Lentils really knock it out of the park: They’re nutritious, affordable, versatile, and quick to cook. These tiny, lens-shaped legumes have been a staple in kitchens around the world since they were first cultivated in Southeast Asia 8,000 to 10,000 years ago, adding flavor, texture, and protein to soups, stews, salads, sides, veggie burgers, and more. Whether you’re after an easy weeknight dinner or a more involved project, lentils meet cooks right where they are.
To help me navigate the wide world of lentils, I spoke with Joe Yonan, food and dining editor of The Washington Post and author of Cool Beans and the James Beard Award–winning Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking. I also talked to Maya Kaimal, founder and chief culinary and creative officer of Maya Kaimal Foods and the author of Indian Flavor Every Day and other cookbooks.
What Are Lentils?
Lentils are pulses—a subgroup of legumes that includes lentils, peas, and beans. All lentils are legumes, but not all legumes are pulses. “In India, the term ‘dal’ refers broadly to pulses, including lentils, split peas, and even some types of beans used in cooking,” says Kaimal. Lentils get star billing in many cuisines; they’re featured in Indian dals and curries, Egyptian koshari, and French lentil salads, to name a few. Kaimal loves their versatility, noting that they work just as beautifully in traditional dishes as they do in inventive riffs and leftovers—for example, a breakfast she makes of toast topped with dal, yogurt, and a drizzle of chili crisp.
Part of lentils’ appeal is their practicality: Most varieties don’t require soaking, and they cook faster than many legumes (such as chickpeas), making them a convenient choice for quick meals. Plus, they’re inexpensive and healthy—they’re packed with protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They also shine in unexpected ways. Yonan suggests frying them until they’re crisp to use as a topping for grain bowls and salads—a trick he picked up from vegetarian cooking icon Mollie Katzen’s 2013 cookbook The Heart of the Plate.
Common Types of Lentils
Brown Lentils
Brown lentils may be the best-known variety in the U.S., and they’re the ones you’re most likely to find at most grocery stores. These lentils have an earthy, mild flavor and serve as a blank canvas with pretty much any seasoning. When cooked, they’re tender but still hold their shape—as long as you don’t overcook them. (Simmering for 20 to 30 minutes should suffice; check on them periodically for doneness). They’re also a solid choice for soups, stews, and veggie burgers. In Indian cooking, brown lentils often show up in mixed dals that combine different lentils for contrast. Mediterranean cooks use them in salads, often tossed with fresh herbs and lemon juice or vinegar. They also make great stews.
Green Lentils
Green lentils are slightly larger than brown lentils and range in color from pale green to mottled hues. They have a firmer texture and hold their shape even better than brown lentils when cooked, making them ideal for salads and dishes where distinct, intact lentils are desirable. Regular green lentils have a mild nuttiness and are widely used in Indian and Middle Eastern dals and pilafs. French green lentils (Puy lentils), on the other hand, are small, more rounded, and extra firm, allowing them to hold up exceptionally well in cooking. They’re especially good in salads and sides; try tossing them with roasted vegetables, goat cheese, and a mustardy vinaigrette.
French
Easy French Lentils With Garlic and Herbs
How to treat lentils with the care and respect they deserve.
Red Lentils and Masoor Dal
When you shop for red lentils in a typical American grocery store, you’re almost always looking at split red lentils. Also called masoor dal, these are hulled and split, which helps them cook quickly—usually in 10 to 15 minutes—into a smooth, creamy texture. They’re orange or salmon in color and are perfect for soups, stews, and any dish where softness is key. At an Indian or South Asian grocery store, you’ll likely find both split and whole red lentils; the whole ones still have their reddish-brown skin.
Whole red lentils take about twice as long to cook, and they hold their shape better, making them great for salads or veggie burgers. “Whether split or whole, these lentils are essential in South Asian cooking, simmered with spices like cumin, turmeric, and chile for warming dals or lentil soups,” says Kaimal. Red lentils pair fantastically well with other flavors, too. Yonan fondly recalls another Mollie Katzen recipe in which she combines them simply with soft, sweet onions and vinegar. “That dish was a revelation—it showed me this style of lentil can be amazing even without Indian spices.”
