5 Ideal Recipes If You’re In The Mood For Lentils

Got some lentils in the cupboard but no idea what to do with them? We’ve got some delicious recipes courtesy of Waitrose.com to help you cook up a lentil feast. Full of protein, versatile, cheap and delicious, here’s 5 IDEAL recipes if you’re in the mood for lentils.

MINESTRONE WITH LENTILS & QUINOA

• Total time: 30 minutes
• Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

• 125g smoked streaky bacon, diced
• 2 x 400g cans chopped italian tomatoes with basil
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 160 garden peas
• 75g orzo pasta
• 250g pack pre-cooked puy lentils & quinoa
• 50g parmigiano reggiano, finely grated, plus extra
  to sprinkle

METHOD

1. Heat a large saucepan and fry the bacon for 5 minutes until cooked and beginning to crisp. Add the tomatoes, sugar, garden peas and 2 emptied cans full of water. Bring to the boil then add the orzo pasta. Cover and cook gently for 12-15 minutes until tender.
2. Stir in the lentil mix and cheese and heat through gently for 5 minutes. Season to taste and ladle into bowls. Serve with extra cheese and a green salad. 

WARM VEGETARIAN SAUSAGE & PUY LENTIL SALAD

• Vegetarian
• Total time: 35 minutes
• Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS 

• 2 tbsp olive oil 
• 4 vegetarian sausages 
• 2 rosemary sprigs 
• 2 small red onions, cut into thin wedges 
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 
• 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard 
• 250g pre-cooked pouch of puy & green lentils 
• handful flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped 
• ½ x 90g pack wild rocket

METHOD

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan. Add the sausages to the pan with the rosemary, and fry over a medium- high heat for about 10 minutes, turning frequently, until golden and piping hot. Lift the sausages out of the pan (leave the rosemary), add the remaining 1 tbsp oil, then add the onion wedges and fry on a medium heat for 12-15 minutes, until golden and soft.
2. Add the vinegar and mustard, stir to combine, then remove the rosemary and stir in the lentils until warmed through; season. Slice the sausages and add to the lentils, along with the parsley. Serve on plates with the rocket.

Cook’s tip: Pre-cooked lentil pouches are a useful and nutritious store cupboard standby. You could also try a pack of plain puy or beluga lentils in this recipe.

HALLOUMI WITH PUY LENTILS & TOMATOES 

• Vegetarian
• Total time:20 minutes
• Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS 

• 250g pack cypriot halloumi
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 courgettes, sliced
• 250g pre-cooked pouch of french puy & green lentils
• 150ml vegetable stock
• 150g cherry tomatoes, halved

METHOD 

1. Drain the halloumi, pat dry on kitchen paper and cut into 5mm thick slices. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the halloumi for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
2. Add the courgettes to the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes to lightly colour. Stir in the pack of lentils and the stock. Heat through for 2-3 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomatoes and cook for a further 1 minute. Transfer to serving plates and top with the halloumi. 

COD WITH PARSLEY MUSTARD AND LENTILS 

• Rich in vitamin C
• Low in saturated fat
• Total time: 15 minutes
• Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS 

• 2 x skinless & boneless cod fillets
• 2 tbsp lemon infused olive oil
• 25g pack parsley
• 4 salad onions, roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 tsp wholegrain mustard 
• 250g cooked puy lentils

METHOD 

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC, gas mark 6. Place the cod on a baking tray, season and drizzle over ½ tbsp oil, bake for 15-20 minutes until just cooked through.
2. Meanwhile, place the remaining oil, parsley, salad onions, garlic and mustard in a food processor with 2 tbsp water and blitz until smooth.
3. Top the cooked lentils with the cod, spoon over the paste and serve. 

MINCED BEEF WITH LENTILS AND BACON

• Serves 4
• Total cook time: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Onion, chopped
  400g pack Minced British Beef
  4 slices Smoked Back Bacon, chopped
  400g can pre-cooked lentils, drained
  350g Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce
  25g pack parsley, chopped
  800g Mashed Potato

METHOD

• Fry the onion, mince and bacon in a large frying pan for 5 minutes until browned.
• Add the lentils, tomato and basil sauce and 150ml water, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in the parsley and season

• Serve the mince with the mash potato