Lentils and rice are such a classic, budget-friendly pairing in so many cuisines, and I’m excited to share a really fun, jazzed up version with you today!
Lentils are tossed with a spiced oil and broiled until crispy, then mixed with Indian-flavored aromatics and herbs. To finish, the lentils are plated over white rice and drizzled with a quick yogurt sauce.
Not only does this dish cost less than $2 per serving, but it’s also nourishing and packed with fun Indian-inspired flavors.
And I’m extra excited to share this dish with you because it’s also the FIRST RECIPE from my new cookbook, Big Vegan Flavor, that I’m sharing on the blog.
If you’re new around these parts, Big Vegan Flavor spans over 600 pages and contains over 150 recipes! But more than that, it’s my attempt to synthesize the techniques behind great plant-based cooking into one resource you’ll turn to again and again.
Why you’ll love this recipe
A textural wonderland
When you hear the word lentils, you probably don’t think crispy. You might think smooth and creamy as in dal or lentil curries, or tender with a bite as in lentil salads.
But lentils, like other plant proteins such as chickpeas or tofu, can also be crispy! All you need is a hot oven and a bit of oil to turn lentils into crispy perfection.
The crispy lentils are plated on top of soft, fluffy-chewy white rice and then drizzled with a creamy yogurt sauce, so you get a delightful medley of textures in each bite.
I feel so strongly about the importance of fun food textures that I incorporated an entire chapter into Big Vegan Flavor on how to create the textures we love the most—creamy, crispy, crunchy, chewy—using plant-based ingredients.
Simple ingredients, big flavor
As long as you have a well-stocked spice cabinet, the ingredients in this recipe are quite minimal. All you need are basic brown or green lentils, white rice, a few spices and aromatics, oil, and vegan yogurt.
Don’t let that pared down ingredient list fool you though! The Indian-inspired flavors in this dish are bold, fun, and exciting.
That’s all thanks to the infused oil, which features shallots, garlic, and spices toasted in oil.
This spiced oil brings flavor to the dish in two ways: (1) first, the aromatics and spices infuse the oil with lots of flavor, which is great since that oil is later used to broil the lentils; (2) the aromatics and spices themselves become after being sauteed in oil since these ingredients are fat-soluble.
Looking for another fun rice dish? Definitely try out this Herbed Rice Salad with Citrus Dressing.
Checks all the boxes
It’s hard to not love a recipe that is flavorful, nourishing, and budget-friendly. We’ve already discussed flavor, so let’s talk about the other two.
Lentils pack in both fiber and protein, keeping you full for hours. And the spices, chiles, and garlic in this dish bring the antioxidants. Plus, this dish is allergen friendly and free of gluten, nuts, and soy (and of course, dairy!).
On the budget front, according to my very precise calculations (an Excel spreadsheet was involved), this dish costs less than $2 per serving. And given that I live in San Diego, CA (recently named the most expensive city in America 😭), the cost of these ingredients may be even lower where you live.
Tips for making this recipe
Cook the lentils only until al dente.
When you simmer the lentils, cook them only until al dente: cooked through but with a bite, not soft. If the lentils are soft, they won’t retain their texture as much for the broiled lentils.
For brown and green lentils, this means only 10 to 12 minutes at a decent simmer. For French green lentils, simmer for 17 to 20 minutes.
Use a creamy, tangy vegan yogurt.
Yogurt is used in savory Indian dishes to provide a source of acidity as well as to provide a creamy cooling element to balance spiciness.
So a creamy vegan yogurt that’s tart/tangy in flavored will work best. Even some plain-flavored vegan yogurts have a slightly sweet flavor, so I recommend using a yogurt you’ve already tried and like.
My two favorite brands are Culina and CocoJune (coconut based, creamy & thick, tart, and no coconut flavor). I also like GT’s CocoYo and Pillar’s coconut yogurt though it may not be as widely available. For a non-coconut base, try Kite Hill’s plain-flavored almond yogurt.
Read these Tips for broiling lentils!
- If you find that you don’t have enough reserved spiced oil to coat the lentils well before broiling them, just add another drizzle of any neutral-flavored oil and toss to combine.
- Spread the lentils out on the sheet pan as best you can on the sheet pan without too much overlap so they can crisp up evenly.
- Arrange an oven rack in the second shelf of your oven, not the one directly underneath the broiler (to avoid burning the lentils).
- After broiling the lentils for 4 minutes, toss them, and broil for another 2 minutes. You’re looking for the lentils to be crispy with a light crunch, not rock hard crunchy (you don’t want them to be like pebbles!).
- After that 6 minutes, you’ll want to check the lentils frequently to prevent burning. The exact time will depend on the strength of your broiler as well as the variety of lentil. In my experience, green lentils take the shortest amount of time (typically 6 minutes), whereas brown lentils take a minute or two longer (and French green lentils can take closer to 8 to 10 minutes).
Frequently Asked Questions
For me, this is a complete meal that would serve about three people for dinner. But, if you want to add a vegetable into the mix, nearly any vegetable side dish would work.
