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Looking for a healthy, high protein breakfast option? Try my easy lentil waffles, made with 2 ingredients. They are vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, oil-free, and can be used as bread (sandwiches! toast!), too.
First, there were red lentil tortillas. Then, mind-blowing red lentil tofu. I had to keep pushing the envelope. So now, it’s lentil waffles. Yes, lentil waffles! Amazingly, they taste nothing like lentils, just, well…waffles!
High in protein, made with two ingredients, and a breeze to make, you are going to love these amazing waffles for breakfast (cue the syrup, powdered sugar and fruit), snacks (toast and enjoy!), or lunchtime (use the waffles in place of sliced bread). I know you will love them as much as I do!
Table of Contents
- Recipe benefits
- Ingredients
- Step by Step Instructions
- Step One: Fast soak the lentils
- Step Two: Rinse and drain the lentils
- Step Three: Blend the lentil waffle batter
- Step Four: Preheat the waffle maker
- Step Five: Portion the batter
- Step Six: Cook the red lentil waffles
- Lentil Waffle Taste and Texture
- Serving Suggestions
- Variations
- Storage
- FAQ
- More Red Lentil Recipes to Love
- Lentil Waffles (2 ingredients, High Protein) Recipe
Recipe benefits
- High in plant-based protein (12 grams per serving)
- No protein powder
- Made with 2 ingredients
- Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
- Gluten-free
- Grain-free
- Oil-free
- No flour
- High fiber (14 grams per serving)
- Frugal
- Easy to prepare
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
- Baking powder (certified gluten-free, as needed)
You will also need water to soak the lentils, and to blend the waffle batter (I use filtered tap water). I recommended adding salt, but it is optional.
Step by Step Instructions
Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.
Step One: Fast soak the lentils
Place the uncooked lentils in a heatproof bowl or container. Cover with boiling water (so that the water on top of the lentils is approximately 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch). Let stand for 30 minutes until the lentils are plumped up (from absorbing a lot of of the water).
See the notes in the recipe card for soaking for a longer period in room temperature water.
Step Two: Rinse and drain the lentils
Rinse and drain the lentils through a fine mesh sieve or colander. Gently shake the colander to remove excess water.
Step Three: Blend the lentil waffle batter
Place the drained lentils, baking powder and optional salt in the container of of blender or high speed blender. Add 1.5 cups fresh water (not the soaking water).
Blend on high speed until completely smooth, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the container. Let stand for 5 minutes. The batter will look somewhat thin immediately after blending. It will thicken as it stands.
Step Four: Preheat the waffle maker
While the lentil batter stands to thicken slightly, preheat your waffle maker/ waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If the waffle maker has a temperature knob, set it between medium heat and medium-high heat.
Step Five: Portion the batter
Unless you are on a strictly oil-free diet, I strongly recommend spritzing the waffle iron plates with nonstick cooking spray before adding the batter. This includes nonstick waffle makers. It makes it so much easier to release the waffles.
Pour or ladle the waffle batter into the prepared waffle maker, being careful not to overfill. Close the lid of the waffle maker.
Step Six: Cook the red lentil waffles
Cook the waffles according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
When the waffle maker indicator signals that the waffles are done, gently tug on the lid (just a little bit) to see if there is any resistance. If there is, DO NOT FORCE OPEN! continue cooking for another minute or so until the lid opens easily and the waffle is a light golden brown in color.
Repeat with the remaining waffle batter. Serve the waffles straight away, or cool on a cooling rack for storage and future eating.
Lentil Waffle Taste and Texture
The lentil waffles do not taste like lentils! They have the flavor of a mild bread, which goes with savory or sweet toppings and fillings. I have multiple suggestions, below, for pushing the flavor in a sweet or savory direction, too.
The texture is crisp-tender. You can recapture the crisp-tender texture long after cooking (e.g., if they are refrigerated or frozen) by toasting in a standard toaster or toaster oven.
Serving Suggestions
Breakfast or brunch – Serve the waffles as you would traditional breakfast waffles, sprinkled with smidge of powdered sugar, fresh berries or diced fruit, and maple syrup.
Sandwiches – Use the waffles as you would sliced bread for any kind of sandwich, from peanut and jelly to hummus and vegetables. Rewarm cooled waffles by lightly toasting before adding sandwich fillings and sandwich toppings.
Variations
Sweet Options
Giving these waffles a sweet nudge is easy. You can add sweet toppings, such as maple syrup, powdered sugar and fruit, but the waffle batter can be made sweet, too. Here are some suggested additions for the batter:
- Nondairy milk – In place of water for blending. Use plain or vanilla. It adds more protein, too.
- Sweetener – Add a tablespoon or so of your favorite sweetener, such as maple syrup, coconut sugar, or a whole pitted medjool date.
- Extracts – Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract, almond extract, or lemon extract.
- Banana or applesauce – Replace 1/2 cup of the water (for blending) with 1/2 cup mashed very ripe banana or unsweetened applesauce.
- Sweet spices – Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of your favorite sweet spices, such as cinnamon, allspice, ginger, cardamom, or pumpkin pie spice.
Savory Options
Up the savory notes to the waffles, especially if you plan to use the waffles for bread or savory snacking. Consider the following options:
- Nutritional yeast – Add a tablespoon or more to lend a subtle cheese-y flavor, as well as extra protein.
- Dried herbs – Add a teaspoon or so of your favorite, such as dried basil, rosemary, thyme, Italian herb blend, dill, or herbes de Provence.
- Savory spices & seasonings – Add a teaspoon or so of garlic powder, onion powder, or savory spices spices such as cumin, curry powder, garam masala, turmeric, or chili powder.
Storage
Store the cooled waffles in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 2 days, the refrigerator / fridge for 5 days, or the freezer for up to six months. To rewarm the waffles, toast in the toaster at low to medium setting.
FAQ
Can I use a food processor to blend the lentil batter? No, I do not recommend it. You need to use a blender to completely break down the lentils into a smooth batter (no small pieces). A food processor cannot do this.
My waffles stuck terribly when I opened the maker. Why? If you feel resistance when you first try to open the maker, DO NOT FORCE OPEN THE MAKER. The waffle will split in two and stick. This is true even if you use a nonstick maker and cooking spray. These waffles may take several minutes longer than waffles made with flour, oil, eggs, etc. It is worth the wait!
How can I make the waffles more tender in texture? Replace some or all of the blending water with the nondairy milk of your choice (e.g., almond milk, cashew milk, soy milk, coconut milk). You can also replace one or two tablespoons of the blending water with the oil of your choice (e.g., avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil).
Can I use other varieties of lentils? Yes, with a caveat: darker colored lentils will have more of a lentil flavor compared to red lentils. Not a bad thing, at all, but better for savory options (i.e., using the waffles for sandwich bread, or savory toast, like avocado toast!)
More Red Lentil Recipes to Love
- Mind-Blowing Red Lentil Tofu
- Red Lentil Tortilla Chips
- Red Lentil Tortillas
- Baked Red Lentil Kefta
- Grain-Free Red Lentil Granola
Lentil Waffles (2 ingredients, High Protein)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup red lentils
- Boiling water for soaking
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, (certified GF, as needed)
- Optional: 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1.5 cups water, (I use room temperature tap water)
Instructions
- Place the uncooked lentils in a heatproof bowl or container. Cover with boiling water (so that the water on top of the lentils is approximately 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch). Let stand for 30 minutes until the lentils are plumped up ( from absorbing a lot of of the water).
- Rinse and drain the lentils through a fine mesh sieve or colander. Gently shake the colander to remove excess water.
- Place the drained lentils, baking powder and optional salt in the container of of blender or high speed blender. Add 1.5 cups fresh water (not the soaking water).
- Blend on high speed until completely smooth, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the container. Let stand for 5 minutes. The batter will look somewhat thin immediately after blending. It will thicken as it stands.
- While the lentil batter stands to thicken slightly, preheat your waffle maker/ waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If the waffle maker has a temperature knob, set it between medium heat and medium-high heat.
- Unless you are on a strictly oil-free diet, I strongly recommend spritzing the waffle iron plates with nonstick cooking spray before adding the batter. This includes nonstick waffle makers. It makes it so much easier to release the waffles. Pour or ladle the waffle batter into the prepared waffle maker, being careful not to overfill. Close the lid of the waffle maker and cook.
- Cook the waffles according to the manufacturer's instructions.When the waffle maker indicator signals that the waffles are done, gently tug on the lid (just a little bit) to see if there is any resistance. If there is, DO NOT FORCE OPEN THE LID. Continue cooking for another few minutes or so until the lid opens easily and the waffle is a light golden brown in color.
- Repeat with the remaining waffle batter. Serve the waffles straight away, or cool on a cooling rack for future eating.
Notes
-
- Nondairy milk – In place of water for blending. Use plain or vanilla. It adds more protein, too.
