What can you cook with lentils as a side dish? How to cook lentils for a side dish? Black Lentil and Chickpea Curry

Despite the fact that lentils are a very healthy and nutritious product, today they are not so often found on our lunch menus. However, our ancestors - both the poor and peasants, and the rich and nobles - paid tribute to dishes made from this variety of legumes. By the way, in pre-revolutionary times, Russia ranked first in the world in lentil production. Meanwhile, these legumes are one of the highest quality sources of vegetable protein, which is especially important if you observe church fasts. So, today we decided to offer you several options for a side dish. If you want to diversify your menu with a very healthy and tasty product, be sure to use one of the recipes.

Red lentils: recipes

A side dish made from this variety of legumes turns out to be tasty, nutritious, satisfying and will certainly appeal to everyone at home. So, to prepare the second we need the following products: half a kilo of red lentils, one and a half liters of water, one carrot and onion, a couple of spoons of tomato sauce or paste, a teaspoon of turmeric, a couple of cloves of garlic, vegetable oil, salt, pepper, dried parsley and cumin .

Cooking process

Boil water, add lentils to it and cook for 15 minutes over low heat. At the same time, fry pre-grated carrots and garlic, as well as finely chopped onion. Then add spices and tomato sauce, stir and remove from heat. Add the sautéed lentils to the boiled lentils, add salt and simmer over low heat for a few more minutes. The delicious side dish is ready! It will go well with both meat dishes and vegetable salad. This option for how to cook lentils as a side dish is very easy and quick and is suitable even for novice housewives. Bon appetit!

from green lentils

We bring to your attention another recipe from this variety of legumes. This side dish of green lentils combined with pasta is of Egyptian origin and has a magnificent and rich taste. So, in order to pamper yourself and your loved ones with a similar dish, we first need to prepare the following ingredients: 200 grams of green lentils, 200 grams of pasta, 700 grams of tomatoes (you can take both fresh and canned), three onions, a clove of garlic, vegetable oil, salt, pepper, cumin, turmeric and coriander to taste. From this quantity of products you can prepare four servings of the dish.

Fill the beans with water at the rate of two glasses of water per one glass of lentils and boil for 40 minutes over low heat. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a small saucepan or saucepan and add crushed coriander and cumin seeds, fry them for a few seconds. Then add boiled lentils and mix. Cut the onion into half rings and fry in a frying pan with four tablespoons of vegetable oil until golden brown. Add a teaspoon of sugar to the onion, increase the heat and continue to fry, stirring constantly, until crispy and brown. Then transfer it to a paper napkin or towel to absorb excess fat. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a frying pan and add finely chopped garlic, turmeric, tomatoes, add a little salt and cook for about 10 minutes over low heat. We should have a slightly thickened sauce. Place lentils on top of pre-boiled pasta, then tomato sauce and crispy onions. You can also sprinkle the dish with parsley or cilantro. This was another option for how to cook lentils as a side dish. Be sure to try this delicious and healthy dish!

How to cook lentil porridge

This dish can be very useful to you if you are fasting, as this porridge is very filling and contains the required amount of vegetable proteins. So, to prepare this dish we will need the following ingredients: a glass of red lentils, a bunch of cilantro, dill and parsley, one and a half glasses of water, an onion, two cloves of garlic, salt and vegetable oil.

Cooking process

Pour the lentils with water and after boiling, cook over low heat until tender. At this time, finely chop the greens. Fry finely chopped onion in vegetable oil until it turns golden and add garlic. Add the prepared lentils to the onion and garlic and fry for a minute. Then pour the chopped herbs into the porridge, add salt, mix and let it brew under the lid for a quarter of an hour. The most delicious Lenten dish is ready!

Lentils in a slow cooker: recipe

If you are the happy owner of such a kitchen appliance, then you probably know that you can cook a whole lot of different dishes in it. These include soups, cereals, and baked goods. Next, we suggest learning how to cook lentils in a slow cooker. If you decide to treat yourself to a delicious side dish of this variety of legumes, then you will need the following ingredients: a multi-cup of red lentils, a medium-sized onion, 2.5 multi-cups of plain water, carrots, salt, ground black pepper, and vegetable oil.

