Cooking with dry lentils is quick and easy. Unlike other pulses (beans and chickpeas) dried lentils don’t need to be soaked ahead of time. This makes it really easy to add them to many meals.
Cooking Lentils is as Easy as 1, 2, 3!
- Rinse your lentils with fresh water before boiling to remove any dust or debris.
- Cook on a stovetop, using 3 cups of liquid (water, stock, etc) to 1 cup of dry lentils. Be sure to use a large enough saucepan as the lentils will double or even triple in size.
- Bring to a boil, cover tightly, reduce heat and simmer until they are tender. Strain and they are ready to use in other dishes or to make lentil puree. For whole lentils, cook time is typically 15-20 minutes. For split red lentils, cook time is typically only about 5-7 minutes. Be sure to season with salt after cooking – if salt is added before, the lentils will become tough.
Learn about Different Kinds of Lentils