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This easy lentils recipe is straight from my mother’s Mediterranean kitchen. It’s every bit a vibrant, healthy and satisfying meal!
Accidentally Vegan Lentil Recipe
Hi! This is Suzy from The Mediterranean Dish. I am so honored to be with my friend Carrian and all of you here at Oh Sweet Basil today!
When it comes to making dinner, there is really no shortage of places from which to glean inspiration; an endless supply of creative ideas and trendy foods surrounds me! Yet, I so often find myself turning to simple dinners from my childhood. Recipes that are hearty and unfussy, like today’s one-pot vegetable and lentils recipe.
This green lentil recipe is straight from my mother’s Mediterranean kitchen. It’s the kind of dinner people of the Mediterranean, where I grew up, call a “poor man’s pot.” But it’s every bit a vibrant, healthy and satisfying meal.
This vegan lentil recipe is one of those versatile go-to family meals. It starts with lots of vegetables, then come the green lentils, which cook fairly quickly but still hold their shape. To bring it all together, I used a couple of my favorite earthy Mediterranean spices — cumin works incredibly well with lentils, by the way — along with fresh parsley and a splash of fresh lime juice.
What’s in ThisVeggies and Lentils Recipe?
The ingredients list for this easy lentil recipe may look lengthy, but most of the items listed below are spices! Here’s what you’ll need to make this one-pot vegetables and lentils recipe:
- Green lentils
- Olive oil
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- Zucchini
- Carrot
- Celery
- Potato
- Spices
- Diced tomatoes
- Water
- Fresh parsley
How to Make Lentils and Vegetables
Cooking lentils is incredibly simple. If you’ve boiled pasta before, you can handle cooking lentils! Here are the basic steps to mastering this recipe:
- Soak the lentils in water for 15 minutes, then drain.
- Sauté the vegetables in olive oil until softened.
- Add in the soaked green lentils, spices, tomatoes, and water. Let simmer for 20 minutes.
- Serve hot with your favorite crusty bread!
Can I Use Another Type of Lentil?
I highly recommend using green lentils in this recipe since they cook quickly and hold their shape. However, you’re welcome to use another kind of lentil if that’s all you have on hand. Just remember to soak the lentils before adding them to the pot!
Can I Add Extra Veggies to This Lentil Recipe?
Because spring is upon us, I added zucchini squash to my usual carrot, potato, and celery combination. But you can use a different summer squash; bell peppers; or even asparagus — make it as colorful as you like!
Can Lentils Be Cooked in a Crock Pot?
Lentils can be cooked in a Crockpot. Cover with water and cook on low until lentils are soft and tender.
Tips for Making the Best Lentils and Veggies
Be sure to rinse your lentils before soaking them. As with any dried bean or legume, there may be lingering dust or dirt on the lentils from when they were packaged.
This is an incredibly flexible recipe, so feel free to switch up the ingredients as you’d like. Add different veggies, amp up the amount of spices to suit your tastes, and so forth.
Also note that this green lentil recipe is great for meal prepping. It’s stays fresh for up to a week in the fridge and also freezes well!
More VEGETARIAN DINNER RECIPES:
- Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili
- 25-Minute Butternut Squash Pasta
- Healthy Mexican Zucchini Boats
- 10-Minute Brown Butter Sage Gnocchi
- Roasted Tomato Basil Soup with Mini Grilled Cheese Croutons
- Cheesy Pesto Pasta
- ALL OF OUR VEGETARIAN RECIPES!
More ONE-POT RECIPES:
- Healthy One-Pot Chili Macaroni
- One-Pan Honey Garlic Kielbasa
- One-Pot Cauliflower Chowder
- One-Pot Lasagna Pasta
- One-Pot Honey Lime Shrimp with Pineapple Chimichurri
One-Pot Vegetables and Lentil Recipe
One-Pot Vegetables and Lentil Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 Cups Green Lentils
- Olive Oil
- 1/2 Yellow Onion, diced
- 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 Zucchini Squash, diced
- 1 Bulk Carrot, diced
- 2 Celery Stalks, chopped
- 1 Russet Potato, diced
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Ground Coriander
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper, (optional)
- 3 Cups Canned Diced Tomatoes
- 2 1/2 Cups Water
- 1 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley, stems removed
- Lime Wedges to Serve
- Bread to Serve
Instructions
- Place the lentils in a bowl and cover with water. Soak for 15 minutes or so, then drain.1 1/2 Cups Green Lentils
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot.Olive Oil
- Add the onions, garlic, and remaining vegetables.1/2 Yellow Onion, 2 Cloves Garlic, 1 Zucchini Squash, 1 Bulk Carrot, 2 Celery Stalks, 1 Russet Potato
- Cook on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the vegetables have softened (about 5-7 mins).
- Stir in the lentils, salt and pepper and the remaining spices.Salt and Pepper, 1 teaspoon Ground Coriander, 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin, 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder, 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- Add the tomatoes and water.3 Cups Canned Diced Tomatoes, 2 1/2 Cups Water
- Bring everything to a boil for 5 mins, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce the heat to low; cover and let simmer for 20 mins or until the vegetables and lentils are cooked to tender. Taste and adjust the spices to your liking.
- Serve hot with your favorite crusty bread or some warm pita!Lime Wedges to Serve, Bread to Serve, 1 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
See more Mediterranean inspirations and connect with Suzy on her Blog, Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter!
Lovely soup! I’m in my first trimester and wanting a nice lentil soup, with toned down spices. I used Trader Joe’s packaged cooked lentils and kept the spices to salt and pepper. Very yummy and easy on my tummy!
Yay! Love to hear this Elizabeth! And congratulations!
This was delicious! May ask what the serving size is?
Hi Anna! One serving would be about 1 1/2 cups.
This was very tasty…I was looking for different ways to use lentils and I just happened to have all the other ingredients, except for coriander. I had somewhat halfed the recipe, then I got a little too much cayenne, but did add about 1 1/2 cups unsalted chicken stock and that toned it down and made it perfect as a soup. Great with Wasa mulitgrain crispbread! Thank you!
Thank you so much Sara! I love your improvisations!
So tasty, quick and simple! This is going in my regular rotation!
We love to hear that! Thank you Kelly!
Question: after soaking the lentils for 15 minutes, do you drain them before adding them to the veggies or add the lentils with the soaking water to the veggies?
Hi Francie! Drain them first.
This sounds very delicious, I have all the ingredients and looking forward to trying this however there and no instructions on how to cook it?
Oh good grief! Thank you Elizabeth! That has been fixed!