Yellow Lentils
Somewhat confusingly, the term “yellow lentils” is used to refer to three different legumes, none of which are technically lentils, but all of which can be cooked like and used similarly to lentils. Yellow lentils most commonly refer to moong dal, hulled and split mung beans that cook quickly and have a mild, subtly sweet flavor. In Indian cooking, moong dal is used in dals, soups, and snacks like pakoras (Indian fritters). Toor dal (yellow pigeon pea) is another popular yellow legume that gets the yellow lentil moniker and is also used in dals and stews; it is slightly larger than moong dal, holds its shape well, and has a pleasant nuttiness. Finally, yellow split peas are also sometimes grouped with yellow lentils due to their similar color and culinary uses. All three of these yellow varieties bring smoothness and warmth to dishes and are prized for their quick cooking and versatility.
Mung Beans
Moong Dal
Spiced with turmeric and flavored with a fragrant onion and tomato masala, moong dal is a staple in many South Asian households.
Black Lentils
Black lentils are small, round, and known for their rich, nutty flavor and pleasantly firm texture. Sometimes called “beluga lentils” for their resemblance to beluga caviar, they hold their shape well during cooking, making them ideal for grain bowls, roasted vegetable salads, and simple sides. Their texture is similar to that of Puy lentils, so the two can often be used interchangeably.
Black lentils are a staple in traditional Indian dishes, such as dal makhani, in which they’re slowly simmered into a creamy stew. But they’re also great to experiment with. Yonan soaks black lentils overnight, then mixes them with seeds to make crackers. He also serves marinated lentils on blinis as a playful twist on caviar.
Vegetarian
Dal Makhani
Simmer black gram and kidney beans with spices, cream, and butter for dal makhani—a rich, comforting meal that’s typically reserved for special occasions in India.
Chana Dal
Though chana dal is not a lentil, it often gets grouped with or sold alongside lentils. Chana dal comes from split chickpeas with the outer skin removed. It has a firm texture and a slightly nutty, earthy flavor. Because it holds up well during long cooking, it’s perfect for hearty dals, soups, and fried snacks, such as pakoras and vadas. “Chana dal is a staple in Indian kitchens because it retains its texture, adding heartiness and bite,” says Kaimal.
Shopping for, Storing, Prepping, and Cooking Lentils
When shopping, look for lentils that are evenly colored and free of cracks or discoloration. Yonan warns against poorly maintained bulk bins: “If a bin looks like it’s been sitting untended for a long time, I’d pass.” Since bulk bin-freshness is hard to judge by sight alone—and there’s no telling how long lentils have been sitting there—you’re relying on visual cues and the store’s reputation to know whether you’re getting fresh or stale lentils. Avoid packages that look dusty or worn, and shop at stores with good foot traffic, where high turnover means bins and shelves are likely restocked frequently.
Store lentils in an airtight container in a cool, dry spot away from sunlight. They keep for up to a year, but for the best flavor, use them within six months of purchasing. Older lentils—those that have been sitting on the shelf for longer than a year—may take longer to cook; focus on their texture rather than the cooking time specified in the recipe. When they’re tender and cooked through, they’re done.
As noted above, lentils don’t need to be soaked before cooking, but it’s a good idea to pick through them to remove any stones and other debris and shriveled lentils, then rinse them in a fine-mesh sieve under running water. Keep in mind when cooking them that “there’s a fine line between underdone and mush,” as Daniel points out in his easy French lentils recipe. He recommends simmering them gently to preserve their shape—you can also cool them with ice to prevent overcooking. Daniel also recommends salting the water generously from the start to season the lentils to their core and adding aromatics and herbs to the pot to infuse them with flavor. Seasoned and cooked well, lentils are bound to take their rightful place at the center of your plate more often.
