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Red Lentil

Red lentils are small, quick-cooking legumes commonly used in soups, dals, stews, and purées.

Red Lentil — illustrative ingredient image

About Red Lentil

Red lentils are small, lens-shaped legumes with salmon, orange, or reddish seed coats. They are commonly sold whole, split, or decorticated and are used in dals, soups, stews, curries, porridges, and purées. The commercial name covers several similarly coloured types, so size and cooking behaviour can vary.

They have a mild, earthy flavour and generally cook faster than many whole lentils. Split or decorticated lentils soften quickly and tend to dissolve into a thick, creamy mixture, while whole red lentils can retain more shape when simmered gently. Their colour often fades toward yellow or golden orange during cooking.

Red lentils are usually sold dry, though cooked and packaged forms are also available. Rinsing removes loose dust and starch before cooking; boiling softens the seeds, and extended simmering creates a smoother texture. They may be left somewhat grainy, blended into a purée, or combined with vegetables, spices, and broth.

Ingredient type
whole food

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Where red lentil appears

5 linked foods

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Main dishes

Sides

Soups

Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for red lentil

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

red lentil

English

red lentil (cooked)

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

red lentil (dried)

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Red Lentil nutrition & diet

Red Lentil nutritional value

Lentils, pink or red, raw

Per 100 g of the edible portion in the recorded food form.

Calories
358kcal
Protein
23.9g
Carbs
63.1g
Fat
2.2g

Reference values for the specific food form shown. Other varieties, brands and preparations can differ.

Portions & preparation

Use the edible dry seed or cooked lentil form consistently, noting whether the lentils are whole, split, hulled, or made into flour. Rinsing, soaking, and cooking alter weight and texture. Record added oil, salt, stock, coconut milk, or other ingredients in dals and soups separately.

Compare the right form: Match references to the exact red lentil form: dry or cooked, whole or split, hulled or unhulled, plain or prepared.

Diet considerations

Red lentils are plant-derived legumes. Plain lentils suit plant-based patterns, while stock, ghee, meat, or dairy additions alter compatibility. Flour, batter, and purée forms may be used differently from cooked lentils; soups and dals can also contain cereal ingredients, added fats, or sweeteners.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Typically compatible
  • Vegetarian
    Typically compatible
  • Pescatarian
    Typically compatible
  • Keto
    Depends on the version
  • Paleo
    Typically incompatible
  • Low-carb
    Depends on the version
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Vegetarian · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Pescatarian · Typically compatible
The plain ingredient profile is plant, fungal or mineral based. Added ingredients in a prepared product need a separate check.
Keto · Depends on the version
Compatibility depends on the portion and preparation. A sourced carbohydrate amount for a defined serving is not available.
Paleo · Typically incompatible
This profile falls outside the conventional paleo pattern used here (grains and pseudograins, legumes, dairy or refined sugar).
Low-carb · Depends on the version
Compatibility depends on the portion and preparation. A sourced carbohydrate amount for a defined serving is not available.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: USDA FoodData Central — Lentils, pink or red, raw ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .