Lentil and bean recipes

Tinned pulses buy you convenience: they're already cooked, so drain and rinse them when the recipe calls for it, then add them to your dinner. They're handy for a solo salad, a couple's quick supper or stretching a family pot without another round of cooking. For an assembly-first option, try Greek Lentil Salad with Feta: it takes 15 minutes and needs no cooking equipment.

Dried pulses often cost less per cooked portion, but factor in fuel, time and how much you'll actually use. Most dried beans need soaking and thorough cooking; follow the packet rather than guessing. Dried kidney beans need particular care: soak and boil them according to the packet, and never cook them from raw in a slow cooker. Lentils generally don't need soaking, though rinsing and checking for debris are sensible first steps.

Switching between dried and tinned? Compare cooked or drained weights, not the weight of dry beans. Keep some cooking liquid if you want to loosen a soup later. For smaller households, freeze spare cooked pulses in meal-sized portions after cooling promptly. Tins remain a perfectly practical choice when dinner needs to happen with minimal effort.

Choose lentils by the texture you want, not just the colour on the shelf. Split red lentils soften and break down readily, making them useful for thick soups and creamy pots. In Turkish Red Lentil Soup (Mercimek), that velvety texture meets cumin, mint and lemon in a mild, beginner-friendly dinner ready in 30 minutes.

Brown and green lentils generally keep more shape, so they're useful when you want distinct bites in salads or rice dishes. Small, firm varieties such as Puy and beluga are good choices for that job too. They aren't direct substitutes for split red lentils if you're expecting a smooth result: the texture and liquid needs will differ. Follow the recipe and packet instructions when changing varieties.

Yellow split pulses are common in dal, though names on packets vary and may refer to lentils, peas or other pulses. Check what your recipe specifies. Dal Tadka uses yellow lentils with a sizzling finish of cumin, garlic and chilli. For a mixed-preference household, keep extra chilli at the table rather than increasing it throughout the pot. Cooking for one? Choose a portion size that leaves useful leftovers, not an obligation.

Beans travel well across dinner styles, but the seasoning and accompaniments give each dish its own character. Chickpeas bring a firm, nutty bite to Weeknight Chana Masala, a tangy Indian curry ready in 25 minutes. Black beans take a different route in Quick Brazilian Black Bean Stew with Farofa, a weeknight nod to feijoada with sausage, orange-kissed greens and crunchy farofa. That one includes pork; this collection isn't exclusively plant-based.

Elsewhere in the selection, chickpeas meet smoky paprika and spinach in a Spanish stew, while Greek baked giant beans settle into dill-flecked tomato sauce. Lentils and chickpeas share the bowl in Moroccan harira. Pick the flavour direction your household enjoys rather than treating pulses as a separate category of food everyone must learn to like.

For improvised dinners, butter beans can replace cannellini beans in many tomato-based pots, while chickpeas offer a firmer alternative. Such swaps change texture and tradition, so think of them as practical adaptations. Couples with different diets can build separate bowls from a shared plant-based base, adding cheese or meat individually. For families, serve bread, rice or crunchy vegetables alongside so people can assemble their own plates.

Beans need flavour around them, not just a hurried shake of salt at the end. Start with onion or garlic if you're cooking, and give spices a brief stir in oil before adding liquid, taking care not to burn them. For an assembled dinner, use a punchy dressing instead: lemon juice, olive oil and herbs can do plenty without switching on the hob.

Build contrast as well as seasoning. Mujadara (Lentils, Rice & Crispy Onions) pairs spiced lentils and rice with sweet, crispy onions; that finishing texture matters as much as the soft base beneath it. Try crunchy cabbage beside creamy beans, or chopped herbs over a thick lentil bowl. Lemon juice or a splash of vinegar can brighten a flat-tasting pot. Add gradually, taste, then decide whether it needs more salt, acidity or spice.

Keep expensive extras in supporting roles: a little feta or a spoonful of tahini can finish a whole bowl, while toasted seeds offer another crunchy option. For mixed diets, put toppings in separate dishes. Check each recipe's allergen list and ingredient labels when choosing swaps. Salty's practical nudge: taste a spoonful with its topping before seasoning the entire batch again.