Cooking lentil recipes. How to cook green lentils: delight your loved ones with an unusual dish

Hundreds of years ago, the inhabitants of Ancient Rome, Egypt and Greece used lentils in cooking; in Rus' they even baked bread from it. Today, there is no due interest in such a crop, and this is completely in vain, because lentils have unique healing properties and amazing taste. You can prepare many dishes from it: soups, cereals, side dishes, casseroles and much more. Introducing delicious and simple lentil recipes.

Lentils as a side dish - a simple and tasty recipe

Lentils are a unique product that eliminates the feeling of hunger for a long time and saturates the body with vitamins and nutrients. Brown, red and green varieties are mainly used for preparing side dishes. They go perfectly with meat and fish dishes, as well as with vegetables - pumpkin, potatoes and cabbage.

Brown Lentil Side Dish

Brown lentils are distinguished by their delicate nutty aroma; they are not capricious in terms of processing.

Ingredients:

220 g brown lentils;
2 tomatoes;
2 onions;
4 tbsp. spoons of olive oil;
lemon slice, salt, pepper.

Cooking method:

1. Pour boiling water over the beans and leave for an hour. As soon as they swell, drain the lentils in a colander.
2. Peel the tomatoes, chop the pulp, finely chop the onion.
3. Heat a frying pan with olive oil, first fry the onion, then add the tomatoes, simmer the vegetables for about 3 minutes.
4. After a few minutes, add beans to the vegetables, pour in a glass of warm water, season with spices, cover with a lid and simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Season the finished lentils with a sauce of olive oil and lemon juice, sprinkle with finely chopped herbs.

Red lentils as a side dish

Red lentils are quite difficult to spoil. You can use it to prepare an original side dish with a spicy-sweet flavor.

Ingredients:

220 g lentils (red);
3 chili peppers;
leek;
3-4 cloves of garlic;
curry, salt, pepper.

Cooking method:

1. Wash the bean grains thoroughly, add water (0.5 l), put on fire and bring to a boil. Cook the lentils over low heat for 20 minutes, the grains should become soft.
2. Chop the onion, garlic and pepper, sauté in vegetable oil for a few minutes, adding a little curry.
3. Add boiled beans, salt, pepper to the vegetables and simmer under a closed lid for 10 minutes.

Green lentil side dish

A side dish of green beans can be served as an independent dietary dish if you use olive or vegetable oil instead of butter.

Ingredients:

220 g lentils (green);
onion;
carrot;
garlic clove;
butter;
thyme, salt, pepper.

Cooking method:

1. Pour water over the lentils and cook over low heat until soft.
2. Fry chopped onions, garlic, carrots in oil.
3. Combine the finished lentils with vegetables, season with salt, pepper and thyme. Simmer for a few minutes and serve.

Hearty porridge with vegetables

It is better to use red lentils to prepare this dish. It cooks quickly and looks great when finished. You can add different products to the porridge, but don’t get carried away, because lentils have a pleasant taste.

Ingredients:

200 g lentils;
carrot;
celery root;
bulb;
2-3 cloves of garlic;
2-3 tomatoes;
medium-sized turnip (if desired);
vegetable (corn) oil.

Cooking method:

1. Wash the lentil grains and boil until tender.
2. Remove the peel from the tomatoes and finely chop the pulp. Chop onion, garlic and carrots. Cut the turnips into cubes or three on a large grater.
3. Stew all vegetables with a small amount of water in a saucepan, adding vegetable oil.
4. As soon as the vegetables are ready, add the lentils and simmer for another 10 minutes. The lentil porridge is ready, sprinkle with chopped herbs and serve.

Cream soup with croutons

Lentil puree soup is a hearty, tasty, healthy dish. To prepare it, chefs use red culture, which cooks well and gives the desired texture.

Ingredients:

200 g lentils;
400 ml chicken broth;
red onion;
carrot;
Art. spoon of tomato paste;
garlic clove;
toast;
slice of lemon;
pepper, salt, cumin.

Cooking method:

1. Place lentil grains, chopped onion, garlic, tomato paste, pepper, a pinch of cumin in a saucepan, pour chicken broth over everything. Place on the fire and cook until the beans and vegetables are completely cooked.
2. As soon as the ingredients become soft, remove the pan from the heat, add salt, lemon juice and use a blender to beat until the consistency of puree.
3. Serve lentil soup with croutons and mint leaves.

Lentil cutlets

Lentil cutlets can be the best alternative to meat dishes. Thanks to their unique properties, they are satisfying and nutritious. Since lentils are quite soft in structure, it is not necessary to add eggs to the products. It is better to use vegetables, such as zucchini, carrots, pumpkin or potatoes.

Ingredients:

200 g lentils;
onion;
carrot;
3 cloves of garlic;
teaspoons of cumin and coriander;
salt, parsley, olive oil.

