20+ Healthy Green Lentil Recipes

Looking for green lentil recipes? Here are 20+ healthy lentil recipes to try! Everything from curry and soup to salads and tacos, they’re plant-based and full of protein, fiber & flavor.

Hi friends!

A couple of weeks ago I shared 15+ Red Lentil Recipes and you guys were excited to have so many plant-based recipes all in one place. So today I’ve put together another plant-forward roundup using green lentils. 

How To Cook Lentils

I love lentils because they’re a quick-cooking protein and I always make sure to have them in my pantry. There are several different kinds of lentils and they all cook a little bit differently. I love using red lentils in soups and curries because they lose their shape and blend into the soup. For things like tacos and other places I’m looking for more of a ground meat substitute, I prefer green lentils because they hold their shape and are soft but not mushy. 

I never follow the directions on the bag to cook mine because I find it overcooks them. My go-to directions for green lentils are cook in a large pot. They triple in size when cooking so I use 3-4 cups water for every one cup lentils. Put lentils and water in a pot, cover and bring to a boi. Crack the lid, reduce heat to simmer and simmer for 12 minutes. Drain extra water. 

If lentils are hard for you to digest, learn how to sprout lentils and then add them to lentil recipes. 

How To Freeze Lentils

I usually cook a whole bag all at once and freeze the extras because it’s so quick and easy. I make muffins with lentils every week so it’s nice to be able to just pull some out of the freezer and not have to cook them every time. Just cook and cool completely, then portion into Ziploc bags and freeze. I use one cup portions for the muffins and 2 cup portions for other recipes. When ready to use either thaw overnight in the fridge or microwave to defrost.

Here are some recipe ideas for you!

Green lentil recipes

You can easily add lentils to all your favorite soups and Mexican dishes!

Spicy Lentil Nachos via Pinch of Yum

Lentil Vegetable Curry via The Lean Green Bean

Best Lentil Soup via Cookie + Kate

Instant Pot Lentil Tacos via A Couple Cooks

Slow Cooker Lentil Quinoa Chili via Aggie’s Kitchen

Lentil Tabouli Salad via Feasting at Home

Healthy Lentil Recipes

Lentils make a great substitute for ground meat!

Grillable Vegan Sprouted Lentil Burgers via Feasting At Home

French Lentil Nicoise Salad via The Full Helping

Lentil Sloppy Joes via The Lean Green Bean

Salsa Verde Lentil Tacos via Ambitious Kitchen

Trini Chicken Pelau via Sweet & Sorrel

Lentil Minestrone via Peas and Crayons

Lentil Recipes Not Soup

Lentils are great in soup but can also go beyond! Use them to make meatballs, meatloafs, salads and more!

Sunshine Lentil Bowls via Pinch of Yum

Moroccan Lentil Meatballs via Dishing Out Health

Lentil Shepherd’s Pie via Spend with Pennies

Lemony Lentil Salad via Gimme Some Oven

Maple Glazed Lentil Loaf via Eating Bird Food

BBQ Lentil Stuffed Sweet Potatoes via Emilie Eats

 

Instant Pot Lentil Recipes

First learn how to cook them in the Instant Pot to use for any recipe.
How to Cook Lentils In The Instant Pot via Platings & Pairings

Or try these to get started:
Instant Pot Lentil Soup via Well Plated or the Instant Pot Lentil Tacos linked above

Here are two more from my blog to try- including my all-time favorite muffins!

Spicy Sausage Lentil & Kale Soup via The Lean Green Bean
Lentil Banana Muffins via The Lean Green Bean

See something you like? Pin it for later!

Enjoy!

–Lindsay–