Bean and lentil recipes

[HildaBWilderbeast]

Hi all
I love things with beans or lentils in and of course they are very good for you. For example I like dhal and lentil-y curries when eating out. However, I rarely cook them myself. Therefore would anyone be kind enough to share their favourite recipes based on beans or lentils? I'm not vege so if they have a meat element that's fine.
Thank you XXX

I make this without a recipe or really measuring:
Fry an onion with tumeric
Add about a litre of stock and about a mug of dried brown lentils, plus a sweet potato cubed. Probably look at the instructions on the lentils as you may have to add the sweet potato a little later.
Remove from heat and add spinach, it will wilt in the heat of the dish.

I often use a pouch or two of Puy lentils instead of beef mince in many recipes.

Me too. Although I made one in the week which was popular. It's from Deliciously Ella and has roasted squash, tomatoes & coconut milk.

Great ideas here, thank you for starting it OP

I use a sachet or two of lentils instead of mince, for bolognaise and lasagne

Paneer and chickpea curry

I’ve perfected my dhal recipe over the years and now I really fancy eating it. Tinned tomatoes have no place in dhal imvho

Greek gigantes beans, but I’m yet to find the perfect recipe

Black bean soup

https://simple-veganista.com/texas-three-bean-chili-sweet-chia/

i have with jacket potatoes

The dishoom black daal recipe is amazing and well worth buying the book for but this looks right https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/sep/07/four-classic-indian-recipes-dishoom-chaat-dal-salad-jackfruit-biyani-chicken-makhani-curry

Theres a few in the mowgli cookbook (the original one) that are also a pretty good and a bit quicker if I remember rightly

What about spiced lentil soup, make loads and freeze what’s left (Ben and Jerry’s tubs are an ideal size)

I don’t have an exact recipe but the below gives an idea:

6/7 medium onions finely chopped
8 cloves of garlic (chopped or minced)
turmeric
coriander
cumin
chilli flakes (or fresh chilli finely chopped)
smoked paprika (if you want a slightly smoky flavour)
bay leaves (remove before serving)
about 500g lentils
2 red bell peppers finely chopped/diced
4 tins chopped tomatoes
tomato purée

Get a very large saucepan (if you have one with a heavy base, use it, because it reduces the chance of burning)

fry the onions on a lowish heat (5 on an electric hob) for about 7 mins till they become translucent

add garlic
add spices (I haven’t given quantities because it really depends on your personal preferences, but you will need quite a lot of everything because you are making a large quantity)

add bell peppers

stir with wooden spoon continuously at this stage

add lentils

fry for 2 minutes stirring constantly

add 4 tins tomatoes

add water (basically as much as the pan can hold)

turn heat down to 4

cook for an hour and a half

stir every 5 minutes or so to prevent burning/sticking at the bottom

just before serving remove the bay leaves

good with a thick slice of bread

(I haven’t included any salt in the recipe because it works well if you add it at the table, it means that if someone is on a low salt diet they can use little or none, and for everyone it reduces salt intake)

Hope this helps 🙂

Another vote for the burnt aubergine chilli - it’s brilliant.

Any ancient books by Rose Elliot are good - old school veggie stuff with lots of lentils.

Also Claire Thomson is great - 5 O’Clock Apron on Instagram. Lots of ideas.

And Anna Jones has a great chickpea red peppers muhammara thing that I make most weeks and is wolfed down by the kids.

This Spanish style lentil dish is nice - given you eat meat:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/pardina_lentils_with_32549

We also do lentils with small cooking chorizos - just soak brown lentils, fry chorizo to brown with onions and garlic, add carrots, chopped potatoes (to thicken), stock, and if you want some wine, and simmer. Should be thickish, but with a bit of liquid for dunking bread in.

I have started making butter bean hummus over traditional chickpea hummus and we love it. Creamier and just really tasty.