Cooking method:

1. Boil the lentils for 20 minutes, drain the water, and cool completely.
2. Place boiled beans, chopped onion, garlic, parsley, grated carrots and spices into a blender bowl. You can add some breadcrumbs. Mix everything.
3. Form the minced meat into cutlets, lightly roll them in breadcrumbs and fry in olive oil until crispy.
4. Ready-made cutlets can be decorated with lettuce leaves, red onion rings, and sprinkled with sour cream.

Diet salad with lentils

The peculiarity of lentils is that they contain a lot of nutrients and microelements, and the fat content is reduced to zero. Therefore, with the help of a light lentil salad you can quickly lose weight.

Ingredients:

220 g lentils;
Red onion:
green onions;
carrot;
garlic clove;
2 tbsp. spoons of wine vinegar and the same amount of lemon juice;
a bunch of parsley;
olive oil, salt.

Cooking method:

1. Fill the beans with water and cook for 40 minutes. Pour the finished beans into a colander and rinse under running water.
2. Prepare the sauce. Take a spoonful of olive oil, mix with chopped garlic, wine vinegar and lemon juice.
3. Chop red, green onions and parsley. Cut the carrots into small cubes.
4. Put lentils in a salad bowl, add prepared vegetables, pour sauce, mix and put the salad in the refrigerator for 45 minutes.

Tomato soup with beans

Tomato lentil soup will take its rightful place on the menu. A bright, appetizing, truly spring dish that harmoniously combines the nutty taste of beans, the slight sourness of tomatoes and the pleasant sweetness of bell peppers.

Ingredients:

220 g lentils;
500 ml tomato juice;
carrot;
bulb;
2 cloves of garlic;
Bell pepper;
200 ml meat broth;
2-3 tbsp. spoons of olive oil;
salt.

Cooking method:

1. Pre-soak the bean grains in cold water and boil until half cooked.
2. Fry chopped onions and carrots in olive oil.
3. Add small cubes of bell pepper to the vegetables and simmer them for several minutes.
4. Pour broth into vegetables and simmer until fully cooked.
5. Place prepared vegetables, lentils in a saucepan, add spices and chopped garlic. Pour in tomato juice, mix and place on the stove. As soon as the soup boils, remove from heat, cover with a lid and let it brew for 20 minutes.
6. Serve tomato cream soup with sour cream and parsley.

Cooking option with mushrooms

Lentils with mushrooms are a tasty and easy to prepare dish. Thanks to its velvety and soft taste, even those who do not like bean dishes will definitely appreciate the recipe.

Ingredients:

200 g beans;
150 g dried mushrooms;
onion;
carrot;
sunflower oil.

Cooking method:

1. Rinse the grains and boil for 30 minutes.
2. Pre-soak dried mushrooms to remove the bitterness.
3. Chop carrots and onions.
4. First fry the mushrooms in a frying pan with sunflower oil. Then add onions, carrots, spices and simmer until the vegetables become soft.
5. As soon as the vegetables and mushrooms are ready, pour in boiling water (half a glass) and simmer for a few more minutes.
6. Add the finished lentils to the vegetables with mushrooms, cover with a lid, and simmer for 5-7 minutes.

Lentils with chicken and bell pepper

For those who are looking for a recipe for an original and tasty dish for the holiday table, cooked lentils with vegetables and chicken will definitely decorate the table.

Ingredients:

200 g lentils;
2 chicken breasts (fillets);
3 cloves of garlic;
2 onions;
2 sweet peppers;
2 small apples (Antonovka, Granny);
teaspoon chili pepper;
olive oil.

Cooking method:

1. To ensure that cooking does not take so much time, it is better to pre-soak the lentils and leave them overnight. Then rinse with water and cook over low heat for half an hour.
2. While the beans are cooking, you can prepare the remaining ingredients. Take bell pepper and cut it into cubes. Peel the apples and cut into slices. Sprinkle peppers and apples with oil and bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 200 degrees.
3. Take a frying pan and fry the chopped onion in vegetable oil. As soon as the onion becomes transparent, add chicken fillet pieces and fry.
4. To the fried chicken with onions, add baked peppers and apples, as well as chopped garlic and chili peppers for piquancy.
5. All that remains is to add the lentils, mix everything and simmer a little so that all the ingredients can absorb each other’s juices.

Indian dal - step by step recipe

Dal is a traditional dish of Indian cuisine. Even in the poorest families in India, such soup is a mandatory dish on the table. To prepare it, different types of legumes are used, as well as herbs and spices, which give the dish a unique taste and aroma.

Ingredients:

220 g lentils;
3 tomatoes;
white onions;
3 cloves of garlic;
teaspoons sesame seeds;
teaspoon of mustard seeds;
teaspoon of cumin;
teaspoon turmeric;
bay leaf;
2 tbsp. spoons of lemon juice;
sunflower oil, salt, parsley.

