These Crispy Lentils Ship the Savory, Earthy Crunch Each Salad Wants

Do your salads get boring? Begging for extra taste, possibly some crunch? I’ve one of the best repair: tiny, transformative, crispy fried lentils. They ship an earthy, savory crunch to salads, grain bowls, soups, and sides, and so they make a high-quality snack, too. Better of all, they’re easy to make and can maintain for as much as per week in your countertop.

This concept comes from former Washington Submit columnist Joe Yonan, who wrote concerning the method—impressed by Mollie Katzen’s 2013 cookbook The Coronary heart of the Plate—in 2014. To make them, I observe the identical method that Yonan requires in his column: First soak and dry the lentils, earlier than crisping them up. Then I both fry them on the stovetop or roast them within the oven. Under, I define precisely methods to make wonderful fried lentils at residence. 

The Finest Lentils to Use

Inexperienced, often known as French or Puy and black (“beluga”) lentils, work fantastically. Fundamental brown lentils, whereas barely bigger and fewer delicate, are a strong different if that’s what you have got readily available, however they do not get fairly as crunchy. It is best to keep away from utilizing purple or yellow lentils, as they’re too smooth to carry their form and develop into crunchy.

Tips on how to Fry or Roast Lentils

Plan Forward

Soak your lentils for 1 to 24 hours (the countertop is ok for an hour or two; for longer than that, I shift to the fridge). After a minimum of an hour, drain, rinse, and pat very dry with paper towels or a clear kitchen towel. Brief on time? Boil for 20 minutes, drain, rinse with chilly water, and pat dry. The outcome will nonetheless be crispy, however with a barely starchier floor.

Cooking the Lentils

For a half cup of dried lentils, you may want about three tablespoons of impartial oil, similar to safflower, canola, vegetable, or grapeseed oil, for frying. Frying is simple—however just a few ideas will assist stop sogginess or overcooking: 

1. Warmth the oil over medium to medium-high till it simply shimmers. Check by dropping a single lentil into the pan—if it sizzles on contact, the oil is prepared for frying; if not, wait one other 10 to fifteen seconds and take a look at once more. 
2. Whereas cooking, alter the warmth ranges as wanted to take care of a constant warmth. Fry the lentils for about seven minutes, stirring often, till crisp. 
3. Switch to a paper towel–lined plate to soak up any extra oil. 
4. Unfold in a single layer, and season instantly with salt or the spices of your alternative, similar to smoked paprika, cumin, curry powder, dried herbs, or purple pepper flakes.

In the event you’re extra of an oven individual, nice information: you may roast soaked or cooked lentils at 425°F (220°C) and get outcomes almost an identical to frying. Toss the patted-dry lentils with just a few tablespoons of oil and a little bit of salt, unfold in a single layer on a rimmed quarter-sheet pan, and roast till crispy, about 10 minutes. Switch to a paper towel-lined plate to soak up extra oil, then season.

Make-Forward and Storage

As soon as cooled, crispy lentils will maintain in a sealed container at room temperature for as much as per week—although truthfully, they not often final that lengthy. Sprinkle them on all of the dishes you already love for an additional layer of crunchy, earthy savoriness. You may additionally simply eat them by the handful. When you’ve tried this trick, you’ll end up at all times on the lookout for excuses to fry—or roast—lentils.

September 2025