-
- Sweetener – Add a tablespoon or so of your favorite sweetener, such as maple syrup, coconut sugar, or a whole pitted medjool date.
-
- Extracts – Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract, almond extract, or lemon extract.
-
- Banana or applesauce – Replace 1/2 cup of the water (for blending) with 1/2 cup mashed very ripe banana or unsweetened applesauce.
-
- Sweet spices – Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of your favorite sweet spices, such as cinnamon, allspice, ginger, cardamom, or pumpkin pie spice.
-
- Nutritional yeast – Add a tablespoon or more to lend a subtle cheese-y flavor, as well as extra protein.
-
- Dried herbs – Add a teaspoon or so of your favorite, such as dried basil, rosemary, thyme, Italian herb blend, dill, or herbes de Provence.
-
- Savory spices & seasonings – Add a teaspoon or so of garlic powder, onion powder, or savory spices spices such as cumin, curry powder, garam masala, turmeric, or chili powder.
can’t wait to try them. The nutrition info doesn’t quite add up tho. 1 cup of red lentils is about 690 calories 🙁
Hi Andrea! One cup of dry red lentils typically contains between 600 and 720 calories, depending on the brand and density, with a common average falling around 600–680 calories for a standard 1-cup measure (roughly 6–7 oz). My recipes produces 8 waffles, with one serving being 2 waffles (159 calories), meaning 4 servings. 159×4= 636 calories. Cheers.
I love these. I have a funky novelty waffle maker that makes a lot of small heart waffles. It is perfect for making these. They make a great snack.
love these. It takes about 14 minutes for them to cook in my 4-waffle maker, but it is worth the wait. They are light and crispy. I like them for breakfast but usually make extra to have as “bread”
I’ve been meaning to leave a review for ages. These waffles are addictive. We make them at least three to four times a week. Our biggest gripe is that our little toy waffle maker take 25 minutes to make on crispy waffle. Genius recipe. Thanks Camilla! xxx
Finally got these to work with nonstick cooking spray and letting the waffles cook longer. Yeah, you need to wait until the lid lifts easily, then you know they’re cooked. Glad I persevered because these’re so good. They are great as bread for sandwiches, I love these.
I am so glad you kept trying, Anel! Enjoy.
Yikes! Epic fail!
I’ve made tons of pancakes with red lentils but the waffles just stuck even with spraying.
Hi Eff,
I am sorry the waffles did not turn out, I know that’s so disappointing. I encourage you to give them another try (maybe a half batch? 😉) These really do work, but the key is to not force open the waffle maker if you feel initial resistance (the waffles will split in two). Keep cooking (it might be up to 2 to 3 minutes after the indicator light goes off. The batter can take the heat.). Keep testing the lid until it lifts without resistance. I promise, it works! Take care.
I really like these waffles. I used nonstick cooking spray on my nonstick maker and it cam out very well. BUT: you have to cook the waffles longer then when the inceptor light says they are ready!!! If you try to force it open, the waffle will tear in half and stick. YOU HAVE TO KEEP COOKING until you can easily lift the top (IT WORKS! You have to be patient). I have a big waffle maker (Makes 4 sections) so it still doent take too long, but I would say I leave the waffles in for another 2 or 3 minutes before the waffle iron opens easily. It’s worth it because the results are really good!
I am so glad that you like the waffle, Daniella! And thanks so much for sharing your tips and experiences making these. Yes, letting them stay in the waffle iron a little longer, until the lid lifts with ease, is key. All the best 🙂
I love these, especially as a quick grain free “bread”. My first one was sort of a mess because I opened the waffle iron too soon. Next rounds I waited a little longer than when the light on the waffle maker went off and the lid started to left more easily. Came out great, I had to be more patient LOL
Thank you so much for this recipe! I recently went plant based, and this has become a fast staple. I soak a whole pound of red lentils at a time, use your 3X recipe option (reducing the water 3.5 cups to make it workable for my waffle iron), and then batch cook and freeze them. I toast one in the toaster pretty much every morning and eat it plain for my mid morning snack. The flavor is amazing just by itself! I have also tried a stack of these with a homemade strawberry compote and it was just lovely. Highly recommend!
I am thrilled to pieces to read that you are loving the recipe, Lisa 🙂 Umm…and I am inviting myself over to share a stack with homemade strawberry compote, that sounds AMAZING!!! 🙂 Cheers.
