Recipe: Thanksgiving Lentil Salad (2024)

FAQs

What can you add to lentils to make them taste better? ›

You can also add salt, aromatics like a halved onion, herbs, and spices to the pot before the lentils and the water, like beans, or wait until they're done cooking to flavor them.

There's nothing wrong with eating cooked lentils cold; they are often used that way in various salads, such as the salad below with chopped vegetables and watercress. 3 days in the refrigerator is no problem. But I hope that you're eating other foods as well; you might get pretty gassy if that's all you're eating.

Lentils are great in soups, as an addition to salads, and as a vegetarian protein source in recipes traditionally made with meat. Similar to rice, lentils take on whatever flavors you add to the pot. Instead of plain water, cook lentils in a broth or stock.

Lentils are rich in fibre, folate and potassium making them a great choice for the heart and for managing blood pressure and cholesterol. They are also a source of energising iron and vitamin B1 which helps maintain a steady heartbeat.

Lentils have plenty of folate, iron and vitamin B1, which also support your heart health. Lentils may be associated with a lower risk of heart disease, by lowering bad cholesterol and blood pressure. One study found that eating lentils led to greater reductions in blood pressure than eating chickpeas, peas or beans.

Due to their high fiber content, people with certain digestive disorders may need to limit or avoid eating lentils.

Eating lentils can cause gas and bloating because they're high in fiber that your body is unable to break down. While fiber plays a large role in supporting and regulating your digestive system and bowel movements, it can also produce bacteria that leads to cramping and gas pains.

Nutrition Overview

Lentils are high in fibre, and complex carbohydrates, while low in fat and calories. Their high protein content makes lentils a perfect option for those looking to boost their protein intake. They are naturally gluten-free, making them a delicious staple in a gluten-free kitchen.

Black Beluga lentils have the most flavor, adding a rich, earthy taste and a firm texture that holds up well during cooking. Black lentils will be ready in 20–25 minutes; however, they will fall apart like their brown, green, and red partners once you cook them for too long.

But if meat is still on the table for you, pair lentils with fats like duck and pork (think bacon) to add a bit of richness to this mild-flavored legume. Whether you're trying a meatless meal or making a hearty stew, lentils are a go-to pantry staple that deserve to come out of the pantry to shine this winter.

How do you eat lentils as a meal? ›

Lentils Bring Luck

In Mexico this versatile legume is a symbol of abundance and good fortune.

Urad dal or black lentil is one of the most nutritious pulses known to mankind. Low in fat and calories, Urad dal helps to improve digestion. With it being a rich source of protein and vitamin B3, it makes our bones stronger and is said to boost energy levels, enhance heart health and strengthen our nervous system.

There are four main categories of lentils: brown, green, red/yellow, and specialty. Brown lentils are the most common variety – any bag in the grocery store that says “lentils” without any other descriptor is most likely full of brown lentils.

Some garlic, tomato, herbs and 25 minutes is all you need for the most flavorful, perfectly soft lentils.” But the way they come together will make you pause and maybe giggle: You drop a whole, large tomato and four garlic cloves, jackets and all, into the pot with the dry lentils and herbs.

Add aromatics to the water or, even better, use chicken or vegetable stock instead of water. Follow this tip: Add a few cloves of garlic, a bay leaf, a spring of rosemary, half of an onion, or a combination of these aromatics to the cooking water or stock to help flavor the lentils.

Spices – Ground coriander provides warm earthiness, ground cumin has a slight bitterness that goes well with sweet lentils, sumac is astringent with a bit of puckery sourness, and crushed red peppers add a hint of a kick. Any mild to spicy red pepper will work, like Aleppo-style pepper.

Since lentils are starchy, earthy in flavor, and can be on the bland side, there are many ways to make them flavorful, including by adding them into soup. When other ingredients are introduced that complement lentils like onions, garlic, spices, and lemon, the taste is out of this world.