I also do a basic bean thing as a side, usually with fish. Adapted from something I saw Jamie Oliver do - basically a bit of garlic and rosemary in some olive oil, then add a good quality bean jar with the liquid, and a generous glug of sherry or red wine vinegar. Let it warm through and cook a little then season and serve. I sometimes add some baby spinach or roughly chopped cavalo Nero in the last minutes too.

I've done creamy/lemony versions on jacket potatoes too but can't quite remember recipes. I think if you look up Marry Me Beans you might get good options.

Thank you so much everyone - there's loads of inspiration here. I'll report back when I try them xxxx

I made this tonight and it was a massive hit. Kids were licking their plates!

thehappyfoodie.co.uk/recipes/yotam-ottolenghi-butterbean-mash-with-muhammara/

This lentil loaf is delicious. I used timmed lentils and it worked fine.

Marry me lentils were a hit in our house

These falafels are tasty

This red pepper and blackbean soup is also delicious

Coronation chickpeas are fab in wraps

For dahl i just fry onion, garlic, ginger and apices. Add lentils (uncooked) ans then tinned tomatoes, coconut milk and vegetable stock. Simmer until soft. I make a big batch and then freeze portions. You can add different thinga to each portion. Chixpeas, kale, spinach and paneer are all welcome additions.

I am on a mission to increase fibre, ao I add beans/lentils everywhere i can. Blended into soups or pasta sauces, in salads, in Mince dishes, curries. You name it, I add them.

For years, this was my dc’s favourite meal. I made it at least once a month. I think the recipe may technically be vegan (using plant milk?) but I make it with double cream.

https://thefirstmess.com/2016/01/13/creamy-french-lentils-with-mushrooms-and-kale-recipe/

I also make various salads with the Bold Beans chickpeas and butter beans. Usually some variation on olive oil, lemon and fresh herbs of some sorts. Do stretch to buy the Bold Beans ones. You will never look at a 50p tin of Asda chickpeas quite the same way again, sadly. 😂

I have a bean salad for lunch a few times a week. Cowboy caviar is my favourite, so delicious and filling.

The old Cranks and Rose Elliot or Sara Brown books are brilliant for this. Lots of the recipes can be made vegan too.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/marry_me_chickpeas_69231
This recipe is lovely

I have solved my dull dhaal problem....add a good knob of butter and some black pepper and or lemon juice near the end.

Red Dragon pie - uses aduki beans, carrots, tomatoes, onions and any other veg you want to add. You can tweak it a lot. We are not vegetarian or vegan so when I make this I add a lot of cheese (Red Leicester or Double Gloucester helps with the red theme) to the mashed potato topping (also leeks). https://thinlyspread.co.uk/meat-free-monday-red-dragon-pie/

Try and get hold of a copy of ‘Beanfeast’ by Rose Elliot - it’s brilliant.

I love this - usually make with shredded mozzarella rather than cottage cheese though.. https://www.thedoctorskitchen.com/recipes/spicy-mushroom-and-lentil-lasagna/

Oh I’m loving this thread, I love pulses and I’d particularly love more pulsey salads in my repertoire. Another recommendation for the burnt aubergine chilli.

A simple dish that looks fancy is arrange slices of beef tomato (or just nice large tomatoes) on a plate, scatter with chickpeas, drizzle olive oil and good salt and pepper over everything, then top with slices of fried halloumi.

https://www.delishknowledge.com/puttanesca-beans-with-garlic-bread/ I love this

https://www.withspice.com/blog/pesto-beans/ a weeknight staple

Ottolenghi's confit chickpeas is dead easy - just bung it all in the oven - and absolutely delicious.

I agree with the burnt aubergine chilli, black daal and the butter bean mash with muhamara all being lovely.

I'm also a big fan of Bold Beans and their recipes. The one pot dish with feta and orzo is good, as is the aubergine parmigiana with added black beans.

That’s a fab site for recipes. Jarred beans looks good too.