Cooking method:

1. Pour 3 glasses of cold water over the lentils and cook for 20 minutes.
2. Peel the tomatoes and dice the pulp into small cubes.
3. In a frying pan with heated oil, sauté the chopped onion and garlic.
4. As soon as the vegetables are lightly fried, add mustard seeds, turmeric, cumin to them, mix and continue cooking for a few more minutes. At the end add sesame seeds. Place vegetables and tomatoes into almost finished lentils. Add bay leaf, lemon juice and salt to taste. Cook the soup for 10 minutes.
5. Decorate the Indian lentil dal with parsley leaves and serve with flatbreads.

Chicken liver appetizer

Lentils have the peculiarity that they do not absorb harmful substances and toxins, so the dishes are not only tasty, but also healthy.

Ingredients:

250 g lentils;
bulb;
400 g chicken liver;
teaspoon each of coriander and black pepper;
salt, vegetable oil, dill.

Cooking method:

1. Boil the lentils until tender.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan and fry the chopped onion until golden brown.
3. Then add chicken liver to it and fry until done.
4. Add lentils and spices to the chicken liver and onions, mix and simmer for a few more minutes. Decorate the finished dish with chopped herbs.

Lentil pate with nuts

You can prepare a variety of dishes from lentils. For example, bean paste with walnuts. This is a great option as a sandwich with brown bread. Despite the fact that pate is not the most appetizing dish in appearance, its taste and aroma compensate for this shortcoming.

Ingredients:

250 g lentils;
bulb;
carrot;
80 g walnuts;
salt, pepper, sunflower oil.

Cooking method:

1. Boil the lentils for 20 minutes.
2. Chop the onion and carrots and fry in vegetable oil until golden brown.
3. Walnuts can be ground in a coffee grinder.
4. Place the prepared lentils, vegetables, nuts in a deep container, add spices and mix the ingredients with a blender until a homogeneous texture is obtained, that is, pate. The finished snack can be transferred to bowls and decorated with quartered nuts.

Lentil casserole with cheese

Lentil casserole is an excellent choice for a light dinner. A healthy and incredibly tasty dish will be especially appreciated by those who choose a healthy lifestyle.

Ingredients:

220 g beans;
100 g Adyghe cheese;
egg;
teaspoon curry;
salt.

Cooking method:

1. Rinse the lentils and cook until all the liquid is gone.
2. Beat the egg, salt, curry into the cooled, digested lentils and add Adyghe cheese, which you can simply crumble with your hands.
3. Take a baking dish, cover it with parchment paper and lay out the dough. Bake the dish in the oven at 200 degrees for an hour.

Stew with tomatoes and corn

Lentil stew with vegetables is a flavorful, satisfying and appetizing dish. Lentils go well with all vegetables, and if you add a little seasoning and garlic, you get an amazing taste.

Ingredients:

220 g lentils;
5-6 tomatoes (700 g tomatoes in their own juice);
2 carrots;
2-3 cloves of garlic;
2 onions;
80 g corn;
200 ml vegetable broth;
Art. a spoonful of red wine vinegar;
2 teaspoons each of curry, cumin, salt;
black pepper, olive oil.

Cooking method:

1. In a heated frying pan, fry chopped onions and carrots in olive oil. As soon as the vegetables are browned, add chopped garlic to them and fry for another minute.
2. Place the tomatoes in a deep container and chop them with a blender.
3. Place washed beans, fried vegetables, tomatoes, corn and all the spices into the pan. Stir, pour in the broth and put on the stove. As soon as the stew boils, reduce the heat and simmer covered for 40 minutes.
4. Give the finished dish time to brew and season with wine vinegar before serving.

Black Lentil and Chickpea Curry

Lentil curry is the most popular dish in Sri Lanka. Black bean curry is hearty, healthy, and amazingly delicious. The taste of the beans, which are boiled in coconut milk along with seasonings, is especially impressive.

You can make your own coconut milk or purchase a ready-made product. But the taste of homemade and store-bought are two huge differences. Making coconut milk is quite simple. For this you will need one coconut and water. Remove the shell from the coconut, grate the pulp on a fine grater, fill it with water and squeeze with your hands for several minutes. As soon as the water turns white, strain the milk through a sieve.

Ingredients:

200 g lentils (black);
200 g chickpeas;
bulb;
50 g ginger;
2 cloves of garlic;
2 tomatoes;
300 ml coconut milk;
2 teaspoons of cumin, coriander;
teaspoons of turmeric;
1 teaspoon curry.

Cooking method:

1. Pre-soak lentils and chickpeas for 2 hours. Boil the swollen beans for an hour.
2. Pour vegetable oil into the pan, coconut oil if you have it. Fry chopped onion in it.
3. As soon as the onion is browned, add chopped garlic and ginger. Cook for a few more minutes, add coriander and cumin seeds. We wait a couple of minutes for all the seasonings to reveal their aroma. Now you can add finely chopped tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Combine the prepared beans with vegetables, add turmeric and curry powder, pour a glass of water and cook for 20 minutes. After time, add coconut milk, bring to a boil and turn off the heat.
5. The dish can be served with herbs and rice.

