Lentils And Spinach

This was seriously good. I used 1 cup of red lentils, and 2.5 cups of vegetable broth in place of the water specified. I also used half a white onion, half a red onion, four cloves of garlic, and during the last five minutes, wilted fresh spinach directly on top of the lentils, along with the remaining salt, pepper, cumin and garlic specified in the recipe. Got rave reviews from vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. Excellent recipe!

I have been making this for a few years and love it every time. I always use fresh spinach and substitute chicken broth for the water. Very tasty!!

This was very good. I doubled everything except used only one onion and used chicken broth for half the water. I also added 3/4 c. finely chopped carrots in the last 15 min. (b/c mom always did) and added fresh spinach in the last 5 minutes of cooking. I suggest doubling this to serve four as a main dish. (Hubby and I had little leftover) Awesome, thanks!

Like other reviewers, I used 1 cup of lentils and 2 1/2 cups chicken stock. I also added the cumin at the beginning to the onions to develop the flavor. Added sliced carrots during last 10 minutes. Used about 2/3 bunch fresh spinach and wilted in pot. Also added pinch of nutmeg with the spinach and flavor was incredible. Serves 4 over rice. Very filling and a different flavor to help shake up dinnertime. Meateaters won't even notice it's vegetarian it's so hearty. Will put in my dinner rotation.

Delicious! I was a little skeptical about the other reviewers' suggestion to double the lentils (I do love my spinach), but I decided to use the full cup anyway. Definitely the best ratio! I also added a can of diced fire-roasted tomatoes and used red lentils. It's actually quite pretty with this mix.

Loved this....I didnt want a soupy dish...and I followed my fellow AR recipe exchange friends advice and left the amount of water the same....glad I did because the lentils really needed it to cook properly. I wasnt left with much water and I drained off the rest. I sauteed my onion and garlic in evoo, added my baby spinach (I had 2 6 oz bags), wilted that down and then added the cumin and red hot pepper flakes. Scrumptious! Will make again!

This was a wonderful meatless dinner. The only thing I did differently was that I used fresh baby spinach instead of the frozen but everything else was the same. I served this over rice with a nice crusty bread and white wine. Next time I will add some diced carrots or diced red peppers with the spinach.

It is very difficult to find meatless dishes that both my husband and I can agree are delicious. This one is fantastic and filling.

Delicious and nutritious, not to mention inexpensive! We added carrots to the recipe. I'd recommend perhaps doubling the amount of lentils. The boyfriend would like to add more salt to it, but I thought it was perfectly salted and seasoned. No longer must I envy the cooking aromas of my Indian neighbors.

This was excellent! I used fresh spinach and just microwavedit for three minutes or so. Very traditonal Indian flavor. I was very impressed with this recipe. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

This is a great start but it needed some doctoring to create a main course meal. I made the recipe as described, except I used broth instead of water as recommended. I decided to taste it before I served it. As a side dish it would have been fine but it was my main course and therefore a bit on the bland side. I added to taste: extra cumin, garam masala, celery seed, ground mace, granular garlic and cayenne pepper. It was better but still needed something else, I added 2 tbsp of butter and about a 1/4 cup of cream. That made the difference. I also served it over wild rice for extra texture and as one other reviewer recommended, a dollup of greek-style yogurt on top. YUMMY! I tend to like food with complex flavors, so I usually go heavy on the spices.

Delicious. I sauteed the onions and garlic with sliced carrots and mushrooms while the lentils were cooking. Threw fresh spinach on at the end to wilt it and added a little turmeric. Thanks!

This dish was very flavorful. I doubled the lentils and used 2.5 cups homemade chicken stock instead of water, and also added a can of diced tomatoes. An added bonus: this dish was very cheap to make and I had almost all the ingredients in my cupboard!

This was a good recipe. It wasn't something that I was super impressed with but it was good.

I thought this was a delicious dish. It was very easy to make. I would serve it over rice next time as it was a little dry over baked potatoes. I added fresh spinach instead of frozen & it cooked down in just a few minutes. I would definitely recommend this meal!!

I'm a busy college student on a budget AND trying to be healthy-- this was AMAZING! It reminded me of a dish I ate in Spain with garbanzo beans. The smell of it made my roommates want to try it and before we knew it, there was hardly any left! I made a few changes: I used 1 cup lentils, 2.5 cup veggie broth, and just 3/4 white onion. When I cooked the onion I added the cumin, I used frozen spinach, and I added half a can of diced tomatoes (avoiding the juice- wanted it to be more stew-like). Add more water, broth or tomato juice if you want it more soupy. Make sure that the lentils are soft when you add the spinach.

