentils

It is not difficult to prepare a delicious green variety, the main thing is to know exactly how much you need to cook the grains so that they do not lose their shape.

Since of all the popular types of this legume, green lentils are cooked the longest, many housewives avoid it when preparing a side dish. However, green plates taste no worse than red and brown varieties, so they can be safely added to vegetable or meat side dishes.

  1. A few hours before cooking, soak the bean grains: pour water into the pan and pour the lentils into it. Be sure to add water.
  2. We heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan, then add the garlic crushed under the press to it for frying. You can also grind garlic cloves by hand.
  3. When after 30 sec. garlic is stewed in vegetable oil - reduce the heat to a minimum flame and put a piece of butter in the pan.
  4. When the butter melts, we send finely chopped carrots and onions to a preheated pan. Stew the cut until it acquires a pleasant softness and a beautiful transparent color.
  5. We take out the lentils, which were previously soaked, from the water as soon as they “swell” and become soft. It is important not to overdo it and prevent it from losing its shape.
  6. We shift the lentil grains into a pan, add chopped thyme to it (we use only leaves) and fry everything over high heat. Do not forget to stir the garnish.

We serve the finished dish exclusively hot. Before serving, it can be sprinkled with fresh chopped herbs or aromatic spices. It is not worth storing boiled lentils for a long time, even as a side dish. It is better to eat the portions made on the day of preparation.

From this variety of legumes, it is easy to make a delicious dinner for the whole family in just 30 minutes. Brown grains cook faster than others, but there are a lot of features in their preparation, the knowledge of which is indispensable. Therefore, we will tell you in detail about how to cook dark lentils in a step-by-step recipe.

Ingredients

  • Brown lentils - 1 cup;
  • Tomato paste - 3 tbsp. l.;
  • Boiled rice (basmati) - 4 cups;
  • Garlic - 3 cloves;
  • Red onion - 2 cups;
  • Salt - ¼ tsp;
  • Vegetable (or olive) oil - 2 tsp;
  • Cilantro (fresh) - ¼ cup;
  • Vegetable broth - 3 cups;
  • Spices - to taste.

Cooking

  1. Soak the brown lentils in water first.
  2. Wash and clean vegetables.
  3. Finely chop the onion, garlic and cilantro.
  4. Heat the oil in a saucepan over low heat.
  5. Add the chopped onion to the heated bowl and sauté it, stirring occasionally. Extinguishing time - 15 minutes.
  6. When the onion softens in a saucepan, add garlic to it, which we also sauté on fire for 5 minutes.
  7. Pour roast 3 tbsp. l. tomato paste, and sprinkle everything on top with spices. It is desirable that the seasoning be spicy, you can immediately use a mixture of spices, for example, "Berbere". Simmer vegetables with seasoning and pasta for another 1 minute.
  8. Pour the vegetables with vegetable broth and bring them to a boil over high heat.
  9. As soon as the grains soften, transfer them to a saucepan, cover with a lid and cook for 20-25 minutes.
  10. After boiling the lentils until cooked, salt it to taste. After that, mix the finished beans with boiled rice - and serve the side dish to the table.
  11. Laying out the dish in portions, decorate it with cilantro or any other herbs.

You can serve a side dish not only with fresh vegetables, but also with fresh or pickled mushrooms, stewed chicken, fish or beef.

Soak

Soak or not

Whether it is necessary to soak lentils before cooking is the most common question among most housewives. There is an opinion that lentils are one of the few types of legumes that do not need to be soaked. This is true, but not a single grain of beans has yet suffered from “bathing” in water.

It is important not to forget that the lentil plates lying in the home bins become dry over time, and therefore they urgently need a fresh sip of water.

How long to soak lentils

Another, no less important, question of interest to housewives is how long should lentils be soaked?

If the ripened grains are several months old, then 8 hours will be enough, but if the lentils lie for six months, or even a year, then the soaking time can be increased to 12-24 hours. The longer the product lies, the more it will soak.

However, it is worth noting that it is not necessary to soak the plates for so long. Sometimes, it is enough to dip the grains in water for just a few minutes, so that they soften a little and take on their original shape.

Table of calories and cooking time for lentils

Not all housewives know well how much to cook brown, red, green and black lentils (another name is beluga lentils). One thing is known for sure, that they have different cooking times and calorie content.