Features of cooking lentil dishes

1. There are about ten varieties of lentils, which differ in color, shape and method of preparation. Therefore, it is important to know which variety is suitable for preparing a particular dish.
 black, green and brown are suitable for preparing porridges;
 orange, yellow and red are good options for soups and stews.
2. Processing time also depends on the variety. French lentils cook quickly; red and brown ones take a little longer; green ones take the longest to cook.
3. Before cooking, sort and rinse the grains. It is not necessary to soak them, just as you should not add salt to the water, which will only prevent them from boiling quickly.
4. Proportions: for salads 1:1, for porridges and stews the amount of water can be doubled.
5. Using spices such as coriander, black pepper, turmeric, dried and fresh ginger will help the body easily absorb the legume.

Even in the most “dense” times, people knew very well how to cook lentils and why they should definitely be included in their diet. Today we are looking for environmentally friendly food, however, we unforgivably ignore “modest” packages with natural products, chasing bright packaging and fashion trends. See how you can make simple, delicious, healthy meals using legumes!

How to cook lentils as a side dish

There is nothing complicated in the technology of preparing an excellent side dish for the main dish. You just need to take into account certain rules and useful recommendations.

Features of preparing a side dish from lentils:

• The shell of brown, yellow or black beans is more dense, so these grains must be pre-soaked. Red lentils practically do not need such a procedure.
• Leaving the grains to swell, we do not add any spices or seasonings. We add these components only during the heat treatment of the product, and even then in limited quantities.
• Boil the grain in the following periods: cook green or brown for 40 minutes; brown - 30; red (orange) - from 15 to 20 minutes.

To get a delicious side dish you will need:

• onions - 2 pcs.;
• crushed nuts - 60 g;
• lentil grain - 150 g;
• fresh mustard - 15 g;
• garlic cloves - 2 pcs.;
• vinegar (wine or apple) - 20 ml;
• salt, herbs, onion, bay leaf, pepper.

Cooking process:

1. Leave the lentils overnight in the purified liquid. In the morning, thoroughly wash the grains, place them in a saucepan, and add 300 ml of drinking water. Add bay leaf, onion, clove bud and boil the mixture. Then cook for 35 minutes over low heat.
2. Finely chop the second onion, chop the parsley and onion. Combine vinegar, mustard, chopped garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl.
3. We extract the components added for taste from the boiled lentils, combine the legumes with the prepared sauce, crushed nuts and onion mixture. Gently mix the food.

Now that we know how to cook lentils as a side dish, let's move on to another simple and delicious bean meal.

Hearty porridge with vegetables

A special feature of including grains in food is their wonderful nutty flavor. The aroma of lentils delicately emphasizes the taste of a meat or vegetable dish or fresh salad.

Ingredients:

• butter - 30 g;
• onion and carrot;
• lentil grain - 200 g;
• bay leaf, salt, pepper.

Cooking method:

1. So, wash the beans well and add 200 ml of purified water. The ratio of lentils and liquid must be strictly defined - 1:2, otherwise we risk not cooking the porridge or getting the substance in the form of a puree.
2. Add a bay leaf or a clove of garlic, which will give the food a more aromatic and piquant hue. Cook the lentils for 25 minutes over low heat while we prepare a delicious dressing. Season food with salt only at the end of cooking.
3. We peel all the vegetables, chop the onion into cubes, cut the carrots into strips, fry the food in oil until golden brown. Drain the excess liquid from the prepared beans, add the vegetable mixture to them, season it with salt, and gently stir the food.

Hearty lentil porridge is an excellent independent meal, which we use as a side dish if necessary.

Delicious first course

Turkish bulgur, lentil chorba, stews and puree soups, vegetarian and lenten dishes - your eyes widen from this abundance of first courses. And each of them will be the most delicious, aromatic and healthy!

Grocery list:

• vegetable oil;
• potatoes - 6 pcs.;
• smoked pork ribs - 500 g;
• lentil beans - 200 g;
• salt, herbs;
• sweet carrots, onion.

Preparation procedure:

1. We wash the pork on the bones well, put it in a saucepan, fill it with filtered water, and boil until cooked. We take out the ribs, separate the tasty meat, and cut it into portions.
2. Peel and rinse the vegetables, chop the onion into half rings, and finely grate the carrots. Fry the food in aromatic oil.
3. Place chopped potato wedges into the broth and add pre-soaked and washed lentils. Boil the food until almost done, then season with salt, add the vegetable mixture and bay leaf. After 5 minutes of heating, turn off the heat.

We serve the fragrant lentil soup hot, and “green” the plates of food with chopped leaves of fragrant plants.

Lentil cutlets

A simple and tasty recipe for mouth-watering products will result in a dish that is very reminiscent of a meat dish.

List of components:

• garlic cloves - 2 pcs.;
• egg;
• vegetable oil;
• bulb onions;
• green lentils - a glass;
• oat flakes - 40 g;
• breadcrumbs - 150 g;
• a pinch of salt, pepper;
• coriander, cumin - 1 tsp each.

