Our 15 Best Lentil Recipes

Lentil Salad with a Persian Twist — Photo: France C

Lentils aren't the most glamorous ingredient, but they definitely deserve to be a staple of your pantry. Besides the obvious fact that they're delicious in everything from soups to salads, lentils are also budget-friendly, plant-based, and packed with protein. We've rounded up our top-rated lentil recipes, each with a minimum of 4.5 stars from users, to get you started.

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Lentil Soup with Lemon

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Fresh lemon brightens up this soothing soup. Vegetarian or vegan? Simply substitute vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth.

02 of 16

Tasty Lentil Tacos

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Lentils make a hearty, almost meaty, taco filling. "We are not vegetarian by any means, but even the kids agreed this is a pretty good taco!" says Michelle K.

03 of 16

Lentils and Rice with Fried Onions (Mujadarrah)

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A traditional Middle Eastern dish, mujadarrah is the ultimate comfort food dish of cooked rice and lentils, which is then topped with perfectly caramelized onions.

04 of 16

Lentil and Sausage Soup

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Lentils make the base for this thick soup, but sausage adds rich flavor.

05 of 16

Sicilian Lentil Pasta Sauce

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Think of this recipe as a vegan-friendly bolognese. Lentils cooks down with chunks of zucchini and mushrooms for a hearty sauce that can be served with pasta or even spooned over a thick slice of toasted sourdough.

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Lentil Salad with a Persian Twist

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If you need to switch up your salad game, this is the recipe for you. Krimille says, "It's so light and fresh tasting, yet filling because of the lentils."

07 of 16

Red Lentil Curry

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Lentils are a staple of Indian cuisine and this recipe highlights all the reasons why. It's a vegan curry that's filling, budget-friendly, and perfectly spiced.

08 of 16

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

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Lentils, barley, and walnuts unite for an entirely plant-based spin on traditional shepherd's pie. "Even my husband who loves meat liked this one!" says rspagnolo.

09 of 16

Cumin-Spiced Red Lentil Burgers

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These diverse lentil-based burgers are delicious on a bun, tossed with salad, or stuffed into a pita.

10 of 16

Lentil Soup

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When you're craving something warm and comforting, this soup checks all the boxes. Serve with a side of cornbread for dipping.

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Vegetarian Moussaka

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Lentils make up a layer of this hearty Greek casserole."Just made this and it turned out AMAZING!" says alexgorman. "The filling is surprisingly sweet but adds a lot of body to the dish."

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Mediterranean Lentil Salad

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Great for meal prepping on the weekend for work lunches, this lentil salad only gets tastier the longer it sits.

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Sloppy Sams

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A spin on sloppy joes, this lentil recipe can be made plant-based by using vegetarian Worcestershire sauce.

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Lentil Chili

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Get a serving of both legumes and grains with this simple chili recipe. "This is easy, affordable and very healthy," says user Joyousfreee. "I'm adding it to my regular rotation of meals."

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Delicious Lentil Loaf

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Lightly mashed lentils combine with oats, veggies, and spices for this plant-based loaf recipe. Try leftovers sliced and served in sandwiches.

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State of Home Cooking: Nutrient Rich Foods

We're serving up and celebrating the biggest home-cooking trends from the most enthusiastic cooks we know: our community. We crunched the data from 1.2 billion annual Allrecipes.com visits and 2.5 billion annual page views. Then we dug even further, surveying Allrecipes cooks about what's in their carts and fridges, on their stovetops and tables, and on their minds. Nutrient Rich Foods is just one of the topics they're most curious about. See more of the "State of Home Cooking" special report.

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