To make cooking simple and bring only pleasure, use the table below, which shows the calories of known types of lentils and the time they take to cook until cooked.

Now you know how to cook lentils of different varieties. All the secrets of its preparation are easily applied in practice. Make a variety of legumes on their own or add lentils as an additional ingredient to a side dish. May your cooking be successful and your lentil treat amazingly delicious.

Bon appetit!

Lentils are soft beans that are sold dried. It can be consumed in the form of cereals, soups, side dishes, stews, meatballs. But to achieve the unforgettable taste of these beans, you need to know how to cook lentils. Modern recipes will allow you to achieve a delicious culinary masterpiece using a slow cooker or in the traditional way on the stove.

How long to cook lentils until tender

Before cooking lentils, it must be sorted out, separating garbage, pieces of earth, and husks. For convenience, lay the beans on a white paper towel or plate. Place the prepared lentils in a sieve and rinse under cold running water for a minute. Having decided to cook porridge from these beans for the first time, many housewives have a question: is it necessary to soak lentils before cooking? In order for the grains to retain their shape and not become very soft during cooking, they do not need to be soaked first.

Depending on the dish you are going to cook, the cooking time for lentils can be from 10 to 45 minutes. If you purchased split beans, then after 10-20 minutes you will have a mushy mass. Such lentils boil quickly, so they are ideal for mashed soups. You can increase the boil for whole beans to 45 minutes by leaving the lentils to simmer, covered, until completely softened.

Features of cooking red, black, green and yellow lentils

There are about 11 varieties of lentils that differ in their color, grain shape, taste, and even cooking method. The popularity of this product is growing every year, so it is important to know how lentils are useful and how to cook them. The usefulness lies in, iron, B vitamins, folic acid, potassium, carbohydrates, as a result of which lentils have become an integral part of the diet of all people. Regular consumption of dishes from these beans is beneficial for:

  • diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
  • normalization of the urinary system.

First you need to decide for which dish you are buying these beans and what you are going to cook. If you plan to cook porridge, then you need to purchase French green or brown, black lentils. Beans of this color tend to retain the shape of the grains without turning into a puree mass. For soups and stews, red, yellow, orange lentils should be used, as in the process of cooking they quickly and strongly soften, turning into porridge.

How to cook lentils in a slow cooker

In order not to take a lot of personal time, we recommend using a slow cooker. This unique multifunctional device will allow you to get the finished dish without additional difficulties. You need to prepare the right ingredients and place them in the multicooker bowl. For cooking you will need the following ingredients:

  • washed green lentils - 1 multi-cup;
  • water - 1 multi-glass;
  • grain mustard - 1 tbsp. l.;
  • sweet pepper - 1 pc.;
  • freshly ground chili pepper - 1 tbsp. l.;
  • finely chopped one celery root;
  • canned corn - 200 g;
  • tomato sauce - 4 tbsp. l.

The cooking process includes several stages:

  1. Carefully place the indicated ingredients in the multicooker bowl and mix with a plastic spatula.
  2. Modern multicookers are equipped with many functions, among which is the "Multipovar" mode. Select this function, close the top cover of the device and you have one hour of free time while the technician prepares a gorgeous lentil dish for you.

What dishes are prepared from lentils

There are a large number of options for preparing lentil dishes. These beans can be used on their own as hearty cereals or in complex culinary creations. To diversify breakfasts or surprise the family for dinner, prepare dishes based on lentils. You can, cutlets, a side dish for meat, and there are also recipes that detail how to combine lentils with other types of cereals, vegetables.

Suggestion: To enhance the flavor of a cooked lentil dish, add a couple of bay leaves or a pinch of dried sage. You can also use celery root or leaves, parsley or rosemary. Lentil dishes are recommended to be salted and peppered at the very end of cooking.

How to make puree soup

Puree soup is a thick soup that needs to be cooked with a large amount of vegetables or cereals. To get the most healthy, tasty and satisfying dish, we recommend preparing lentil puree soup. The correct preparation depends on the accuracy of observing all the proportions of the necessary ingredients. For this soup you will need:

  • red lentil beans - 200 gr;
  • chicken broth - 2 cups;
  • finely chopped red onion (medium) - 1 pc.;
  • a spoonful of tomato paste;
  • grated carrots - 1 pc.;
  • a pinch of cumin and pepper;
  • salt - 0.5 tsp;
  • clove of garlic;
  • a slice of lemon and mint leaves;
  • submersible blender;
  • pot.

