How to Cook Dried Lentils
The beauty of lentils is their reliability. Unlike other dried legumes, they hold their shape or soften into a porridge with only minor adjustments to cooking time and water volume.
Pick through your scoop.
Spread the lentils on a light-colored plate to scan for small pebbles or debris. A quick rinse under cold water in a fine-mesh sieve is all the prep they need.
- fine-mesh sieve
- medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid
- slotted spoon
What goes in.
- 1 cupdried lentils (green, brown, or black)
- 3 cupswater or unsalted stock
- 1/2 tspfine sea salt
Maintaining a gentle roll
Keep the water at a steady, lazy bubble. A violent boil will break the skins and turn the lentils to mush before the centers are cooked through.
The method.
Rinse and inspect
Place the lentils in your sieve and run them under cold water, picking out anything that doesn't look like a lentil.
Initial boil
Combine lentils and liquid in your saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately drop the heat to low.
Simmer
Cover the pot partially. Green and brown lentils take about 20 minutes; black (Beluga) lentils take closer to 25. Check them at 15 minutes by tasting; they should be tender but not disintegrating.
Season
Add salt only after the lentils are tender. Adding salt at the beginning can sometimes toughen the outer skin, preventing them from softening evenly.
Drain
If there is excess liquid, tip the pot to drain it off through your sieve. Return the lentils to the pot, cover, and let them sit for five minutes to steam off lingering surface moisture.
Other turns to take.
Aromatic Infusion
Add a smashed clove of garlic, a bay leaf, or a strip of lemon zest to the water while simmering for a subtle scent.
Creamy Texture
Use a higher water-to-lentil ratio and cook for an extra 10 minutes to serve them as a thick, stew-like base.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Test for doneness by pressing a lentil against the roof of your mouth; it should yield without grit.
If you are using red lentils, expect them to fall apart completely in about 12 minutes—they are best for purees.
Cooked lentils keep well in the refrigerator for up to five days, making them an efficient base for quick meals.
The ones that keep coming up.
Should I soak my lentils overnight?
No. Lentils are small enough that they absorb moisture quickly during the cooking process. Soaking them often results in uneven texture.
Why did my lentils turn into mush?
They were likely boiled too hard. Keep the heat low so the liquid barely moves.
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