How to Cook Lentils

You need 1 cup of dry lentils, 1.5 cups of chopped onion, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, 3 cups of water, and 1.5 teaspoons of kosher salt. The whole thing comes together with five ingredients and one pan.

Brown or green lentils both work. Red lentils break down into a softer, almost-pureed texture, so save those for soup. Brown and green hold their shape and have a meatier bite.

Pour the lentils onto a plate or directly into a sieve and pick out any small stones, twigs, or debris. Lentils sometimes ship with field grit, and a single pebble will ruin the meal. Rinse them thoroughly under cold running water.

No soaking needed for lentils - that's one of the best things about them compared to dried beans.

Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Use the same pot you'll cook the lentils in to save a dish.

The pan is ready when the oil shimmers but isn't smoking. If it smokes, the heat is too high - pull the pan off the burner for a few seconds and try again.

Add the chopped onion to the hot oil and sauté, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and translucent. Bump the heat up to medium if needed, but don't let them brown - you want them sweet, not caramelized.

This usually takes 5 to 7 minutes. Stirring frequently keeps the onion bits at the edges of the pan from browning faster than the rest.

Pour 3 cups of water in with the cooked onions. Increase the heat to high and bring the water to a rolling boil. The onions will float and steep into the water as it heats - that's where the flavor comes from.

Add the rinsed lentils and 1.5 teaspoons of kosher salt to the boiling water. Stir once to combine. The water will stop boiling for a moment - that's normal.

Bring everything back up to a boil before reducing the heat. This quick second boil helps the lentils start cooking evenly.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the lentils simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until tender.

Keep an eye on the water level. If it dries up before the lentils are done, add more water (start with another half cup) and check again in 5 minutes. The simmer should be gentle - small bubbles, not a rolling boil.

Taste one or two lentils to check tenderness. They should be soft all the way through but still hold their shape - no chalky center, no mushy collapse. Turn off the heat.

Serve hot over rice, quinoa, couscous, potatoes, or sweet potatoes. They also work as a base for veggie patties, lentil loaf, or wrapped into burritos with cheese and salsa.