I coincidentally made something very similar to this on a whim last night (before seeing this recipe) and I thought I'd share my version. I used green lentils, olive oil instead of vegetable oil, fresh kale instead of spinach, added a few slices of diced eggplant, and added coriander. I sauteed the eggplant, onions, red bell pepper, and (last minute) kale separably and stirred them together with the lentils and spices once the lentils were finished. Finally, I used this mix to top some left over dill mashed russet potatoes. My husband ate seconds and didn't complain about eating the same thing 2 nights in a row! :-)

Easy, relatively fast to prepare, tasty, and good for you... what more can you ask for? I didn't change a thing, and served it over brown rice. Wonderful! I'll be making this often.

It’s a good base recipe but I had to add a lot more flavor to mine (~ 1 tsp. curry paste, 1 tsp. turmeric, 2 tsp. tomato paste, a few vegetable bouillon cubes) to flavor it up a bit. I will make this again but will continue to add the extra ingredients. I would suggest for people trying this out to following the recipe and give it a taste test mid way through to see how you feel about it and then add any extras if you feel it’s needed.

I found this recipe while looking for a low carb recipe that incorporated lentils and spinach and the end result was very good. I even had my 7 yr old and BF try it and they both thought it was good, and neither of them are really very health conscious! :)

Good base recipe that invites you to play with it! As other reviewers suggested I used one cup of lentils and 2 1/2 cups of chicken stock. I also added one 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes with liquid and added fresh spinach during the last ten minutes of cooking. Beefed up on the cumin and added a pinch of cayenne. This was very good and made for great lunch leftovers the next day even without any rice or potato added.

Very good!!! Even my teen liked it.

Tasty! Simple ingredients and very easy to prepare. I love lentils so next time I think I'll try adding just a half cup more of them.

I loved this recipe, although I did make a few changes. Like others, I used 1 cup of red lentils, 2.5 cups of chicken stock. I also added to the onion 1/2 each red and green bell peppers. I also used about 8 oz fresh spinach instead of frozen, adding it right at the end after the lentils were tender along with 2 fresh chopped tomatoes! For a little heat drizzle with Srirachi hot sauce at serving. Yum! Thanks for the recipe.

This was a really nice dinner. Note that I did change the recipe a bit: doubled the lentils (red), added a Roma tomato, some diced celery, and two small spoonfuls of medium salsa. My husband and I had it with a side of steamed red potatoes, baby carrots, and broccoli as well as some green olives (I'm an addict of those things!). I cooked this until most of the water was gone. My husband thought it could use a little more "bulk" but I would make this again. :)

Have made this several times, its always delicious. I use less water and fresh spinach and just serve as a side dish instead of over rice.

make sure to use broth and also 1 cup lentils.....yummy

Add 2 TBLS of sundried tomatos and one bunch sliced carrots for color and taste.

I made this for my husband and he loved it! He was a bit skeptical about the flavor combination, but we liked it quite well.

Wow, this was SO good! I added tomato, and brocoli, just because I had it in the fridge. It was delicious... my daughter, who is picky of course, loved it just as much as I did! Thanks for sharing!

This was good and hearty. I used vegetable broth in place of the water, maybe 1.5 onions, more cumin, and fresh spinach. My boyfriend and I both really enjoyed this served over a baked potato.

This is such a great "cozy" dish! My family loves it and I make it often. I can't believe more people don't serve it with naan, though... To me, that's what makes the meal. I used everyone's suggestions. The extra lentils, the chicken stock, diced tomatoes. We love this!

Quick, easy and yummy! Sometimes i substitute other spices for the cumin and it always turns out great.

this was tasty...maybe a little bland; next time i think i would add some sausage. i also cooked brown rice and instead of using a broth for the liquid; i used coconut milk.

blah and bland. my Rx: used veggie stock instead of water. Doubled garlic cloves. Added matchstick carrots. Then it still seemed to be missing something. Added garam masala and served with a heaping dollop of plain yogurt. Much better.

Sooo good, really. We used this in phase 1 of our South Beach Diet. All the ingredients were on the "okay to eat" list. And I think the complex carbs from the lentils gave me a little extra energy I really needed. Hint: use fresh spinach! Just prepare as directed on bag before using in this recipe.