Cooking process

Peel and finely chop the onion. Turn on the “Baking” mode and fry the onion for about five minutes in vegetable oil, stirring constantly. Peel the carrots, grate them, add to the frying onions and cook for another 10 minutes. Rinse the lentils in cold water and add to the fried vegetables. Fill with water, salt and pepper. Stir, close the lid of the multicooker and set the “Buckwheat” mode. Very soon a delicious and nutritious side dish will be ready.

Today we have given several recipes for how to cook lentils as a side dish. However, this variety of legumes can also be an independent dish. For example, many people love lentil soups. As a rule, they are prepared in the form of a puree, adding tomatoes, peppers and various seasonings. Such dishes contain few calories, but at the same time they are very filling and tasty. Therefore, people who watch their figure will certainly like them.

Red lentils belong to the legume family. It makes simple and delicious dishes. Due to the absence of fat and high protein content, red lentils can be included in the diet of even a person who is losing weight. But how to cook red lentils? You will find out the answer to this question by reading this article.

Ingredients

Red lentils 1 stack Carrot 1 piece(s) Bulb onions 1 piece(s) Salt 1 tsp Vegetable oil 1 tbsp. Ground black pepper 2 pinches

Number of servings: 4
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Red lentil porridge with carrots

The recipe for this porridge will appeal to those who save their time and watch their figure.

Ingredients:

Red lentils – 1.5 cups;

Carrots – 1 pc.;

Onions – 1 pc.;

Salt – 1 tsp;

Vegetable oil – 1 tbsp. l.;

Ground black pepper (to taste).

Before using, lentils must be rinsed well under running water. Next, fill it with water in a ratio of 1:2 (1 part red lentils to 2 parts water). Add salt, pepper and bring to a boil. Afterwards, you need to reduce the heat on the stove to the minimum level.

How long should you cook red lentils so that the porridge does not burn? About 20-30 minutes. While it is cooking, grate the carrots on a coarse grater and finely chop the onions. Place vegetables in a preheated frying pan greased with vegetable oil and fry until golden brown. After that, add them to the finished porridge and mix. The dish is ready.

This porridge can also be used as a side dish.

Lentils with Brazilian tomatoes

How to cook red lentils for a side dish without using a stove? You can use a microwave oven for this. This method of cooking lentils is borrowed from Brazilian cuisine.

Ingredients:

Red lentils – 0.5 tbsp.;

Tomato – 2 pcs.;

Onions – 0.5 pcs.;

Salt – 0.25 tsp;

Olive oil – 1 tbsp;

Ground black pepper -0.25 tsp.

Lemon juice – 1 tsp.

Wash the lentils and soak them in water for half an hour. After this time, place the workpiece in a microwave oven set to maximum power for 10 minutes. Before doing this, you need to make sure that the water covers the lentils by at least 2-3 cm. Scald the tomatoes with boiling water and peel them. Next, cut them together with the onion into small pieces, mix with olive oil and place in the microwave for 5-6 minutes. The tomatoes should become soft. After that, salt and pepper them, pour lemon juice over them to add a piquant taste and add to the lentils. After mixing, place the dish in the microwave again for 2-3 minutes. The Brazilian side dish is ready.

Healthy and satisfying lentils cook quite quickly. It is ideal as a side dish in both summer and winter. Warming, nutritious, incredibly tasty and versatile! These beans go well with vegetables, which is why vegetarians love them. But they can be served with both fish and meat.

How to cook lentils for a side dish

How to cook:

How to deliciously cook green lentils with vegetables

It will take 1 hour to prepare.

How many calories - 157.

How to cook:

Wash the beans, cover them with water and boil until almost done. You need to cook under the lid ajar for about half an hour, keep the heat low.
Remove the husks from the bulbs and chop them into thin feathers.
Chop carrots without peel into strips.
Pour olive oil into the pan and heat it, then add the onion and cook for three minutes.
Add chopped carrots and cook for another five minutes.
Peel and wash all the vegetables, and then chop them into strips larger than carrots.
Transfer to the pan and simmer for another twenty minutes.
Finely chop the garlic and stir it into the vegetables, season.
Next, add the prepared lentils and cook for another ten minutes, stirring from time to time.
Serve with chopped parsley.

How to cook red lentils with onions

It will take 45 minutes to prepare.

How many calories – 216.

