These 5-ingredient crispy roasted lentils are the perfect healthy snack or salad topper! Simple, packed with plant protein & slightly addictive (you've been warned). Vegan, gluten-free & baked in the oven.
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🌱 Why I Adore This Recipe
- The perfect snack or salad topper
- Simple ingredients
- Rich in protein
- Easy, no-fuss method
- Customize it to taste
- Keeps well for days
Plus, I’ve even got step-by-step photos & fab expert tips.
🧅 Ingredients
Let's take a quick look at the ingredients you need.
Ingredient Details
Lentils - Tinned (canned) lentils work best. If you use dry lentils, make sure you don't overcook them.
Light olive oil - You can substitute it for other cooking oil (such as sunflower, rapeseed, or even sesame oil).
Smoked paprika - Adds that signature smoky taste. Can be replaced with sweet paprika powder if desired.
Onion powder or garlic powder - Brings out a sharp, savory flavor.
Optional - salt flakes or red chili flakes for topping. See below for more variations.
TIP - I HIGHLY encourage you to use tinned (canned) lentils! This way the recipe takes less time as you don't have to cook the lentils.
🥄 Equipment
- Sieve
- Clean kitchen towel (or tea towel)
- Baking sheet
- Baking paper (parchment paper)
- Airtight container - for storing them (optional)
⏲️ Steps
There are just a few easy steps to this recipe.
Hint - this is just a quick overview. For detailed instructions & exact ingredients see the recipe card at the bottom.
- Preheat a fan (convection) oven to 160C / 320F. Use cold water to rinse the canned lentils over a sieve.
2. Pat dry with a paper towel (or a tea towel) to remove any excess water.
3. Add lentils to a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients & give it a good stir.
4. Taste to see if you're happy with the seasoning. Adjust accordingly.
5. Transfer to a lined baking sheet.
6. Bake at 180C / 356F for approx. 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.*
Remove from the oven and serve (see serving ideas below).
Sprinkle with salt flakes if desired.
*Every oven behaves slightly differently. You might need a minute or two longer to achieve the same level of crispiness. Simply give it a try around the 25th-minute mark & adjust the baking time accordingly.
💡 Top Tips
- Before adding oil & seasoning, try to get the lentils as dry as possible.
- Mix the ingredients in a large bowl, not on a baking tray. This is way simpler and ensures you've mixed it properly.
- Adjust to taste. You might prefer more/less of a certain spice or want to try different seasoning altogether.
- Once they're baking, remove the lentils from the oven every 10 mins and give them a stir. Then place them back in the oven (extra tip - turn the baking tray too).
Want a spicy variation? Sprinkle with cayenne pepper before baking!
❓FAQ
I've tried this recipe with red, brown & green lentils. They all work well, however, I recommend using green lentils. They retain their shape better.
Plus, some experts believe green lentils are healthier than other varieties (Source: WebMD).
Crispy, light, savory, salty & a little smokey.
Yep! Simply follow the same steps.
🍋 Variations
Don't be afraid to customize this recipe according to your preferences!
Here are some ways you can experiment with different variations.
Lemon zest - Adds a fun pop of color & a zesty finish.
Lime juice - Similar to the above, adds a touch of freshness & acidity.
Seeds - Sprinkle with sesame or hemp seeds either before or after baking.
Other seasoning options - Ginger powder, turmeric, ground cumin, or curry powder all work well!
Don't want any extra seasoning? No problem. Just use oil and lentils.
🥗 Serving
There are so many ways you can eat these crispy lentils.
- Perfect topper: a great way to boost the protein content of any salad, soup, open sandwich, or nourish bowl.
- On its own: as a healthy snack at home or on-the-go
📦 Storing
First, let your lentils cool down at room temperature.
Then transfer them to an airtight container. A Weck jar or plastic/glass Ikea containers work well.
Store for 2-3 days at room temperature.
💌 Similar Recipes
If you enjoy making super simple veggie-based recipes, why not try out my:
That's it - hope you enjoyed this recipe!
If anything didn’t make sense or if you have any questions, simply leave a comment below.
Made these roasted lentils? I would appreciate it SO MUCH if you could leave a comment or a star review below. It truly helps me reach more people (and always improves my mood!).
🍴Recipe
Crispy Oven Roasted Lentils - 5 Ingredients
Equipment
- Sieve
- Clean kitchen towel (or tea towel)
- Baking sheet/tray 13x9 inch (33x22 cm)
- Baking paper (parchment paper)
- Airtight container - for storing them (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 can (14 oz or 400g) green lentils
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or other cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder or garlic powder
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat a fan (convection) oven to 160C / 320F. Use cold water to rinse the canned lentils over a sieve.1 can (14 oz or 400g) green lentils
- Pat the lentils dry with a paper towel (or a tea towel) to remove any excess water.
- Don't worry if you've accidentally removed some skins or crushed some lentils when drying them.
- Add lentils to a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients & give it a good stir to coat.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon onion powder, salt & pepper
- Taste to see if you're happy with the seasoning. Adjust accordingly.
- Transfer & spread out the lentils on a lined baking sheet.
- Bake for approx. 30 minutes, stirring the lentils every 10 or so minutes.
- Every oven behaves differently. Yours might take longer or shorter to reach the same level of crispiness.
Notes
- You will need one 14 oz (400g) can of lentils. This refers to the ENTIRE weight of the can before the water is drained (equals roughly 8.5 oz/265g when drained).
- I used a 13x9 inch (33x22 cm) baking tray. You can use the same/bigger baking tray but do not use a smaller one.
- I recommend using GREEN, canned lentils. They retain their shape better than other varieties.
- Before adding oil & seasoning, try to get the lentils as dry as possible.
- Mix the oil and spices in a large bowl, not on the baking tray.
- Adjust seasoning to taste. You might prefer more/less of a certain spice or salt.
- Want a SPICY variation? Sprinkle with cayenne pepper before baking!
- To STORE - Transfer the lentils to an airtight container. Store for 2-3 days at room temperature.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: The nutritional information above is calculated automatically. The author of this post cannot guarantee 100% accuracy of this data.
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