This makes for a wonderful vegetarian meal high in fiber. I used yellow onions and added in 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Harissa paste for some zip. The spinach was defrosted and excess water removed then added to the lentils the last 10 minutes of cooking. This was served over steam brown rice with cornbread on the side.

Good idea, thank you. Did alter a bit. Used quick cooking brown lentils, and a load of fresh spinach, and added a chicken stock cube. The spinach only needs to be washed, chopped, and then wilted in, a few moments before serving. DO NOT DRAIN, the liquid is nice, especially over rice.

Really easy and really delicious. This recipe handles throw-ins really easily, so it is great when you have various odds and ends in the fridge when you want to use up. I added in some leftover homemade marinara, a bit of canned corn, and some fresh zucchini and carrots. Delicious served over rice.

Great when I added sliced carrots in the last ten minutes and served over a diced baked potato. I also added a few tablespoons of lemon juice in the last five minutes. Perfect!

Made this and served mixed with rice for lunch. It was a little plain for me - next time I will add some spices.

I was not impressed with this recipe. It was edible and somewhat tasty, but it just didn't do much for me. My boyfriend wouldn't touch it with a 39 1/2 foot pole.

This is a delicious side dish. The only changes I made were that I used fresh spinach instead of frozen and I doubled, or tripled, the amount of cumin.

I just made this for dinner tonight and it was DELICIOUS! I wilted fresh spinach on during the last 5 minutes of cooking, as suggested by previous reviews, though I definitely could have used almost double the spinach that I did. I also upped the amount of lentils to about 3/4 cup, and dissolved just a 1/4 of a vegetable bouillon cube into the water for some extra flavour without adding too much sodium. I seriously cannot get over how amazing this was! I will definitely be making it again soon!

This is a great recipe if you double the lentils. I love to make a batch to have for lunches for a few days. I have it with whole wheat muffins and a sliced carrot. Yummy and nutritious!

Very very good food. It won't necessarily be the big "wow" dish you serve to guests, but it should be. It is delicious, nutritious, vegetarian, and very versatile. It just isn't very impressive on a plate, no matter how you dress it up. But we eat it regularly because we love it, and it is highly forgiving and versatile. Sometimes I don't have fresh spinach, so I've used kale (not as good, in my opinion). I serve it always with naan (mostly homemade, but during the week I have to cheat sometimes). This dish should get more respect!

Its true, it doesn't look like much, but the flavors all together are amazing. We had it served with baked potatoes and while some people complained it was too dry for that, we thought it was great! Also great with a drop of sour cream or greek yogurt on top.

What a delicious dish! I added a pinch of nutmeg as someone else suggested. This will definitely become a staple in our home.

Fantastic recipe. I added a little chicken buillon instead of salt and used a bag of baby spinach instead of frozen. Served with jasmine rice. Easy, healthy, delicious meal.

This was great. I used 1 vidala onion, fresh spinach, and replaced the water with chicken stock. Very flavorful. Delicious served over jasmine rice.

Absolutely delicious! Great on the budget and very low-cal and high-nutrient. Next time I'm going to double the lentils as many reviewers have said.

I wanted to eat in a hurry and used this recipe as a base. In a splash of olive oil I sauteed 1/2 yellow onion with some dried minced garlic union opaque. Added 1 can of lentils and about 1/2 cup water, cumin, curry and sea salt to taste. Added in a few grape tomatoes, rinsed a handful of fresh spinach and wilted down in lentil mixture. All was done in 10 minutes. It was AWESOME!

I loved this and would have given it 5 stars but my husband didn't care for it. Mainly because he doesn't like the texture of lentils but he said the flavor was really good. I took advise from other reviews and made it with 1c lentils and there was still moisture in the pan so I'm glad I took that advise - I wouldn't have wanted it too soupy. I also added a can of diced tomato, that tasted excellent along with all the other ingredients and seasoning. I will make this from time to time, it's a nice healthy meal even if my husband has texture issues :)

used 1.5 onions;4large garlic cloves; 1 cup red lentils; 2.5 cups of vege broth. then added fresh thyme and zest of lemon. served with stuffed veal

This is okay. Not sure if it's a keeper yet...I want to see how the flavors meld overnight. I used 1 cup lentils with 3 cups water and 2 veggie bouillon cubes. After cooking it down a while, I decided that it was going to be a little on the bland side for me. So I added extra cumin, coriander, cayenne, and curry powder. Could be used as a base; then I could add tomatoes; or peas instead of spinach. Update: the flavors did not get better. I'll try it again once more, but no hurry.

