Red Lentil Recipes

Red lentils are the softer, sweeter lentil variety. They are the quickest to prepare and cook, and red lentils boast all the health benefits of other lentils. They're a great source of resistant starch, making them a good choice for balancing blood sugars, and prebiotics that feed gut flora to keep your digestive system healthy. The five recipes below will give you new ideas about adding red lentils to your diet.

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Red Lentils with Poached Eggs

Make it a Full Plate Meal: Enjoy your lentils with a poached egg for breakfast. Power Up the meal by adding 2 cups of fresh chopped spinach for more fiber.

75% water-fiber foods – onions, red lentils, diced tomatoes, fresh parsley, spinach
25% foods – egg

Red Lentil Tacos

Make it a Full Plate Meal: Serve two tacos with a side of avocado salsa and corn on the cob.

75% water-fiber foods – onions, green pepper, garlic, lentils, lettuce, salsa, cherry tomatoes, roma tomatoes, avocado, jalapeños, cilantro 
25% foods – whole wheat tortillas, cheese

Spinach Red Lentil Soup

Make it a Full Plate Meal: Serve a generous bowl of this soup for a light supper. Cold cantaloupe would make a refreshing dessert.

75% water-fiber foods – red lentils, onion, garlic, tomato, carrot, spinach, fresh cilantro, cantaloupe
25% foods – olive oil

Lentil Bolognese

Make it a Full Plate Meal: Top your favorite whole wheat pasta with this lentil bolognese. Steamed broccoli and a large tossed salad would finish the meal off nicely.  

75% water-fiber foods – onions, garlic, tomato paste, red lentils, crushed tomatoes, fresh basil/fresh parsley, spaghetti squash, broccoli, salad
25% foods – whole wheat pasta, walnuts, cooking wine, olive oil

Recipe Note: If you're not a pasta fan or trying to control blood sugar levels more, try spaghetti squash instead of the pasta.

Red Lentil & Oats Porrige

Make it a Full Plate Meal: Serve your porridge as directed in the recipe. 

75% water-fiber foods – lentils, rolled oats, frozen peas
25% foods – nutritional yeast flakes

👉 Water-fiber foods are 75% zone foods – whole, unprocessed fruits, vegetables, beans, and cooked whole grains.