How to cook:

Clean the beans and then rinse them.
Boil water in a small saucepan and add the beans. There must be twice as much water.
Cook over low heat, covered, for about twenty minutes.
At this time, you need to grate the peeled carrots, using a coarse grater.
Finely chop the garlic and onion without peeling.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the vegetables. To get a more tender dish, you should use a ceramic frying pan.
Fry until soft for four minutes and then stir in the spices and tomato paste.
Stir the prepared beans into the soft vegetables, add the garlic. You can add a little water.
Simmer covered for another five minutes.
Let it sit for fifteen minutes before serving.

Recipe for a side dish with champignons

It will take 25 minutes to prepare.

How many calories - 93.

How to cook:

Coarsely grate the carrots without peel.
Chop the onion into feathers.
Cut the cleaned mushrooms into slices, not too thin.
Fry carrots and onions in hot olive oil for 2-3 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and cook for another seven minutes. There is no need to stir often.
Wash the beans and add them to the pan, stir.
Pour the specified amount of boiling water. Season. Cover with a lid and cook for fifteen minutes.
When the water completely disappears, you need to add chopped garlic to the products. You can also add greens.
Leave for five minutes and then serve.

How to cook in cream sauce

How many calories - 179.

How to cook:

Pour approximately 800 ml of water over the washed beans. Place on the fire and after boiling, cook for approximately fifteen minutes.
Place the lentils in a sieve or colander; save about a glass of the broth, it will be useful later.
Chop the peeled onions into large cubes.
Cut the carrots without peel into small cubes.
Both of these products need to be fried in a small amount of sunflower oil.
Cut the peeled garlic in half.
Add lentils and the reserved broth to the softened vegetables. Stir and season, add garlic.
Finely chop the dill and add it here.
Next, add a little butter and simmer for five minutes.
Shake the cream and pour it in, give it time to soak the beans.
Stir and serve.

Lentil side dish in creamy tomato sauce

It will take 35 minutes to prepare.

How many calories - 127.

How to cook:

Boil beans according to package instructions. They must first be sorted out.
Chop the shallot into thin rings. You also need to chop the garlic.
Mix both types of oil in a frying pan and heat, then add the shallots with garlic and fry a little.
Peel the ginger and finely grate it or blend it with a blender.
Add tomato puree and ginger to the sautéed onions, stir and let it boil.
After this, place the prepared beans here and season.
Pour in the whipped cream and stir.
Let it boil, then add all the finely chopped greens.
Stir and immediately remove from heat and place on plates. Can be served as a separate dish.

Cooking tricks

Quite original ingredients are often added to lentils: fried bacon, white wine, cucumbers, olives, mustard, mint, sesame paste, etc. Sometimes beans are even wrapped in pita bread and served as rolls, added to soups, casseroles, and pies. Oriental sauces, such as soy or teriyaki, are often added to it. All this can be supplemented with the standard side dish from the first recipe.

Beans are quite difficult for the body to digest, so it is better to eat them for lunch. People with digestive problems should soak the lentils for several hours, or better yet, overnight, before cooking. After this, cook as usual. While soaking, you should leave the beans in a warm place.

In order for the product to be better absorbed, it is worth using the following spices: ginger, turmeric, coriander, asafoetida, ground black pepper.

Tender lentils are an excellent source of protein. It cooks faster than beans or peas, has an excellent taste and is easily combined with different foods. It’s worth trying to cook this and include it in your diet forever!

My first acquaintance with lentil food happened at the University. Since my school years, I knew that lentils were used as food, but seeing a weed with that name, I could not imagine it. Let me remind you that I grew up and live in Siberia. So, while studying at the University, for some reason they suddenly sent us some kind of humanitarian aid. Which included a five-liter tin of vegetable oil, two kilograms of rice and two kilograms of green lentils. All products are of excellent quality. I first tried the lentil side dish that will be discussed then.

Ingredients for the lentil side dish (for dinner for four people):

two glasses of water

vegetable oil

if you have it, you can add tomato and bell pepper

Preparing the lentil side dish:

I'll tell you the recipe that I prepared. I think you can diversify it with tomatoes and peppers if you wish. Wash the lentils and soak in boiling water. Leave for 40-50 minutes. Or do not brew the lentils, but then you will need to increase the cooking time. Pour water over the lentils, add salt, put on the fire and bring to a boil. Cook until done. Cooking times vary for different varieties. As a rule, lentils are cooked for 15 to 25 minutes. Unlike, it is very difficult to spoil it during cooking.

