Easy One-Pot French Lentils: 4 Ingredients, 3 Healthy Meals
This easy one-pot French lentil recipe turns four simple ingredients into three healthy, satisfying meals. French lentils, carrots and kale simmer together in vegetable broth to create an inexpensive, protein-rich base you can serve over rice, pile onto a fresh salad or spoon over crunchy tortilla chips.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This is the kind of meal I make when I want something wholesome but don’t have the energy to follow a complicated recipe. Everything cooks in one pot, the ingredients are affordable and you can enjoy the lentils differently each time.
French lentils hold their shape as they cook, giving this dish a hearty texture without making it feel heavy. The carrots add sweetness, the kale adds plenty of nutrition and the vegetable broth provides most of the seasoning. It’s naturally vegan, meal-prep friendly and an easy way to make several dinners from one pot of food.
Cat’s Tips
Use a flavorful vegetable broth that you already enjoy because it does much of the seasoning in this simple recipe. I like to use a vegan “not-beef” broth. Check the lentils as they cook—they should be tender but still hold their shape. Organic carrots are sweeter and more flavorful than conventional carrots and they are not much more expensive. Use organic carrots for this recipe if possible. You can use any kind of kale or even spinach or swiss chard for the greens.
You can also adjust the amount of broth depending on how you plan to serve them. Leave a little more liquid for a comforting lentil bowl, or let the lentils cook down further when using them on salads or tortilla chips.
Three Ways to Serve Them
Serve the warm lentils over rice for a simple, comforting dinner, with the rice, lentil combination this is a complete vegan protein. Spoon them over salad greens with tomatoes and cucumbers for a fresh lunch that is packed with protein, iron and fiber and will keep you satisfied all day long. For the most fun option, pile them over tortilla chips and finish with salsa and hot sauce. Leftovers also make a delicious filling for a wrap.
Easy One-Pot French Lentils
Ingredients
- 1 cup French lentils
- 3 carrots chopped into equal sized disks
- 1 cube of vegan "beef" bouillon or any vegan bullion
- 2 cups chopped kale, spinach, or Swiss chard
- 2-3 cups water
Instructions
- Bring 2-3 cups of water to a boil
- Add in 1 cup of well rinsed French Lentils
- Add in 3 carrots chopped into equal sized disks
- Add in 1 cube of vegan bouillon, I use vegan "beef" bouillon
- Cover the pan and lower to a simmer.
- Simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on the lentils, if all the water is absorbed add in a bit more. You want enough water for the lentils to cook and the vegetables to steam
- Add in 2 cups of chopped kale (you can substitute spinach or Swiss chard)
- Cover the pot and continue cooking until the kale wilts down–about another 7 minutes.
- By the end all the water should be absorbed but it is better to have too much water rather than too little. If there is excess water/broth left in the pan just drain it before serving.
- You can serve these lentils so many ways! You can eat a bowl of them right out of the pan. I like put them over rice for a super healthy and comforting lunch or dinner, I put them on top of a green salad for extra protein and fiber, but my favorite way to serve them is over tortilla chips with salsa and hot sauce.
- Enjoy!
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