66 Best Rated
Dishes with Lentils

Mercimek çorbası is a beloved Turkish soup made with red lentils, chicken stock, onions, and carrots. It is often seasoned with salt, pepper, cumin, or paprika. Easy to prepare, filling, and warming, the soup is consumed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner in rural parts of Turkey, especially in local eateries known as lokantas.Expand

The Afghan bolani is a stuffed, pan-fried flatbread made with unleavened dough that is typically filled with a mixture of potato mash and various other ingredients such as spinach, spring onions, pumpkin, or even green or red lentils. In Afghanistan, bolani is not only a popular street snack but it is also often prepared at home and usually served as a side dish. It is traditionally enjoyed warm, accompanied by coriander chutney and a creamy, mint-flavored Afghan yogurt dip called chakkah.Expand

Misir wat or tsebhi birse nis a traditional and Eritrean dish and a type of wat (Ethiopian and Eritrean stew). In order to prepare it, onions are sautéed in niter kibbeh clarified butter, followed by garlic, ginger, tomato paste, berbere spices, stock, and lentils. The stew is slowly simmered until the lentils become soft, and the dish is then usually enriched with a bit more berbere spices and niter kibbeh near the end of cooking. Misir wat is served warm and it's usually accompanied by injera flatbread on the side, which is used to scoop up the lentils. If desired, the stew cna be garnished with a dollop of creamy Ayib cheese on top.Expand

Mujaddara is a staple dish in Middle Eastern cuisine, widely enjoyed across countries such as Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Jordan. It consists primarily of lentils and rice or bulgur, combined with caramelized onions that lend the dish a deep, savory flavor and a pleasing texture contrast. This dish has roots extending back to ancient times when legumes and grains formed the dietary backbone of many communities. Over generations, mujaddara evolved as a nourishing meal that is both affordable and filling. The method of slow-cooking lentils and rice together allows their flavors to meld naturally, while the golden, fried onions add a rich, slightly sweet counterpoint. The dish’s name, derived from Arabic, translates roughly to “pockmarked,” referring to the appearance lentils create in the grain. Preparation involves rinsing lentils and rice before cooking them in broth or water until tender. Meanwhile, onions are sliced thin and fried slowly to achieve a crisp, caramelized exterior. The onions are then either mixed into the lentil and rice mixture or served on top as a garnish, along with optional additions like yogurt or fresh herbs. Mujaddara is served warm or at room temperature and is often accompanied by side dishes such as pickles, salad, or a drizzle of olive oil.Expand

This flavorful and highly nutritious national dish of India is especially popular in southern parts of the country, but it can also be found in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Dal is a stew with the main ingredient of black or yellow lentils—the most consumed ingredients in India—but it can also be prepared with peas, chickpeas, or mung beans. Inexpensive and easy to make, dal was an ideal food for the working class as it provided lots of energy for a full day of labor. While yellow lentils are most commonly used, black lentils are the most prized variety when making dal. Hulled and split, the slightly nutty lentils are slowly simmered with a variety of spices such as caraway, coriander, onions, garlic, chiles, and ginger until they break apart, and are then mashed into a smooth purée. In the northern Punjab region, black mung beans are among the most popular choices for dal and they are typically cooked with ghee (clarified butter), yogurt, onions, tomatoes, and a variety of spices until the dish develops its distinctive aroma and reaches the desired thickness. There are numerous types of dal, each with a different spice combination and flavors. The dish can be served either as a main meal or as a side, and it is traditionally served over rice, accompanied by naan or other Indian breads.Expand

This Turkish dish consists of oval-shaped patties made from a doughy mixture of boiled red lentils and bulgur. The köfte mixture is seasoned with a pinch of salt and flavored with sautéed onions, tomato paste, and a pinch of cumin. In the spicy version of this dish, chili flakes are typically added for heat. Fresh parsley, dill, and spring onions are added near the end of the cooking process for a refreshing flavor. Mercimek köfte are very popular in Turkey, where they are usually served cold as appetizers at social gatherings. They are traditionally eaten with lettuce and a squeeze of lemon juice.Expand

Dahi vada is a popular Indian snack that can also be served either as a main dish or as an accompaniment to vegetable or meat dishes. The dish originates from North India and consists of savory lentil-based fried balls (vadas) that are soaked in a thick yogurt (dahi). This popular street food is often topped with spices such as chili, cumin, coriander, and various chutneys. The dish is also popular at festive occasions such as weddings, and provides an ideal refreshment on a hot summer day.Expand

Although it originated in Punjab, dal makhani has become one of the most popular Indian lentil dishes, both in the country and outside of its borders. It consists of red kidney beans and whole black lentils, which also go under the name urad. The dish is prepared with hefty amounts of ghee and various seasonings such as ginger-garlic paste and chili, and it is slowly cooked in a rich, tomato-based sauce. The name makhani, meaning butter, stems from the last addition, a drizzle of melted ghee or butter that provides the typical velvety flavor of this classic. The dish is occasionally topped with cream or yogurt and is often accompanied by naan or roti bread. Dal makhani is a restaurant staple and a mainstay on various festive occasion in India.Expand

This almost forgotten Turkish dish was described in an 11th-century lexicon as a soup made with noodles, lentils, and yogurt—a common combination in both Türkiye and Kazakhstan, a Turkish-speaking Asian country where this soup is called kespe. Today, tutmaç çorbası is typically made using homemade, square-cut egg noodles and it is most often prepared with the addition of lamb or mutton, but sometimes also beef, or even horsemeat. The soup is traditionally served in special bowls and it is typically accompanied by katık, a type of Turkish sour yogurt.Expand

Sambar is a popular curry dish prepared with a tamarind-based broth, lentils, and vegetables. It originates from Tamil Nadu, but it is also very popular in Sri Lanka and throughout South India. The dish is traditionally served with steamed rice or various Indian flatbreads. Sambar was created as a mistake by the Maratha ruler Shivaji's son named Sambhaji. As the head chef was away, Sambhaji wanted to prepare dal for himself, and he added a bit of tamarind into the pot during the cooking process. The royal chefs scolded him, since tamarind is not used in dal. However, Sambhaji loved the dish and named it sambar, after himself. Today, there are numerous variations on the dish such as seafood sambar, chicken sambar, and even the unusual milk sambar.Expand