While the lentils are cooking, peel the carrots and onions. Grate the carrots on a coarse grater, finely chop the onion and fry it all in vegetable oil. It is at this point that you can add tomatoes and bell peppers (I simply didn’t have them on hand).

Lentils are a favorite product of those who prefer to use natural, healthy foods in their diet. In terms of nutritional properties, this variety of legumes ranks first among similar crops. But, before serving, you need to know how to prepare lentils as a side dish so that they retain their taste and benefits.

Lentils have a lot of useful and unique properties. It contains a large amount of protein, which eliminates the feeling of hunger for a long time. Lentils are an excellent natural antidepressant. It is recommended to be consumed for diabetes, problems of the cardiovascular system and digestive disorders. It is especially useful for women to include lentils in their diet, as they are an excellent preventive measure for breast cancer.

The vegetable is very good as a side dish for meat or fish dishes; it goes well with pumpkin, cabbage, and potatoes. To serve with poultry, it is best to combine lentils in equal quantities with rice.

How to cook lentils?

Cooking these legumes does not take as much time as it might seem at first. The most important thing is to pre-soak the grains in warm water for at least 1 hour.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. lentils;
2 tbsp. water;
2 carrots;
1 onion;
vegetable oil;
salt pepper.

Preparation:

Thanks to the special sauce and seasonings, the grains are soft, aromatic, and the dish as a whole is very rich in taste and extremely satisfying.

Ingredients:

250 g lentils;
4 tbsp. l. olive oil (preferably cold pressed);
2 onions;
3 tomatoes;
50 g fresh parsley;
½ lemon;
salt pepper.

Preparation:

Soak the lentil grains in water - for 4 hours if it is cold. For convenience, you can reduce the time by pouring boiling water over the beans. In this case, keeping them in water for 60 minutes is enough. When the lentils swell, place them in a colander to drain all the water.
Finely chop the onion. Peel the tomatoes and finely chop the pulp.
In a deep frying pan or saucepan, heat half the oil and first fry the onion, then add the tomato pulp and simmer for about 3 minutes.
Add lentil beans to the vegetables, pour in 1 tbsp. warm water, reduce heat to low and simmer, covering all ingredients with a lid, for about half an hour.
Divide the lemon into 2 equal parts. Squeeze the juice from one half, sprinkle it over the prepared lentils and season with the remaining oil and finely chopped parsley.

Green lentils for dinner

A side dish of this variety of lentils can be served as an independent dish or a full vegetarian dinner if you replace the butter with olive or vegetable oil.

Ingredients:

1.5 tbsp. green lentils;
5 tbsp. water;
1 onion;
1 carrot;
2 cloves of garlic;
thyme;
salt pepper;
butter.

Preparation:

Pour water over the lentils, add a little salt and cook over medium heat until soft.
Fry finely chopped garlic in oil, turn the heat to low, add more butter, melt it and simmer the onions and carrots in it (do not remove the garlic).
Don't overcook the lentils. It should become soft, but not lose its shape. Drain the liquid from the finished product, add it to the vegetables, add thyme.
Increase the heat to medium and fry the vegetables, stirring vigorously.

Delicious red lentil snack

From this culture you can prepare a wonderful sweet and spicy side dish, which can be served at the table or separately as an appetizer.

Ingredients:

250 g red lentils;
2 peppers;
4 small chili peppers;
1 leek (can be replaced with regular green onions);
2 tbsp. l. oils;
2 cloves of garlic;
2 tbsp. l. curry;
salt pepper.

Preparation:

Red lentils can be cooked without pre-soaking. To do this, wash the grains well, add 0.5 liters of water, salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Then the flame is reduced to a minimum, the dishes are covered and cooked for 15-20 minutes. The beans should become soft.
Cut vegetables (onions, peppers, garlic) as finely as possible. If you decide to replace the leek with regular green onions, there is no need to fry it. Add it to the rest of the vegetables along with the lentils.
In hot oil, fry all the vegetables together, sprinkling them with curry. Fry over low heat for about 5 minutes. Then add the legumes.
Mix all the ingredients well, add the missing salt and pepper and simmer the ingredients on low heat, with the lid closed, for another 10 minutes.