Puree soup is prepared according to the following technology:

  1. Combine the lentils, broth, onion, carrot, garlic, tomato paste, cumin, and pepper in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.
  2. Reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables and beans are completely tender. This will take approximately 25 minutes.
  3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and quickly soften the soup ingredients with an immersion blender. You should get a puree-like mass. When blending, be careful not to splatter hot soup, use low speed.
  4. Then you need to add salt and squeeze a slice of lemon. You can garnish with mint leaves on top if you like.

Lentils with chicken meat

For a family dinner for two you will need:

  • 300 grams of chicken breast;
  • a glass of brown lentils;
  • three glasses of water;
  • a tablespoon of tomato paste;
  • salt, pepper, cumin, curry;
  • big bulb.

We'll tell you step by step, with chicken meat.

  1. Prepare the chicken breast by first dressing the sirloin meat from the bones and skin.
  2. Cut the meat into large pieces and fry with chopped onion and tomato paste. The chicken breast takes about 10 minutes to cook.
  3. Then boil the lentils for 15 minutes.
  4. Combine all ingredients in a heat-resistant bowl and place in the oven to bake for another 10 minutes.
  5. Add a teaspoon of curry to the dish to get a beautiful color and rich taste.

How to cook delicious lentils with vegetables

Lentils go well with all vegetables. You can cook it with potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, pumpkin, onions. But in order to do this, you need to prepare the following components for this:

  • two large potatoes;
  • ginger root;
  • clove of garlic;
  • one carrot;
  • curry - 1 tbsp;
  • one glass of red lentils;
  • three glasses of water;
  • broth - 1 glass;
  • vegetable oil;
  • deep frying pan.
  1. First you need to boil the lentils for 10-15 minutes until half cooked.
  2. Then put chopped garlic, ginger and curry into a preheated pan.
  3. After a couple of minutes, add the carrots and potatoes, which were previously diced. It takes about 5 minutes to cook.
  4. Then put the lentils in the pan and fill everything with broth.
  5. After five minutes, you can serve to the table, garnishing with a slice of lime on top.

How to make lentil porridge

Lentil cereals are distinguished by the presence of a large amount of vitamins. To properly cook such porridge, you need to strictly adhere to the proportions. You need to cook in a ratio of 1: 3, that is, pour three glasses of cold water into a saucepan per glass of beans. Also, don't use split beans for cereals, because they quickly turn into a puree. Fill the lentils with water, cook for an average of 15 minutes. Cooking time may increase if you use black or brown lentils for porridge, which must be cooked for at least 25 minutes.

Dishes from lentils for weight loss

The peculiarity of these beans is that they do not contain fat in their composition. The calorie content of cooked lentils reaches only 111 kcal. Therefore, you can use the lentil diet to normalize weight. Daily consumption of cereals will contribute to rapid weight loss. The recipe is simple, so you can easily and quickly prepare it for breakfast. You will need:

  • red lentils - 100 g;
  • water - 3 glasses;
  • chopped half of the onion;
  • carrots, grated - 1 pc.;
  • vegetable oil - 2 tbsp. l.;

Pour thoroughly washed beans with cold water and cook for 15 minutes. From vegetables, make dressing for porridge in a pan, frying carrots and onions until golden brown. Combine all prepared ingredients and mix. For dietary porridge, do not use seasonings and salt. With this breakfast, you will be full all day and the diet will not cause difficulties in following it.

Lentil cutlets: the best recipe with a photo

Traditional meat cutlets can be replaced with lentils. The recipe is simple, so to repeat it you will need to cook everything for no more than 30 minutes. First you need to decide on the ingredients and kitchen appliances that you need to prepare in advance. To make everything go quickly and accurately, stick to the following list:

  • red or green lentils - half a cup.
  • coarse salt - a pinch.
  • two large eggs.
  • one cup of breadcrumbs.
  • parsley - 2 sprigs.
  • olive oil - 2 tbsp.
  • red onion - 1 head.
  • one large carrot.
  • cumin - ½ tsp
  • coriander - ½ tsp
  • garlic - 3 cloves.
  • large frying pan.
  • spatula for turning cutlets.
  • Bowl.
  • blender.