Cooking process:

1. To obtain a tasty and high-quality dish, be sure to sort out the lentils and remove all foreign inclusions. Wash the beans well and soak for half an hour. Place the swollen product in 2 liters of boiling drinking water, cook for 30 minutes until ready.
2. Season the hot grains with spices and salt, then grind with a blender. Add crushed garlic, chopped onion, oatmeal, and egg. Mix the mixture thoroughly with your hands.
3. Heat a frying pan with vegetable oil, take a portion of the cooked minced meat with a spoon, and coat with breadcrumbs. Place the product in hot fat, press down lightly, creating a round or oblong shape. Add a few more lentil cutlets and quickly fry on all sides until beautifully browned.

Serve the hot dish with homemade sour cream or sauce.

Diet salad with lentils

The presented dish well stimulates the metabolic processes occurring in the body. This means that our waist will be thin, and our body will be beautiful and attractive.

Product set:

• vegetable oil;
• Feta cheese - 250 g;
• fresh pumpkin - 350 g;
• pre-boiled lentils - 250 g;
• spices, Provençal herbs (1.5 tsp).

Cooking features:

1. Cut off the rough rind from the pumpkin, wash it well, dry it with napkins, and remove the seeds and fibers with a spoon. Cut the vegetable into small cubes, which we immediately fry in vegetable oil along with Provençal herbs.
2. Place the pre-boiled beans in a serving bowl, add pieces of pumpkin, and add the desired spices. Gently stir the food, then pour in fresh oil.

All that remains is to put crumbled Feta cheese on a diet salad with lentils and enjoy eating a portion of the tasty and healthy dish.

Tomato soup with beans

For lovers of first courses with the addition of tomatoes, we have prepared a recipe for a luxurious soup with valuable grains. Strengthen your immune system and restore your peace of mind!

Required components:

• ready-made meat broth - up to 2 l;
• tomato, carrots, potatoes - 1 pc.;
• lentils - 200 g;
• a pinch of salt;
• peppercorns;
• laurel - 3 pcs.

Cooking technology:

1. Pour the meat broth into the pan, and after it starts boiling, drop the pre-processed lentils into it. If we have green beans at our disposal, we add them first to the soup. Throw in laurel leaves, a few peppercorns and boil the ingredients for up to 25 minutes.
2. Next, lay out the potatoes, cut into cubes, and carrots, chopped into strips. Continue cooking for another 10 minutes until the root vegetable pieces are soft.
3. Now it's the tomato's turn. Place tomato slices in the soup, add chopped herbs, and season the dish with pepper and salt. After 7 minutes of additional heating, turn off the heat.

Serve the first dish hot. Onions - 2 pcs.

Cooking method:

1. We wash the beans well, place them in a spacious bowl, add filtered water (400 ml) and heat to a boil. Remove the foam and reduce the heat to low. Cook the lentils for 40 minutes, then drain in a colander to drain all excess moisture.
2. Cook the mushrooms for a quarter of an hour in boiling salted water, then drain the liquid.
3. We clean and wash the vegetables. Pass the garlic cloves through a press, cut the onion into cubes, chop the carrots into strips or grate them coarsely. Sauté the slices for 5 minutes, then add the champignons.
4. Fry the food until pleasantly golden brown, add the lentils and chopped herbs. Mix the ingredients of the dish, heat for another 3 minutes covered, turn off the heat.

Place the aromatic food on plates and serve hot.

Lentils with chicken and bell pepper

Poultry dishes are the most favorite foods, however, if you cook lentils along with chicken and vegetables, our feelings will increase many times over.

List of ingredients;

• Sweet pepper;
• garlic cloves - 2 pcs.;
• chicken fillet - 400 g;
• green lentils - 300 g;
• onion - 1 pc.;
• olive oil - 20 ml;
• salt, dry spices.

Cooking steps:

1. Place the washed beans in a bowl, pour in 600 ml of boiling water and simmer for 35 minutes. At the end of the process, season the food with salt.
2. Chop the peeled vegetables into small pieces, finely chop the garlic cloves, fry the slices in vegetable oil, then add the chicken fillet divided into small pieces. Sprinkle the food with spices, salt and pepper. Cook the food for another 10 minutes, being careful not to dry out the poultry meat.
3. Mix boiled lentils with chicken fillet cooked in vegetables and garnish with chopped herbs.

Serve the dish with tomato paste or sauce, which has a delicate taste and subtle aroma.

Lentils are soft beans that are sold dried. It can be consumed in the form of porridges, soups, side dishes, stews, and cutlets. But to achieve an unforgettable taste of a dish made from 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 the traditional method on the stove.

How long to cook lentils until tender?

