Vegetarian Lentil Recipes (Easy + Delicious!)
Is there a single ingredient more versatile than lentils?! I think not – and if you don’t agree, this collection of vegetarian lentil recipes might just convince you. The humble lentil can do absolutely anything – from lentil burgers to lentil stew, lentil pasta to lentil tacos, lentil salad to lentil curry… basically, you can put the word ‘lentil’ in front of basically any food type, and it will make total sense. Go on, try it. I’ve even made lentil pizza!
If you’re new to lentils, you might want to start by reading my posts about the different types of lentils, and how to cook lentils. Or, if you’re already a lentil fangirl (or fanboy) like I am, read on for all the vegetarian lentil recipes (and vegan lentil recipes too!) you’ll ever need.
😕 What’s so Good about Lentils?
- Lentils are the little black dress of the food world – they can be dressed up or down to fit any meal, any cuisine, any occasion… You can bring them to life in totally different ways.
- Lentils are small but mighty – little powerhouses of nutrition. Despite each lentil being absolutely tiny, they’re absolutely packed full of goodness – 100g of dried lentils contains approximately 11 grams of fibre, 25 grams of protein and 7 grams of iron (source: USDA).
- They’re also easy to cook, seriously cheap to buy, and an absolutely delicious way to make hearty, comforting meals.
I’ve organised these recipes depending on what type of lentil they use – red lentils, green or brown lentils (which I’ve grouped together as they can usually be used interchangeably), or canned lentils. So if you have a pack of lentils hanging out in your kitchen cupboard, you can skip straight to the right section for all the inspiration you’ll need.
Let me know which one you’ll make first!
❤️ Recipes using Red Lentils
Cheesy Lentil and Veggie Slice
Seriously Easy Red Lentil Soup
Easy Tarka Dal (Vegan Red Lentil Curry)
Vegetarian Moussaka
Easy Lentil Pizza (with Regular Crust)
Easy Vegan Lentil Loaf
Goat’s cheese and potato lentil gratin
Creamy roasted carrot dal
Cheesy Potato and Lentil Pie
Cheesy Lentil Pasta
Very Veggie Lentil Bake
💚🤎 Recipes using Green or Brown Lentils
Cheesy Slow Cooker Lentils
Vegetarian Lentil Sausage Rolls
Enchilada Lentil Casserole
Easy lentil and halloumi curry
Slow cooker lentil and quinoa tacos
🥫 Recipes using Canned Lentils
Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie
Cheesy Lentil Burgers
Vegetable Moussaka Casserole
Warm lentil and halloumi salad
Walnut and Bean Bolognese
Black bean and lentil vegetarian koftas
❓ Lentil Recipe FAQs
It depends on the recipe, but as a general rule, brown and green lentils are interchangeable. Canned lentils are usually green or brown, so they can be used in place of these lentils in some recipes too – just bear in mind that tinned lentils are already cooked.
Red lentils, on the other hand, have a texture that is quite different from green and brown lentils – they cook down a lot softer, and eventually cook down to mush, which can be really helpful in some recipes. Therefore, red lentils are generally not interchangeable with green or brown. You can read more about different types of lentils here.
Honestly… not a huge amount. Much like lots of other ‘staple’ foods, like rice, beans, chickpeas or pasta, they don’t have an enormous amount of flavour on their own – but that’s what’s so great about them! Dress them up however you like, with your favourite spices, veggies, or anything else you like.
Yes! Lentils are a great source of plant-based protein and fibre. They’re also a great source of iron, and can provide a really amazing base for a healthy vegetarian meal.
Yes! Lentils are naturally gluten-free.
These look great, I can’t wait to start trying them out
Hope you find something to inspire you Ann :)
I’m in the U.S. and as far as I know there aren’t any canned lentils. All the ones I’ve seen are dry, which I prefer. And there aren’t very many colors. The brown ones are common at Walmart where I live, the state of Utah.
Just recently the Walmart where I live got the red lentils (I was so excited!). Anyway, my question is what lentil to use in place of canned?
Oh really! I had no idea you couldn’t get canned lentils in the US. Green or brown lentils would work just fine instead of canned :)