Cooking lentil cutlets consists of the following steps:

  1. Pour 3 cups of water over the lentil beans and bring to a boil. The whole cooking process will take about 20 minutes. Then drain the water and let cool completely in a separate bowl.

  1. Place the remaining beans 1/2 teaspoon salt, diced red onion, eggs, breadcrumbs, coriander, cumin, coarsely grated carrots, and parsley in a blender. Mix everything until a homogeneous mass is obtained.

  1. Then heat a large frying pan, after pouring oil into it. Shape into small round lentil patties by rolling lightly in breadcrumbs. Place carefully in the pan and fry on one side until crispy and brown. Approximately 4 minutes to cook. Then you need to turn the cutlets on the reverse side and repeat the frying process.

  1. Remove the cooked lentil cutlets from the pan into a separate container. When they have cooled, put on a large dish, pre-garnished with lettuce. Top cutlets can pour sour cream or mayonnaise, sprinkle with chopped red onion and parsley.

Video recipe: The most delicious lentil side dish

Lentil beans are ideal for cooking various dishes, as well as side dishes for meat, fish. To do this, you will need twenty minutes of free time and ingredients that are easy to find in your kitchen. If you don’t know, we recommend watching a video where the chef tells in detail the amazing recipe for making a side dish. Also provided are the exact proportions of the required ingredients for this dish so that you can repeat it at home.

One of the titled queens of dietary and healthy nutrition is lentils. This is the most ancient type of legume, people have been eating it with pleasure since the Bronze Age, i.e. 4000 BC

This product is rich in amino acids, minerals and vitamins. Vegetarians equate it with meat due to its high vegetable protein content.

This type of grain has an amazing property: lentils do not absorb and do not accumulate harmful toxic substances found in the soil, so it can be safely called an environmentally friendly product.

This product is also an excellent source of iron. In order for this iron to be well absorbed, it must be served with a salad of greens and fresh vegetables rich in vitamin C. This cereal also contributes to the production of serotonin, the hormone of joy.

You can read a lot about the amazing benefits of lentils, however, you should remember that this product is hard to digest by the body. If cooked incorrectly, a healthy dish can cause bloating and disruption of the digestive tract.

How to avoid negative consequences? It is necessary to pre-soak the grains in water for several hours, just in ordinary cold water, without salt or soda.


Soaking time depends on how much time has passed since harvest. If you bought lentils from the store, soak them in water at least overnight. During the soaking process, the grains absorb water and almost double in size. In the morning, drain the water, rinse the grains and put them on a slow fire.

The water should cover the grits by two centimeters (about two fingers). During cooking, you can add a little seasoning, such as bay leaf, and olive oil.

How to cook delicious lentils for a side dish

Lentils are a very nutritious product, you are guaranteed a feeling of satiety and energy for a productive day. And yet, a nice bonus, this product helps to improve mood and fight depression due to the content of tryptophan, which is converted into serotonin in the body.

So let's get ready!

  • Lentils - 300 gr.
  • Onion - 2 pcs.
  • Mustard - 10 gr.
  • Vegetable oil - 30 ml.
  • Vinegar red wine or apple - 20 ml.
  • Cloves - 1 stick
  • Bay leaf - 1 pc.
  • Garlic - 2 cloves
  • Green onion - 5 pcs.
  • Parsley - to taste
  • Salt - 1 teaspoon
  • Pepper - 1/4 teaspoon
  • Nuts - 50 gr.

Below you can see a detailed video recipe for cooking:

1. Wash the pre-soaked lentils and cook in a saucepan along with 1 whole onion, bay leaf and cloves for 35 minutes.

2. After 35 minutes, turn off the fire under the pan, take out the onion, bay leaf and cloves, and leave the side dish to cool.

3. Finely chop the second onion, green onion feathers and parsley.

4. Prepare the sauce: mix the prepared mustard with vinegar, salt, pepper, chopped garlic and oil.

5. Mix lentils with chopped onions and herbs. Add chopped nuts and cooked sauce.

6. Mix and eat a delicious dish.

Recipe for cooking in a slow cooker

A miracle of technology - a multicooker helps us cook tasty and healthy for ourselves and our families. In a slow cooker, dishes are prepared, as in a Russian oven, when all the ingredients were put into a pot at once, covered with a lid and sent to the oven to languish.

In this recipe in a slow cooker, we will cook lentils with mushrooms, the dish turns out to be very soft, tender and contains a lot of protein.