I think roasted cauliflower or roasted eggplant would be particularly good pairings (there are recipes for quick roasted cauliflower and jammy roasted eggplant in Big Vegan Flavor!).
Or, serve alongside an Indian kachumber salad: chopped tomato, cucumber, and red onion tossed with lemon juice, cilantro, cayenne pepper, and salt.
PS: For folks who preordered the cookbook, check out the Mango Kachumber Salad in the Indian-Inspired Dinner Party Menu, part of the bonus preorder package!
Sure, you can simply roast the lentils in your oven to get them crispy.
Toss the lentils in the spiced oil and salt/pepper as listed, then roast on the sheet pan at 400ºF/200ºC or 425ºF/220ºC for 15 minutes, then toss. Shake the pan to toss and roast for 5 to 10 more minutes until crispy but not rock hard.
Sure, you can. But given the relatively simple ingredient list, the serrano pepper does add quite a bit of flavor (in addition to heat).
If you can handle a bit of heat, I would use a jalapeño pepper (which is slightly less spicy than a serrano) and use half of it.
Or for mild heat, use a jalapeño pepper, remove the membranes and seeds (which is where the vast majority of the heat lives), and finely chop the pepper instead of thinly slicing into rounds.
I hope you enjoy this sneak peek recipe from my new cookbook!
Big Vegan Flavor officially comes out on September 3rd, which means you still have time to pre-order the book! If you’re wondering why you should pre-order before the official publication date, it’s because I’ve created an incredible package of bonus content for folks who preorder! You can read more about what’s inside the book and all the bonus goodies on this page.
To everyone who has already pre-ordered the book, THANK YOU a million times over. Y’all are making my dreams come true, and I am honored by your support. Please visit this page for instructions on accessing your bonus content!
Big Vegan Flavor
Techniques and 150 recipes to master vegan cooking.
Introducing
Big Vegan Flavor
Techniques and 150 recipes to master vegan cooking.
Crispy Indian-ish Lentils with Rice & Yogurt
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (150g) brown, green, or French green lentils
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup (190g) uncooked long-grain white rice (or 3 cups (425 g) cooked rice)
- 1 teaspoon black or brown mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 3 tablespoons neutral-flavored, high-heat oil of choice
- 1 medium shallot, very thinly sliced into rounds (1/8-inch or 3mm slices)
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1.5 inch (3.75 cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
- 1 small serrano pepper, thinly sliced into rounds (remove membranes and seeds for mild heat)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- Flaky sea salt
For Finishing
- 1/2 cup (115g) good-quality plain coconut yogurt
- 2 to 3 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon organic cane sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup (12g) fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the lentils and 2 teaspoons kosher salt (1 tsp sea salt). Reduce the heat and simmer until the lentils are al dente (tender but with a bite), 10 to 12 minutes (17 to 20 minutes for French green lentils); they should not be soft. Drain and shake to get rid of excess water.
- Transfer the lentils to a large dish towel to dry. I like to gently run my hands through the lentils so they dry more quickly.
- Meanwhile, cook the rice using your preferred method, or get out your leftover cooked rice.
- Lightly crush the mustard, cumin, and coriander seeds in a mortar with a pestle or add to a spice grinder and pulse just once or twice (see Note 1).
- Place a fine-mesh strainer over a small or medium bowl and line a large plate with paper towels. Heat the oil in a medium or large skillet over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the shallots along with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally and separating the shallot slices, until the edges are just turning golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the crushed spices, the garlic, ginger, serrano, and turmeric and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is golden and very aromatic, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour the mixture into the strainer; you’ll use the oil that drains into the bowl to broil the lentils. Transfer the aromatics to the towel-lined plate and sprinkle with a pinch or two of flaky salt.
- While the lentils dry, make the yogurt sauce. (This can also be made 1 to 2 days in advance.) In a small or medium bowl, mix together the yogurt, lemon juice, sugar, and cumin. Season to taste with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Arrange a rack on the second shelf below the broiler. Preheat the broiler on high for about 5 minutes. Transfer the lentils to a rimmed sheet pan, toss with the reserved oil from step 5, sprinkle with a pinch or two of kosher salt and black pepper, and shake the pan back and forth to spread the lentils out into an even layer, using your hands to smooth out any clumps.
- Broil the lentils for 4 minutes. Toss with a spatula or shake the pan back and forth to evenly redistribute them. Broil for 2 minutes and shake the pan again. If they’re nicely crispy, they’re done. If they’re starting to crisp up, broil for 1 minute, then check and broil in 1-minute increments as needed. If they haven’t started to crisp up yet, broil for 2 minutes, then check.
- Transfer the crispy lentils to a serving bowl and toss with the reserved fried aromatics, cilantro, and lemon juice. Season to taste with flaky salt. Serve the lentils on top of rice and drizzle yogurt sauce on top.
Notes
- If you don’t have a mortar and pestle but have an electric spice grinder or coffee grinder, add the spices to the grinder and blitz once or twice to roughly crush them. Don’t have either tool? Add the spices to a ziploc bag, seal it, and use a rolling pin to roughly crush the spices.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this? Leave a rating below!
