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Moroccan Lentils & Roasted Carrots is a healthy, fast, frugal and high-protein meal that is naturally gluten-free, vegan and grain-free!
A Fabulous Frugal Meal
I’m not afraid of using the F word.
It’s sprinkled throughout my blog. When I’m not using it, I’m thinking it. Pretty much all of the time.
I’m letting it rip today, too. Ready?
Frugal.
The word is anything but cool in foodie circles. Their loss. Because frugality can (and, historically, often does) lead to creativity, inspiration and innovation, three of the best ingredients you can have in the kitchen.
With the help of some carrots and red lentils, they led to this gorgeous, glowing bowl of incredible eating.
Recipe Benefits
- Vegan (plant-based, dairy-free, egg-free)
- Gluen-free
- Oil-free
- Frugal
- High protein (18 grams per serving)
- High fiber (20 grams per serving)
Health Benefits of Red Lentils
At the heart of the recipe is red lentils.
Up until a few years ago, I would have to special-order red lentils, or stock up on visits to markets in larger metro areas. These days they are readily available at most well-stocked supermarkets. Look for them where dried beans are shelved.
Red lentils are:
- Packed with plant-based protein (1 cooked cup has 17.8 grams)
- High in fiber (1 cooked cup has 15.6 grams)
- Rich in health-promoting polyphenols, plant-based compounds that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties with possible cancer cell-inhibiting effects
- Heart-healthy (may improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels)
- An excellent source of healthy carbohydrates
- An excellent source of B vitamins, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc.
Another benefit of red lentils: quicker cooking! Red lentils are typically sold split, which allows them to cook in twenty minutes (or less), depending on desired amount of tenderness.
Ingredients
The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.
- red lentils
- fresh garlic
- ground turmeric
- salt & freshly cracked pepper
- carrots, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch thick batons or slices
- ground cinnamon
- smoked paprika (see recipe notes for options)
- Optional: fresh cilantro, mint or parsley leaves
You will also need water to cook the lentils. I use filtered tap water.
I kept the flavoring in the lentils simple: garlic and turmeric. The garlic is mellow. It simmers, unpeeled, with the lentils, then is removed, minced (it is so easy to peel and chop when it is soft) and added back in.
Turmeric gives these lentils their extra-golden hue.
Turmeric has a savory-ginger quality (it is cousins with ginger) and contains the antioxidant curcumin, a powerful antioxidant with myriad health benefits.
Step by Step Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F (200C).
- Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Lentils: In a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat, bring the water to a boil.
- Add the lentils, garlic, turmeric, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are broken down (like a thick soup. Cook a few minutes longer, if needed).
- Remove garlic from lentils; squeeze out the soft garlic on a cutting board. Finely chop garlic and stir back into lentils.
- Carrots: While the lentils cook, place the carrots on the prepared baking sheet. Spritz with water and sprinkle with cinnamon & paprika. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
- Dry-roast in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes until tender and browned at edges.
- Divide the lentils between bowls and top each with an equal amount of roasted carrots. Sprinkle with fresh herbs, if using.
The results are wow-worthy, despite the humble nature of the ingredients. Try it tonight, or whip up a batch for several days worth of portable, packable lunches. The flavor will hook you, the high protein and fiber will leave you feeling full & energized, and the frugality will keep your wallet fat!
Happy eats, all!
More Lentil Recipes You Will Love:
- Vegan Ground Beef
- Vegan Lentil Taco Meat
- Lentil Kefta
- Perfect Lentil Loaf
- 3-Ingredient Tomato Lentil Soup {vegan, high-protein, oil-free}
- Grain-Free Red Lentil Granola {vegan}
- Vegan Lentil Cincinnati Chili {Grain-Free, High-Protein}
- 3-Ingredient Carrot & Red Lentil Soup {vegan, oil-free}
Moroccan Lentils & Roasted Carrots (Vegan, High-protein, Oil-free)
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup red lentils
- 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 1.5 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoons freshly cracked pepper
- 4 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch thick batons or slices
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Optional: fresh cilantro, mint or parsely leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F (200C). Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Lentils: In a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat, bring the water to a boil. Add the lentils, garlic, turmeric, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are broken down (like a thick soup. Cook a few minutes longer, if needed).
- Remove garlic from lentils; squeeze out the soft garlic on a cutting board. Finely chop garlic and stir back into lentils.
- Carrots:While lentils cook, place carrots on prepared baking sheet. Spritz with water and sprinkle with cinnamon & paprika. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
- Dry-roast in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes until tender and browned at edges.
- Divide lentils between bowls and top each with an equal amount of roasted carrots. Sprinkle with fresh herbs, if using.
I’m trying this right now and I’ve had the lentils simmering on a low heat for an hour now. I just tried them and they have quite a bite. I’m wondering if you meant to say that the pot should be covered? I can’t see how they’re ever going to absorb all this water. These might be cheap ingredients but the electricity bill is a different story! Anyhow I’m putting a lid on the pot and am going to continue, so we’ll see. I’m also looking up other recipes which so far suggest the pot should be covered.
Hi Claire,
Oh gosh, I am sorry to read that your lentils are not cooking.
Two quick questions: (1) did you bring the water to a boil before turning it down to a simmer? and (2) are you using red lentils (as opposed to brown lentils; red split lentils are typically sold as split red lentils in the US, they cook faster than the regular tan ones)
Red lentils cook very quickly (typically under 20 minutes to cook through). If there is still a lot of water and the red lentils still have a lot of bite after more than an hour, I am guessing there was no boiling first. It’s essential. The lentils are cooked uncovered so that the water evaporates as the lentils cook and break down (like Indian dhal).
I hope that boiling solves the problem! The lentils can still be saved–crank up the heat to a boil and then simmer. It should not take long.
Hiya, I think the water quantity is incorrect? Even with less water, and the lid open, and bringing to the boil before adding any ingredients, the lentils are still swimming in water an hour later.
So sorry for the error, Leah, it should be 4. Correction made.