For cooking we need:

  • Red lentils - 280 gr.
  • Onion - 1 pc.
  • Champignons - 250 gr.
  • Hot water - 480 ml.
  • Vegetable oil - 1 tbsp. spoon
  • Salt - 1 teaspoon

1. Finely chop the onion.

2. Cut the champignons into beautiful plates.


3. Pour oil into the multicooker bowl. Choose a mode from the menu "frying" and "vegetables", and press "start".

4. We wait a little for the oil to heat up and put the mushrooms and onions in the multicooker bowl for frying for 7 minutes.


5. Turn off the "frying" mode and add the lentils washed several times to the bowl.

Secret: Rinse the lentils several times to remove all the foam.

6. Pour hot water into the slow cooker, add salt, mix.

Considering that when cooking in a slow cooker, water does not evaporate, add a little less water than it is written in the instructions on the package.


7. Turn on the “cereals” mode for 25 minutes and “start”. If you are using green lentils, you will need 40 minutes to cook them.

8. At the end of the cooking time, we take out tender, not boiled lentils with mushrooms and treat our loved ones.


This dish is especially useful during fasting or for athletes.

The convenience of cooking in a slow cooker is in the compactness of the process itself: the oil does not splatter, as in a pan, everything is cooked in one sealed container. Set it up and mind your own business.

Let the side dish brew a little and eat. Bon appetit!

Delicious diet recipe for cooking lentils

There are several types of lentils: red, green and brown. The red one cooks the fastest, about 20 minutes, but it also boils more than the others, so it is better suited for making mashed potatoes or soup.

Green is unripe brown. Therefore, it is cooked longer than others and retains its shape better. You need to cook it for at least 1 hour, it is better to use it for salads or side dishes.

Brown is a fully ripened green, has a slight nutty flavor, and cooks fairly quickly for 25 minutes. It also breaks down.


  • Lentils - 1 cup
  • Lime or lemon juice - 1/2 pc.
  • Ginger - 1 cm.
  • Onion or leek - 1 pc.
  • Carrots - 2 pcs.
  • Tomatoes - 4 pcs.
  • Salt, pepper, sugar - 1/2 teaspoon
  • Garlic - 1 clove
  • Greens, basil, oregano

Unfortunately, legumes can cause discomfort in the digestive tract, to avoid them, soak the lentils overnight in cold water, as described above, then it will be better absorbed by your body and will not cause gas formation.

1. We wash the grains several times and cook on fire for 20-30 minutes, depending on its variety. Cereals soaked overnight cook faster.

2. Pour hot water over the tomatoes to remove the skin from them and grate them. You can use frozen or canned tomatoes, tomato juice or paste.

3. Add chopped garlic, lime juice, salt, sugar, oregano, basil to grated tomatoes or pasta.


4. Grind onion and ginger and fry in oil in a pan, stirring constantly. After 2 minutes, add carrots to the pancut into thin strips.

5. Pour the mixture of tomatoes and spices into the pan, pepper and simmer for 5-7 minutes over medium heat.


6. Add boiled lentils to the pan, add greens, simmer for another 5 minutes.

7. Serve the finished dish with herbs. Bon appetit!

Delicious recipe with vegetables and smoked sausage

In this recipe, we will cook lentils with vegetables. This is an excellent balanced dish: nutritious, high in vegetable protein, rich in vitamins and microelements. In combination with vegetables, dishes from this legume are rich and light, similar to vegetable stew.

Beans and smoked meats are very tasty. In this recipe, we will add some smoked sausage to the pot with the garnish.


For cooking we need:

  • Lentils - 300 gr.
  • Green pepper - 1 pc.
  • Red pepper - 1 pc.
  • Onion - 1 pc.
  • Tomato - 1 pc.
  • Carrot - 1 pc.
  • Bay leaf - 1 pc.
  • Paprika, pepper, salt - to taste
  • Vegetable oil - 2 tbsp. spoons
  • Garlic - 2 cloves
  • Smoked sausage - 100 gr.

1. Grind onions, garlic, peppers, carrots with a knife.

2. Scald the tomato with hot water, remove the skin, chop finely.


3. Pour vegetable oil into a saucepan and, in turn, with an interval of 2 minutes, pour onion with carrots, pepper, tomato, paprika. At the end, add the washed soaked lentils.