This is an excellent recipe. Spices are spot on and my entire family loves it! Thanks for sharing this recipe with us.
Your positive feedback is the best reward for our hard work. Thank you, Kelly!
Dang. I made this recipe with the jammy zucchini recipe in Big Vegan Flavor–which sounds like it should be a pretty boring meal: zucchini, rice, lentils. It was the best thing I’ve eaten in a long time, way more than the sum of it’s parts. Highly recommend that combo to anyone looking for an affordable dinner that would impress–I plan to make this the next time friends come over for dinner.
Thanks for the amazing review, Shelby! 🙂 I’ll have to try that combo myself sometime!
Is the 150 grams of lentils is in reference to dry or cooked lentils? It’s not clearThe recipe calls for dry rice, but the same isn’t noted for the lentils.
Hi Lauren, great question! We always call for dry lentils in our recipes. While cooked lentils can be convenient in a pinch, we only use them rarely. If a recipe ever calls for cooked lentils, we’ll make sure to note it. Otherwise you can assume it’s dried.
Made this today for a friend and for my family. SO SUPR DELISH! I made the Smashed Cucumbers with Yogurt Tahini & Jalapeño Nectar as a side dish. My friend and her family loved it as did my family. I will be making this recipe again! Than you! I also love the cookbook!
Hi Illiana, we’re thrilled to hear everyone enjoyed the recipes! We appreciate your support more than you know 🙂
Next time, would you mind leaving a rating alongside your review? Star ratings are big help to readers who are thinking of making the recipe. Thanks!
If I enjoyed this recipe??? I LOVED IT! I love your recipes, I cook from them every single week! 🙂
Aw, thanks for your lovely words, Raluca!
This was a truly pleasurable dinner. The flavours of the fried aromatics and the yoghurt sauce were exquisit (but then I’m very fond of cumin). The onion toping reminded me of the Persian dish Piaz Dagh, where you fry onions in turmeric as a crispy toping on rice dishes. So next time, I will do a pile of such onions to raise the enjoyment even more. I served it with a fresh cabbage salad to make it more of a full dish. It took about 1 hour to cook, but I blame it on my less impressive memory skills and the need of scrolling many times. It will be much easier/faster next time when I’m familiar with all the steps. Definitely worth the effort!
I had the ricotta tofu with sweet pea salad for lunch, so this has been a delicious Nisha-cooking-day.
Lots of love from Julia in Sweden <3
We’re over the moon to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Julia. Thanks for the feedback and support!
This is VERY good – the lentils by themselves are amazing, and they would be a great crunchy topping to salads or grain bowls, but with rice they are especially delicious and satisfying.
My only issue with this recipe is how deceptively tedious it was to make. “Cook some rice, sauté a few aromatics, cook and broil some lentils”… super easy, right? Maybe for a trained chef or master multi-tasker – for me it took an hour and a half to get through it all and I had a stack of dirty dishes at the end to rival the aftermath of a big family meal. I’m not sure if the great taste is worth the effort. Perhaps if I had had leftover rice to use and didn’t make the yogurt sauce, it would have felt easier and less like I was juggling so many different procedures at once. I see comments saying this is too dry and it needs to be drenched in the yogurt sauce or something – I disagree. The rice and lentils together ARE dry, but with a glass of water and properly cooked fluffy rice it’s not like… INEDIBLY dry. It’s no drier than crackers with hard cheese. And I actually preferred it without the yogurt sauce, which was a bit overpowering to the rest of the flavors.
Hi Kinny, we appreciate your honest feedback!
I agree 100% with these comments about the multi-process, multi-ingredient nature of this recipe. I love RPL and I’m an accomplished cook of 45+ years experience, and I’m here to vouch: The recipe post needs revision and simplification. Claiming “10 mins” prep is nowhere near the realm of reality, even IF someone else did your mise-en-place! Which of course, we home cooks don’t have. The end result was terrific — vastly improved by the sauce — but please, RPL, be candid about investing real time in making great food.
When I cooked the aromatics it soaked up all of the oil so I had to add a lot more to the pan and quickly started around to flavorize it before adding it to the lentils to roast. I had to add a lot of yogurt sauce to the final dish because it seems like it was so dry.
Hi Jennifer, we are sorry to hear the recipe might not have turned out as you’d envisioned, but we appreciate the feedback nonetheless.
Super easy and so, so delicous!
Awesome, Ashleigh. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!
So delicious. I think it was the first recipe we made from the book. Still cooking our way through it. Mostly the Wow Worthy dinner section. I came here to look for an African lentils dish and saw we could rate this. Which reminded me that I have stuff prepped in the fridge for the shallot, fried caper pasta dish from the book!
All this to say, get the book, it is great!
Crispy Lentils are fun, the recipe is delicious. I forget if I used green or black in mine and I did burn a bunch. Will also be doubling this recipe next time!
Hi Roberta, thanks for the lengthy review and for all of the support! It’s great to hear you’re such a fan of the recipe and the cookbook!