How to Make Crunchy Beluga Lentils [video included]

Name: How to Make Crunchy Beluga Lentils
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 1 cup beluga lentils; 3 cups water; 1 ½ teaspoons canola oil; Salt (to taste)

Learn how to make crispy lentils at home for a great healthy side dish! There’s only 4 ingredients and a few steps in this quick and easy lentil recipe everyone will love.

Three white bowls of crispy black lentils with silver spoons

Lentils are really good for you, easy to make, and versatile, too! I use them at least every week in soups, salads, simple side dishes, or even as a meat replacement!

For this crispy lentil recipe, I roast them in the oven to make them extra crunchy. It makes it an addictive snack while adding a contrast of colour and texture to any dish.

I keep jars of this at home, to eat as a snack and sprinkle on my dishes. This is going to be one of the best things you will ever eat and it is SO easy to make!

What Are Lentils?

Also known as pulses, lentils are simply dried edible seeds in the legume family. They’re in the same family as chickpeas, peanuts, kidney beans, and peas.

I use black beluga lentils for this recipe. I think they add a nice contrast to dishes with their color — plus they’re oh-so-delicious with simple seasonings like salt and pepper!

There are many types of lentils: brown lentils, green lentils, red lentils, yellow lentils, Puy lentils, and black lentils. They all have slightly different cooking times, so they’re not easily interchangeable in a recipe. However, they’re all delicious!

How to Make It

First, rinse the dried black beluga lentils.
Then, boil them in salty water until they’re cooked through but still firm.
After draining the lentils, dry them out on a baking sheet lined with paper towels or in a metal sieve.
While they dry, preheat the oven. Once they’re dried some, drizzle with canola oil and salt. If you wanna add more spices, add them here!
Finally, bake the lentils until they’re super crispy. Be sure to shake the pan halfway through for even baking.

How to Store Crispy Lentils

You can store these leftover lentils in the fridge or in your pantry! Either way, make sure they’re sealed in an airtight container to stay super fresh.

I like to keep mine in the refrigerator to be sure they’re safe. I love this recipe for meal prep because I can enjoy crispy lentils for a snack, in a salad, or as a side dish all week long!

Tips and FAQs

I first discovered these crispy lentils on a trip and have worked hard to recreate the recipe. Here are some of the best tricks I picked up along the way:

Remove all the water. For the crunchiest lentils, you want to make sure to drain off all the water. You can use a paper towel to help dry them or a metal sieve.
To soak or not to soak. You can pre-soak your lentils if you want! If you soak the lentils, the final results will have different shades of brown. When the lentils are not pre-soaked, they will keep a more unified dark colour and shape. Personally, I prefer the texture of the lentils that are not pre-soaked.
Add them to everything. There’s no end to the ways to serve crispy lentils! Add them to your salads, garnish your favourite soups, sprinkle them over a taco, or even add them to your weekly granola bars! They’re a great bit of texture in almost any dish.

Close-up shot of a bowl of cooked black lentils with a spoon in it

Want more tips? Here’s a video on how to make crunch beluga lentils Remember to subscribe to my YouTube channel!

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