This super crunchy and crispy oven roasted lentils is a great healthy portable snack to have on hand! Happens to be vegan, gluten-free & high protein. Only 5 ingredients required, and ready in no time!
These roasted lentils are my recent snack obsession! They are salty and crunchy, yet is pretty high in protein and low in calories, and is a great healthy snack to have around. Plus, they are easy to make, and all you will need is 5 simple ingredients.
Jump to:
💚Why you will love this recipe
- They are crunchy, salty and flavorful - A snack that is actually delicious yet healthy sounds too good to be true ? Then you MUST give this recipe a try!
- Easy to make - All you need to do is toss them in some seasonings and roast them up.
- Super versatile - Roasted lentils can be added to salads, served as an appetizer or simply eaten as a snack!
- Portable and perfect for meal prep - They can be kept at room temperature for up to a week, and is easily portable, which makes them a great on-the-go snack.
- Healthy and high protein - They contain about 7g of protein and less than 105 calories per serving.
🌾How to cook lentils
If you are using canned lentils or already are an expert in cooking lentils, then feel free to skip this section. The only thing to keep in mind is to make sure they are on the firmer side. You will not want to use mushy lentils.
Measure out a cup of dried lentils. Place them in a sieve. Using your hands, roughly pick through the lentils and remove any stones, debris or bad lentils. Rinse them under running water.
Now, you can either cook them on stove or in the instant pot.
- On-stove - In a medium-sized pot, place in rinsed lentils together with 4 cups of water. Bring mixture to a boil, then lower heat to medium-low. Place the lid on and let it simmer for about 15-25 minutes, or until they are tender but not mushy. Drain them and you will have yourself some cooked lentils!
- Instant pot - Place lentils into instant pot alongside with 1 ½ cups of water. Cook at high pressure for 6-8 minutes. Allow it to release naturally for 10 minutes, before releasing the valve to manually release remaining pressure. Drain and they are ready to be used.
🧂What you will need
📓Notes / substitutions
- Lentils - Any lentils can be used except red lentils, as they turn into mush very easily ! I am using French lentils as they hold their shape well. Both canned lentils and lentils cooked from scratch can be used.
- Seasonings - I am only using garlic and onion powder, but feel free to use any of your favorite seasonings! This recipe is extremely versatile, and almost all herbs and spices will go well in it.
- Oil-free - Omit olive oil.
🔪How to make
Preheat oven to 150C / 300F. Place cooked lentils on a paper towel or dish towel and gently pat dry.
In a large bowl, place in all ingredients.( lentils, garlic and onion powder, olive oil and salt. ) Mix until well combined.
Spread lentils evenly on a lined baking tray. Bake for 25-35 minutes until browned, giving it a stir every 10 minutes to ensure even cooking.
Let them cool down before serving!
✔Helpful tips
- Use firm lentils - Make sure your lentils are not mushy and overcooked.
- Stir them every 10 minutes - This is to ensure that your lentils cook evenly, and are crunchy all over.
- Keep a close eye after the 20 minutes mark - They will get burnt quite easily.
- Make it your own - Switch up the seasonings of your roasted lentils to suit your taste buds ! Some of my favorite seasonings to add in includes Mexican chili powder, taco seasoning and nutritional yeast. You can even make a sweet version by sweetening it up with sweetener of choice.
🥗How to serve
- Enjoy them as a snack. They are easily portable and makes a really great snack to take with you on-the-go!
- Use them as a salad topper. These roasted lentils not only gives your salads some extra texture and flavor, but also helps bump up the protein content of your meals. Especially love throwing them in this brown rice salad and vegan protein pasta salad.
- Throw them into buddha bowls or nourish bowls.
- Use them as a garnish for soups and stews. I especially love using them as a topping for my cheesy potato soup.
❔Commonly asked questions
If you are cooking it in a pot on stove, it is recommended to use 4 parts of water to 1 part of lentils. That means for a cup of dried lentils, you will need 4 cups of water. If you are cooking in a pressure cooker or instant pot, you will need way less water, with the general ratio of 1 : 1.5 of lentils to water.
Due to their tiny size, they will cook fairly quickly without soaking. But if you experience bloating and gas after having lentils, it might be a good idea to soak them for a couple of hours before cooking. This will help neutralize compounds in them that causes gas.
Roasted lentils can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to a week. Do be sure to let them cool down completely before storing. If they do get stale, roast them in the oven for 5-10 minutes at 150C / 300F or until they are crispy again.
🍽More healthy snacks
If you did make this recipe, do leave a rating and comment down below, we love hearing from you! Subscribe to My Plantiful Cooking to get new recipes delivered straight to your inbox! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to get the latest updates. 😉
📖 Recipe
Crunchy Roasted Lentils
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups cooked lentils *
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 150C / 300F. Place cooked lentils on a paper towel or dish towel and gently pat dry.
- In a large bowl, place in all ingredients.( lentils, garlic and onion powder, olive oil and salt. ) Mix until well combined.
- Spread lentils evenly on a lined baking tray. Bake for 25-35 minutes until browned, giving it a stir every 10 minutes to ensure even cooking.
- Let them cool down before serving !
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.
Toria says
I made this with dried yellow lentils. I added chilli, paprika, garlic and onion powder but salt flakes. Came out delicious. Thank you.
caroline says
A simple, delicious, and healthy snack. Thank you!
Jim Mee Sha says
Happy to hear that!
Cindy says
Great recipe! I like the versatility so I can adjust the seasonings to the type of salad. Thanks for sharing!
Jim Mee Sha says
Happy to hear that!
Joan says
Yum and so easy!
Laura says
Wonderful, easy and delicious. A fan from Spain 🙂
Meesha says
Really happy to hear that!😁
Rose says
Hi Meesha, I’d like to try these, they look delish. How many dried lentils do I need to make 1 1/2 cups cooked? Thanks for your help and I’ll rate after making.
Meesha says
You will need around 3/4 cup of dried lentils to make 1 1/2 cup.😁
Jenn K says
How long do you cook your lentils? Do you soak your lentils first?
Meesha says
I recommend referring to the section "how to cook lentils" in this post! I go into details on how to cook lentils either using an Instant pot or on stove. Hope this helps!
Charlene Eredics says
Could you use Trader Joes steamed lentils?
Meesha says
Yes, you definitely can 😉
Jade says
Have you cooked in an air fryer? Time and temp?
Meesha says
No, I have yet to try it myself. But I think you can try cooking it at 325F for 10-12 minutes. Do let me know how it turns out! 😊