Lentils mixture just stocked to the waffle maker. Waffle iron hot and well oiled. Sticking does not occur r we both any of my other waffle recipes
Hi Lynn,
I am so sorry you had sticking issues. If you give this another try, I strongly recommend using a spritz of nonstick cooking spray instead of plain oil and or leaving the waffle iron closed at least a minute longer than the machine might indicate “doneness” The lentils need that extra bit of time and then they will release with ease (If you feel the waffle resisting in the slightest as you open the lid. close it again and keep cooking until it lifts without resistance).
I was so worried because these seemed too good to be true but… These were amazing! They get so crispy, I made a savoury version to make breakfast sandwiches on and I’m so excited to try a sweet version for breakfast! Thank you so much for this recipe!
That’s so wonderful to read, Brooke, I am so glad the waffles exceeded your expectations 🙂 Cheers
Can I use Green Lentils?
Hi Daina,
That should work fine, Daina 🙂
I make these all the time! The best and easiest grain-free bread, it is amazing, thank you!
I am so happy to read that you love the waffles/bread, Anelle!
Came out great
Terrific, James, glad the came out well!
Thank you for creating this and so many other ingenious recipes. It is a godsend those of us with severe gluten allergies. These waffles are so easy and delicious, a wonderful everyday bread option.
Thank you so much, Diana, your kind words mean a lot 🙂 So glad you like the waffles, too!
I wanted to let you know that your website has changed our household for the better. I hate to cook, but I love to eat healthy. I also have celiac disease so have to avoid gluten whether I like it or not. As someone who has been vegan for three and a half decades, to say I was stuck in a rut is an understatement.
But now, we have at least a dozen of your recipes in our regular rotation and look forward to every new recipe that shows up in our inbox. These waffles included! The ease of your recipes, the minimal ingredients, the absolute delightful flavor. You are such a blessing to the world and to my family in particular! Thank you thank you!!!
Heather,
You brought tears to my eyes with your kind words — thank you, so much. All the best to you and your family xo
These are what I use for bread these days. I’ll make a batch and keep them in the refrigerator and then crisp them up in the air fryer. I love this recipe.
I am over the moon that you are loving the lentil waffles, Jeaux. Thank you for sharing 🙂
these are really good! I only had the tan kind of lentils but I decided to try anyway. Wow! I am so happy with the results. I don’t think they have a strong lentil taste at all. But I will get some red lentils when I try a sweet version.
Hi Adva,
I’m so sorry that your waffles stuck. I strongly urge, both in the recipe and the post, spraying the waffle plates with nonstick cooking spray (even with a nonstick waffle maker). Did you spray the plates? It works! I hope you will give it another try. 🙂
Made them! Like previous reviewer, my first one split (did not follow your directions, didn’t do the nudge test to see if it was sticking). Closed it again tho snd came out fine! Remaining ones were great! I’m not a sweets person. So I added black salt and cracked pepper. Love these! Thank you!
Wonderful, Mathilde! Ooh, I love the idea of adding black salt for the savory waffles, yum!
Hi Camilla!
When I saw the ingredient list for these waffles I knew I had to try it, but I was skeptical…I had a plan “B” for dinner just in case. ha!
It worked! The waffles were delicious…and so easy! I made the basic recipe to go with a savory meal…love the added protein.
Thank you for another creative recipe!
Thank you, June, for trying the waffles, despite the skepticism 😉 I am so glad they got a thumbs up! 🙂
Made these today on a reg round Belgian waffle maker made three
Used soy milk vanilla and some date sugar
Took the first two waffles to figure out the heat and timing they split apart but still edible
I got it on the third and they are Reallt good
I froze them to reheat for quick breakfast
Thanks for this recipe I will be making again and try a savory option as well !
Whoohoo! Go Mandy! I’m so happy to hear that you (a) added your own tweaks , (b) persevered, and (c) liked the waffles!!! Enjoy!
Could these be made into pancakes?
Hi Laura,
Yes, I think that would work well. You might want to add a little bit more (an extra 1/4 teaspoon?) of baking powder to give the pancakes some extra lift 🙂
I had to try these as soon as I saw them, Camilla. I make your lentil tortillas all the time. OMG!!!! These did not disappoint. They are so good. I made avocado toast with them this morning (one of your suggestions!). I will be making these ALL THE TIME. Thank you for these mind-blowing recipes!!!!
I am so glad you gave these a try right away, Chailai!!! Avocado toast on lentil waffles is so yummy 🙂
I made the batter a little bit thicker (slightly less water). The waffles are a dream, crispy and crunchy, great for an easy bread alternative. I have the exact same mini waffle maker as the one you have photographed so I felt confident they would come out and they did. Thanks so much.