4. Add hot water to the pan so that it covers the lentils by two fingers.


5. 5 minutes before readiness, add smoked sausage to the pan,it will add flavor and piquancy to the dish.

6. Before serving, sprinkle the finished dish with herbs.Bon appetit!

Lentils with onions and carrots

A very simple and delicious recipe for a side dish with carrots and onions. For an appetizing smell, add garlic.

For cooking we need:

  • Green lentils - 400 gr.
  • Onion - 1 pc.
  • Carrot - 1 pc.
  • Garlic - 1 clove
  • Olive oil

1. Finely chop the onion and carrot and simmer in a tall frying pan with olive oil.

2. Add the soaked lentils to the pan and add water two fingers above the grits.

3. Cook over low heat for about an hour. Salt at the end of cooking.

Below is a detailed video recipe.

This bean contains:

  • Folic acid contains 120% of the daily requirement of a person.
  • Phosphorus to strengthen teeth and bones.
  • Lots of vegetable protein.
  • Low fat content.

Beneficial features:

  • Easily digestible.
  • Does not accumulate toxic substances from the earth.
  • Useful for diabetes, pregnant women.
  • Reduces cholesterol levels.
  • Is a source of protein.
  • Of the contraindications, the property of gas formation should be noted. Not recommended for people with gastrointestinal problems.

How to cook lentils with meat

Lentils go well with chicken, so we offer you a recipe with chicken fillet.

We will use green grains in this recipe. they do not boil in mashed potatoes like, for example, red ones.

In this dish, we combined vegetable and animal protein, so the food will be very satisfying and quick to prepare. And it will be delicious.


For cooking we need:

  • Green lentils - 1 cup
  • Onion - 1 pc.
  • Chicken fillet - 200 gr.
  • Garlic - 2 cloves
  • Seasoning for chicken
  • Vegetable oil

1. Pour the soaked grains with cold water and cook for about 45 minutes.

Attention: in order for the broth to be more rich, the ingredients must be dipped in cold water so that when they heat up, they have time to give their aromas and tastes to the broth.

2. Finely chop the onion and garlic and fry in oil in a preheated pan for a couple of minutes.


3. Finely chop the fillet, mix with seasonings and salt, add to the pan to the onion and garlic, fry until tender.


4. Pour the finished boiled lentil groats to the finished fried meat. Stir and fry for another 3 minutes.

Delicious side dish recipe with rice and mushrooms

Lenten tasty dish of lentils, rice and mushrooms. In order for all the ingredients in the dish to turn out beautiful and appetizing, we will fry them separately. If you want to simplify the cooking process, you can combine and fry all the vegetables together.


For cooking we need:

  • Green lentils - 70 gr.
  • Onion - 2 pcs.
  • Long grain rice - 200 gr.
  • Carrot - 1 pc.
  • Mushrooms - 400 gr.
  • Vegetable oil
  • Water - 350 ml.
  • Salt pepper
  • curry, turmeric

1. We wash the soaked green lentils well and cook until cooked for about 40 minutes.

2. Rice is washed several times and left for 20-40 minutes in water so that starch comes out of it.

3. Wash mushrooms and clean if necessary.

Attention: to wash the mushrooms beautifully, add 1 tbsp. a spoonful of flour, pour cold water, leave to stand for 5 minutes and then wash.


4. Chop one onion finely and fry in a pan until golden brown.

5. Beautifully cut the mushrooms into slices and also fry in oil until golden brown, salt at the end. If you salt the mushrooms at the beginning, they will release the juice and turn out not so beautiful.


6. Combine the onion and mushrooms and fry together for 1 minute.

7. Cut the second onion.

Attention: so that tears do not run from the eyes when cutting onions, do not prematurely cut off the tail of the onion.

8. Cut the carrot into thin strips and stew it together with the second onion in a frying pan in oil. Add curry and turmeric to lightly fried vegetables. These are the spices with which rice is always combined. Salt and pepper.


9. Drain the water from the rice and add it to the pan with the onions and carrots. Stir so that all the rice is saturated with oil, then it does not stick together.

10. Add boiled lentils to a pan with vegetables and rice, salt and add fried mushrooms with onions.


12. Pour the broth into the pan, counting that 1 cup of rice needs 2 cups of liquid.

13. Add chopped or whole garlic.

14. Put the pan on medium heat, cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes. Rice is crumbly. Bon appetit!



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