Before cooking lentils, you need to sort them, separating debris, pieces of earth, and husks. For convenience, place 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: do they need to soak the lentils before cooking? In order for the grains to retain their shape and not become too 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 range from 10 to 45 minutes. If you purchased chopped beans, then after 10-20 minutes you will get a porridge-like mass. These lentils cook quickly, so they are ideal for pureed soups. You can increase the cooking of whole beans to 45 minutes, leaving the lentils to simmer under the lid until completely softened.

Features of cooking red, black, green and yellow lentils

There are about 11 varieties of lentils, which 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 the benefits of lentils and how to cook them. The benefits include 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 made from these beans is beneficial for:

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

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

How to cook lentils in a slow cooker

To avoid taking up a lot of personal time, we recommend using a multicooker. This unique multifunctional device will allow you to get the finished dish without additional difficulties. You need to prepare the necessary ingredients and place them in the multicooker bowl. For preparation 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 into the multicooker bowl and stir with a plastic spatula.
2. Modern multicookers are equipped with many functions, including the “Multicook” mode. Select this function, close the top lid of the device and you have one hour of free time while the equipment prepares a delicious 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 separately in the form of hearty porridges or in complex culinary creations. To diversify your breakfasts or surprise your family for dinner, prepare dishes based on lentils. You can make cutlets, a side dish for meat, and there are also recipes that tell in detail how to combine lentils with other types of cereals and vegetables.

Recommendation: 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. It is recommended to salt and pepper lentil dishes at the very end of cooking.

How to make puree soup

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

• red lentil beans – 200 g;
• chicken broth - 2 cups;
• finely chopped red onion (medium) – 1 pc.;
• spoon 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;
• immersion blender;
• pot.

The puree soup is prepared using the following technology:

1. In a large saucepan, combine lentils, broth, onion, carrots, garlic, tomato paste, cumin, pepper and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables and beans are completely cooked through. This will take approximately 25 minutes.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and quickly puree the soup ingredients with an immersion blender. You should end up with a puree-like mass. When blending, be careful not to splatter the hot soup; use low speed.
4. Then you need to add salt and squeeze a slice of lemon. If desired, you can decorate the top with mint leaves.

Lentils with chicken

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 onion.

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

1. Prepare the chicken breast by removing the bones and skin from the fillet.
2. Cut the meat into large pieces and fry with chopped onions and tomato paste. Cook the chicken breast for about 10 minutes.
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. To give the dish a beautiful color and rich taste, add a teaspoon of curry.

How to deliciously cook lentils with vegetables

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

• 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 add chopped garlic, ginger and curry to a heated frying pan.
3. After a couple of minutes, add the carrots and potatoes, which were previously cut into cubes. You need to cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Then place the lentils in the pan and pour the broth over everything.
5. After five minutes, you can serve, garnishing with a slice of lime on top.

How to make lentil porridge correctly

Lentil porridges are distinguished by the presence of a large amount of vitamins. To properly prepare 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 the pan for a glass of beans. Also, do not use split beans for porridge because they quickly turn into puree. Add water to the lentils and 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.

Lentil dishes for weight loss

The peculiarity of these beans is that they do not contain fat. The calorie content of cooked lentils reaches only 111 kcal. Therefore, you can use the lentil diet to normalize your weight. Eating porridge daily will promote 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 an onion;
• carrots, grated – 1 pc.;
• vegetable oil – 2 tbsp. l.;

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

Lentil cutlets: the best recipe with photos

You can replace traditional meat cutlets with lentil ones. 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 need to be prepared in advance. To ensure everything goes quickly and accurately, adhere to the following list:

• red or green lentils - half a cup.
• coarse salt - a pinch.
• two large eggs.
• one cup 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 three glasses of water over the lentils and bring to a boil. The entire 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, grated carrots and parsley into a blender jar. Mix everything until smooth.

1. Next, heat a large frying pan with oil. Form the lentil cutlets into a small round shape, lightly rolling them in breadcrumbs. Carefully place in the pan and fry on one side until crispy and browned. It takes approximately 4 minutes to cook. Then you need to turn the cutlets over to the other side and repeat the frying process.

1. Remove the finished lentil cutlets from the frying pan into a separate container. When they have cooled, place them on a large plate previously decorated with lettuce leaves. You can pour sour cream or mayonnaise on top of the cutlets, sprinkle with chopped red onion and parsley.

Video recipe: The most delicious lentil side dish

Lentil beans are ideal for preparing various dishes, as well as side dishes for meat and 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 explains in detail an amazing recipe for making a side dish. The exact proportions of the necessary ingredients for this dish are also provided so that you can repeat it at home.

We present various lentil dishes with simple and tasty recipes that won’t be difficult to prepare. This is an affordable product that allows you to diversify your diet. Unlike buckwheat, peas or the usual rice, the word “lentils” still remains unusual for many. Despite the fact that this flat seed of an annual plant belonging to the legume family can be seen on the shelves of many stores, not everyone knows how to prepare it correctly.

