How to Cook Red Split Lentils

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Red split lentils are fast cooking lentils that cook down into a creamy, hearty stew. Dried red lentils are actually orange in color, and are sometimes also labeled as Egyptian lentils. Read on to learn how to cook everyday red split lentils, red lentil curry, or dal, a traditional red lentil soup.

Ingredients

Everyday Red Lentils

1 cup split red lentils
2 1/2 cups water
Salt and pepper to taste

Red Lentil Curry

3 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder
4 carrots, chopped
1 large russet potato, peeled and chopped
1 cup red lentils
4 cups vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste

Red Lentil Dal

1 cup red lentils
3 cups water
3 plum tomatoes
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 cup white or yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons of Bengali five spice mix (panch phoron)
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making Everyday Red Lentils

1
Wash the dry lentils. Place the split red lentils into a sieve or fine-holed colander. Split red lentils are notorious for having debris in them, so be sure to clean well. Rinse under running water and pick out any obvious large pieces of debris.
2
Pour the washed red split lentils into a saucepan for cooking. Add the water to the pan.

Advertisement
3
Bring the water to a boil.
4
Turn down when it reaches boiling point and simmer. Be sure to stir now and then to prevent sticking to the saucepan.
5
Remove the lentils from heat when they're finished. The red split lentils will be cooked in about 25 minutes. You'll know they're done by observation - they turn into a mush or thick puree.
6
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7
Use them in a dish that calls for lentils. Cooked split red lentils tend to be added to other dishes but can be eaten alone if you like them. Try them with the following ideas:
- Use them to thicken soups and casseroles.
- Add them to vegetable or meat curries.
- Turn them into kofte.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making Red Lentil Curry

1
Wash the lentils. Place them in a sieve and rinse thoroughly.
2
Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Place it over medium heat and let the oil completely heat up.^{[1]
X
Research source}
3
Add the ginger and garlic. Cook them for about two minutes, until they are soft.
4
Add the curry powder.
5
Add the potatoes and carrots. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
6
Stir in the lentils, broth, salt and pepper.
7
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Stir the curry occasionally.
8
Cook the curry for 20 minutes. It's finished when the lentils and vegetables are tender.
9
Serve the curry. It's delicious with lime wedges, naan, and rice.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making Red Lentil Dal

1
Wash the lentils. Place them in a sieve and run water through for a minute or two.^{[2]
X
Research source}
2
Cook the lentils. Place them in a saucepan with 3 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook the lentils until they're tender, about 12 minutes.
3
Peel the tomatoes. Score their tops with an "x." Bring a separate pot of water to a boil, and drop the tomatoes into the boiling water for 30 seconds, then remove them. When they've cooled a bit, insert your fingers under the skin at the "x" and peel it off in strips.
4
Chop the peeled tomatoes.
5
Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Heat it over medium until the oil gets thoroughly hot.
6
Cook the onions. Sauté them for about 5 minutes, until they are translucent.
7
Add the garlic. Keep cooking for another minute.
8
Stir in the Bengali five spice and turmeric.
9
Pour in the cooked lentils. Pour them directly into the saucepan, water and all. Cook for another 10 minutes.
10
Stir in the tomatoes.
11
Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings.
12
Serve the soup with naan and lime wedges.

Community Q&A
Did you know you can get answers researched by wikiHow Staff? Unlock staff-researched answers by supporting wikiHow

Question

What are the best seasonings for lentils?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this staff-researched answer.

Lentils can be flavored with many seasonings, so it’s worth trying your favorite ones first, to see how they work. For some ideas to guide you, you could try one or more of the following seasonings with lentils: Tomato purée, chili powder, thyme, rosemary, nutmeg, garlic (fresh, granules or powdered), ginger (fresh or ground), cumin, oregano, curry powder, turmeric, bay leaf, ordinary or flavored salt, pepper, cream, yogurt, etc. You might also like to try cooking them in broth, stock or tomato purée instead of water.
Question

Do I need to soak lentils before cooking them?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this staff-researched answer.

Lentils do not need soaking before cooking. However, they usually need to be rinsed to ensure they’re clean and free of small stones or other debris, depending on where you’ve sourced them from.
Question

Which lentils keep their shape when cooked?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this staff-researched answer.

The green, brown and puy varieties of lentils are better at keeping their shape after being cooked but if they are overcooked or over-mixed, they can break down and combine with other ingredients. If using in a salad, don't overcook and be sure to stir gently with salad ingredients. The red and yellow or golden lentils will go mushy once cooked but you can stop cooking earlier in order to have slightly less mushy lentils, although they’ll still blend into other ingredients.