Whether you’re a vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian or are simply looking to eat less meat, lentils are one of those ingredients you should always have in the cupboard. 

Alongside being a brilliant source of plant-based protein, iron and folate, lentils are also packed full of soluble and insoluble fibre, which means they’re fantastic for our gut health and the digestive process.

But to truly enjoy lentils, you need to experiment with flavour. Plain lentils have a rich, earthy taste on their own; pair them with the right ingredients, however, and you can produce a satisfying, nutritious and filling meal that’ll store well in both the fridge and freezer – perfect for saving time during the busy mid-week.

So, whether you’re already a lentil fan or want to start cooking with them for the first time, check out this collection of delicious healthy lentil-based recipes. 

The vitamin C in the apples aids the absorption of iron from the lentils in this warming soup recipe from Jazz Apples. The combination of lentils, bulgur wheat, apples and red pepper makes for a final result that is full of fibre and nutrients.

Ingredients

For the soup:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large white onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 large handful fresh mint, finely chopped
• 240g red lentils
• 120g bulgur wheat
• 4 apples, cored, peeled and diced
• 1 red pepper, seeded and diced
• 1.8 litres of vegetable stock
• Juice of ½ a lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

For the croutons:

• 5 thick slices of bread (you can use stale bread if you want), diced
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp herbs du Provence
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan oven).
2. On a baking tray, add all the crouton ingredients, toss to coat, and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil for five minutes. Add the cumin and fry for a further two minutes. Add all the other ingredients (except croutons and parsley) and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer on a medium heat for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Blend the soup partially (you want it thick and mostly smooth, but still with a few chunks remaining in it).
5. Season it to taste before garnishing with the spiced croutons and freshly chopped parsley.

This delicious galette would work just as well as a dinner party centrepiece as it would as a pre-made lunch option ready for you to dig into throughout the week. The recipe, from Tracklements, delivers plenty of B vitamins, thanks to all the mushrooms, making it great for supporting your energy levels.

Ingredients

• 200g celeriac, trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 200g portobello or field mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 200g chestnut mushrooms
• Knob of butter
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 250g cooked lentils
• 50g pine nuts
• 150g fresh spinach, chopped
• Small bunch parsley, chopped
• 3 tbsp double cream
• 3 tbsp crème fraiche
• 320g ready-rolled puff pastry
• 5 tbsp caramelised onion marmalade
• 1 egg, beaten
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7.
2. Preheat a baking tray (large enough for the celeriac and the sliced mushrooms) whilst preparing the celeriac. In a bowl, toss the celeriac cubes with olive oil, salt and pepper then space out on the baking tray and roast for 20-25 minutes until gently browned and tender. 10 minutes into the cooking time, turn the heat down to 200°C, gently toss the sliced portobello or field mushrooms in one tbsp of seasoned oil and add them to the baking tray for the final 15 minutes. Give them plenty of room so that they roast rather than steam.
3. Meanwhile, pulse the chestnut mushrooms in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Fry with a knob of butter, add the crushed garlic and stir occasionally until all the water has evaporated and the mix is dry. Add the lentils, pine nuts, spinach, parsley (reserve a small amount for decoration at the end), cream and crème fraiche and cook for a further two to five minutes until the mix is a thick consistency. Then add the celeriac, stir and put in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
4. On a lightly-floured surface, roll the ready-rolled pastry a little more and cut out a circle the size of a dinner plate. Spread four tbsps of caramelised onion marmalade onto the pastry, leaving a 5 cm border all around the edge.
5. Spoon the cooled mushroom/celeriac mix on top of the caramelised onion marmalade and finish with the roasted slices of mushroom on the top.
6. Pull in and crimp the pastry around the edge. Work your way around the circumference so that you form a crimped border around the edge of the filling. Brush the edges of the pastry with beaten egg.
7. Bake in the oven for 15 mins until the pastry is golden and cooked. Remove from the oven and brush a tablespoon of melted caramelised onion marmalade mixed with a little hot water over the top. Sprinkle with some fresh parsley to finish.

Perfect for sunny spring days, this tantalising combo of lentils, beetroot and ricotta from Sorted Food’s Sidekick recipe app is rich in iron and vitamin C. To make this colourful recipe fully vegetarian, simply remove the anchovies. 

Ingredients

• 250g ricotta
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 390g tinned green lentils
• 250g cooked beetroot
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 30g tinned anchovies
• 1 lemon
• 30g watercress
• 15g fresh parsley

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C and line a small baking tray with baking paper.
2. Plonk 250g of ricotta onto the tray straight from the packet, keeping it intact. Drizzle over one tbsp of honey and one tbsp of olive oil.
3. Season with a generous pinch of salt, then whack the ricotta into the oven to bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden in places.
4. Drain a 390g tin of lentils through a sieve and rinse under running water. Shake off any excess moisture and chuck into a large mixing bowl. Coarsely grate in 250g of cooked beetroot, then dollop in one tbsp of mustard and 30g of anchovy fillets. Finely grate in the zest of one lemon and squeeze in the juice.
5. Chuck in 30g of watercress and pour in two tbsp of oil. Finely chop 10g of parsley.
6. Throw the parsley into the bowl and toss everything together with a very generous pinch of salt. 
7. Divide the lentil salad between plates and plonk half a baked ricotta onto each mound. Scatter over the remaining parsley, then serve!

Images: Jazz Apples; Tracklements; Sorted Food