Beneficial properties of lentils

So, how to cook lentils so that their consumption brings as many benefits as possible? Before you begin the process of cooking this plant, it is worth considering its beneficial properties. The most important fact is that lentils are environmentally friendly. No matter what environment this plant grows in, it does not accumulate toxic elements. Even under unfavorable conditions, lentils are not saturated with nitrates or radionuclides. This quality makes it completely harmless to health and especially useful for nutritional purposes.

In addition, this product should be added to your diet for the following health problems:

• diseases;
• disruptions in the digestive tract;
• urolithiasis disease;
• high blood sugar.

Lentil cutlets

If you want to pamper yourself with lentil dishes, culinary experts offer simple and tasty recipes in a wide variety. Many vegetarians have already appreciated such a simple but very tasty dish as lentil-based cutlets. To prepare them, just have a small amount of ingredients on hand:

• lentils – 200 g
• - 1 PC.
• potatoes – 1 pc.
• flour – 2 tbsp. l.
• vegetable oil – about 50 g.

These are the main components of the dish. You need to add spices and herbs to taste:

• garlic – 2 cloves
• turmeric – 1 tsp.
• parsley – ½ bunch
• – ½ bunch
• pepper and salt to taste.

Step 1

The lentils should be thoroughly washed and then poured with boiling water. It should be cooked for at least half an hour until fully cooked.

Step 2

Carrots and potatoes must be boiled (this can be done in any convenient way, including in the microwave). When they are completely ready, they should be cleaned.

Step 3

Next, you will need a blender to grind the selected herbs, as well as garlic.

Step 4

Add boiled potatoes and carrots to the blender with garlic and herbs. Next, all ingredients should be thoroughly chopped.

Step 5

Then the main component of the dish is added - lentils. All ingredients are ground again. Next, flour and spices, salt and pepper to taste are added to the finished lentil puree and other ingredients.

Step 6

The resulting lentil porridge is ready for forming cutlets. They should be fried on both sides in vegetable oil.

This hearty lentil dish is a simple and delicious recipe. These cutlets go well with any vegetables.

How to cook green lentils?

Green lentils are the most flavorful variety. Cooks most often use this type of plant, because even after cooking it perfectly retains its shape and does not become overcooked. Green lentils will take a little longer to cook than other lentils, but you'll end up with a bold-flavored base for many different dishes. The cooking process is quite simple.

First you need to sort through all the beans and remove those that seem spoiled. Next, they should be washed thoroughly, and then placed in a deep pan and filled with water. It should be noted that two glasses of water will be enough for one glass of beans. Green lentils must be cooked over low heat until fully cooked. Immediately after the water boils, add 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil. The beans need to be stirred from time to time. Before removing the pan from the heat, add salt to taste to the water.

If you are wondering how to cook brown lentils, the process will be similar. The only difference is that this variety cooks much faster, so the cooking process will take less time.

If you add salt to the water at the end of cooking any type of lentil, you can significantly shorten the cooking process. If you do this at the beginning, the cooking time will increase significantly.

Lentil roast video recipe

Lentil salad

This ancient culture is suitable for preparing a range of healthy dishes. If you don’t have a lot of time for culinary delights, then you should pay attention to the salad recipe, which is based on lentils. There are many variations of this dish. The classic version includes the following ingredients:

• lentils – 100 g
• tomatoes – 1 pc.
• bell pepper – 1 pc.
• cucumbers – 1 pc.
• red onion – 1 pc.
• greens - to taste.

You will also need a small amount of ingredients to prepare the dressing:

• olive oil – 1 tbsp. l.
• salt - to taste
• lemon juice - to taste
• pepper - to taste.

Step 1

Boil the lentils in the usual way (cooking time depends on the variety). Next, drain the water and rinse the beans with cold water.

Step 2

Cut the bell pepper and onion into cubes.

Step 3

Cut the cucumber and tomatoes into small cubes.

Step 4

Mix all ingredients prepared for dressing. Mix all the prepared ingredients and pour over the sauce. Mix everything thoroughly.

Step 5

Sprinkle the finished salad with lemon juice and garnish with herbs.

Lentils: side dish recipes

Among lovers of proper nutrition, lentils are often used as a side dish. To diversify its taste, you should not limit yourself to just cooking beans. You can add a range of ingredients to them to help unleash their full flavor potential. So, boiled lentils go well with onions fried in vegetable oil and stewed carrots, tomatoes and. After you mix all the ingredients, you should add coriander and herbs to them. As for salt and pepper, they are added to taste. The ready-made side dish will be an excellent addition to fish, chicken or beef dishes.

Lentils in a slow cooker

A slow cooker is another easy way to cook aromatic and tasty lentils. It makes the cooking process easier and eliminates the possibility that the beans will burn. The protein contained in lentils does not coagulate. Pre-soaking the grains is not required. Just sort them out and rinse them with cold water. The optimal ratio of the proportions of water and the crop itself is 2:1. This will preserve the shape of the grains, make them soft and pleasant to the taste.

In the multicooker, select the “Stew” mode. For this, it is recommended to use boiling water, as this will make the cooking process uniform. It is advisable to add salt five minutes before the grains are ready.

Unlike rice or potatoes, lentils are very rarely served as a separate dish. Most often it is combined with various vegetables, adding herbs and spices. This enhances the characteristic flavor of lentils.

Lentils cooked in a slow cooker retain their properties better. This dish is suitable for those who are watching their weight. Lentil grains allow you to satisfy hunger for a long time, while being low in calories. This legume contains useful acids, which have a beneficial effect on health.

Lentil dishes - video

Unfortunately, lentils are not very common, largely due to lack of knowledge of recipes and characteristics.

Several of the world's most popular varieties can be roughly divided into green, red and brown lentils.

Yes, very simple, much simpler than other legumes.

The colors of lentils differ in cooking time: green - it takes a little longer to cook, but it practically does not boil over. Red and brown lentils cook much faster: dropped into boiling water, these lentils will cook in 20-25 minutes. Lentils, unlike their relatives peas and beans, do not need to be soaked. When cooking, it is not salted, like all legumes, since salt will slow down the process.

Before you start cooking lentils, you need to sort them out and rinse them in several waters. Boil by adding twice as much water: for a glass of lentils - 2 glasses of water. During the cooking process, you need to stir the lentils a couple of times. There are no special tricks in preparation, but the result is unexpected.

#1: The easiest way to make lentils is lentil soup.

Very nourishing and nutritious soups with this product are prepared very simply, according to the usual “soup” scheme: place chopped potatoes and sorted and washed lentils in a saucepan, add water (boiling water is a good idea). While the base is cooking, fry onions and carrots; tomato is welcome, but does not dominate. When the potatoes are ready (about 15 minutes from the start of boiling), add onions and carrots, spices, including salt and pepper. That's all! When serving, sprinkle with herbs. You can serve it with croutons, but it’s also good without them.

Soups are perfectly varied by adding other ingredients, for example, pumpkin, pre-fried with onions and carrots, pickles or tomatoes (preferably green and strong), all kinds of smoked meats, sausages, and of course - natural meat, leeks, cheese. Listing can take a lot of space and time. It all depends on the imagination and capabilities of the hostess.

No. 2. for second courses.

The basis of the second course is almost always boiled lentils, which, when ready, are thrown into a colander, allowing the water to drain, and then seasoned to taste, stewed with other ingredients, baked, that is, brought to complete readiness.

It is good to cook lentils for second courses by adding onions (chopped or whole), garlic (preferably whole), herbs tied in a bunch, and spices that you like best to the water. The sacred rite begins when the lentils are almost completely ready. We strain the liquid and get creative.

A good, very simple recipe for cooking lentils: fry a few sausages (cut as you like), you can add bacon or lard, throw the lentils into the frying pan and simmer lightly under a lid over low heat. At the end, you can add cream or sour cream, or you can do without it. As a change: this dish perfectly accepts sweet and sour berries and fruits, for example, plums, cherry plums, currants, acquiring a completely unusual taste and appearance.

Another simple recipe for preparing lentils: mix the finished product with fried onions, a clove of garlic, passed through a press, spices to taste, form cutlets, roll in flour (preferably in lezone) and fry until brown. With Chili or Tartar sauce - great both cold and hot.

Lentils with meat can take a dominant place on the table. It is better to bring the meat almost completely cooked in advance, then add the lentils.

Sprinkle the leg with flour, place it in a thick-walled vessel (such as a cauldron or a duck pot), which already contains a finely chopped onion and a few cloves of garlic, fill it with water or broth and cook over low heat for about 1 hour after boiling. The so-called simmering of lamb. After an hour, open, add lentils (4 legs - 300 grams), add tomatoes - fresh or stewed, spices, salt, you can add or just fried red bell pepper and cook for another 30 minutes under the lid on low heat. At the very end, sprinkle generously with plenty of chopped parsley. A couple more minutes - and the smell will drive anyone who comes close to such a dish crazy!

With pork or beef, the procedure is the same: almost ready meat plus lentils plus additives from the housewife-craftswoman - and simmer over low heat until fully cooked.

Mushrooms are perfect as an additive: fried, stewed, with or without onions, mushrooms perfectly complement lentils.

No. 3. Lentils in salads.

Green (French) lentils are perfect for salads; they practically do not boil over and are in perfect harmony with other ingredients.

Boiled green lentils resemble coins. Therefore, here is a recipe for “Money Salad” that can be prepared for any occasion (and without it).

Boil a glass of green lentils (see previous recipes). Steam a handful of dried apricots, cut into strips and fry with one onion in vegetable oil. Chop a handful of walnuts. Add strained lentils, nuts, salt, pepper, spices to taste to the frying pan with onions and dried apricots, simmer a little under a tightly closed lid (4-5 minutes). Cool. Salad with “coins” is ready!

With the current availability of information, everyone will be able to choose their own recipe for cooking lentils, this undeservedly forgotten magnificent product!