Made several changes, the end results was very good!

Really good! A healthy, filling, inexpensive meal! Made it just as written, and really liked it :) A little bit of cinnamon might be a nice addition. Yum

Delicious Vegetarian/Vegan meal! I mixed in about 1/2 cup cooked quinoa and ate as a main course. Very healthy and satisfying. The lemon really brightens up the cumin. Will make again.

We had this as a main dish, served over white rice & it was pretty good! I loved that it was pretty inexpensive & healthy too. I did use 1/2 chicken broth in place of water & Im glad I did. I will make this again, probably as a side dish next time. My husband & daughter said it was great as a main dish.

LOVE this! Here are the adjustments I make after having made it a few times: - double the lentils - use 2-2.5 cups vegetable or chicken broth instead of water - use fresh spinach (put in at end) instead of frozen and let wilt -add a can of diced tomatoes about halfway through cooking of the lentils - if I have it, I add cilantro when I add spinach

This didn't go over well.

Great!!! This is an easier recipe!! Thanks!!

First time I made lentils. Served with sea bass. Very good!

Very tasty indeed. I decided to use 2.5 cups of vegetable broth and added fresh spinach and fine-chopped carrots, as suggested.

Very good! I too used 1cup lentils and I'm glad I did. I also added about a tsp each of Tumeric & Garam Masala to give it a bit more indian flavor. I also added 3 chopped tomatoes. This is so yummy & easy to make!

This was good, however not great. I added a bunch more veggies, cauliflower and carrots. I also added tomatoes. I used a bit more spice with cumin, garlic and I added a pinch of fresh rosemary. That really made it aromatically appealing. Served over brown rice and it was quite a hearty meal. Plenty of left overs for lunch the next day for both of us.

This is a great vegetarian side dish. I used chicken broth in place of all the water. It was delicious. It would also be a great main meal, served over some brown rice, maybe with some tofu. Yummy, Indian comfort food.

Very good dish. I just eat it by itself, no rice or potato necessary. I have made a similar recipe on this site, Fried Onions and Lentils. I sprinkle cinnamon on the onions as they are cooking, and put the cumin into the water the lentils cook in. I also doubled the lentils for a better ratio of spinach and lentils.

This was the most bland recipe I have every made from allrecipes.com. I liked all the ingredients and I followed the recipe exactly. It just didn't come together well.

My family loved this! I served it over quinoa. Minor changes to suit our family's preferences where 1) Increased garlic to 4 cloves 2) Increased liquid to 2.5 cups and used chix broth instead of water 3) 3/4 c chopped carrots added at the last 15 minutes of cooking 4) Used 3/4 c fresh spinach added at the last 5 minutes of cooking.

This was more flavorful than I expected, and it was very easy to put together. However, it was a bit soupy; if I made it again, I'd decrease the liquid (I used veg broth). I used fresh spinach, and I caramelized the onions in coconut oil while the lentils were cooking. The recipe doesn't specify which type of lentils to use--I used brown, but I think red would work better with the extra liquid.

I enjoyed this recipe a lot. I added a little celery with the onion and made it a little thinner with extra water. I found a sprinkle of parmesan cheese adds a nice finishing touch.

I followed this recipe exactly and it was pretty much tasteless. The only thing I really tasted was the cumin. I wish I had read and taken the suggestions of some of the reviews. If I was to make this again, I would definitely use chicken stock instead of water. I would probably use a bit more garlic and salt. I had to add way too much salt to make this dish edible as it is written. It is a good base recipe but needs much doctoring.

Wow, the simplicity of this recipe belies its deliciousness! Served over brown jasmine rice it was very nutritious and smelled heavenly.

This dish is very yummy I agree. I substitute the spinach with fresh kale (remove the stems). I allow the kale to wilt in the pot about 15-20 minutes before it is done. This dish takes a lot longer to cook than recipe says. It usually takes me close to an hour, but is worth the wait.

Healthy and easy! Added carrots during last 15 minutes of cooking and 4 tablepoons of white vinegar.

Like most others, I tweaked this to our taste. 1 white onion, 1 cup red lentils, 3 cups chicken broth, 1-teaspoon Sri Lankan Curry powder and two large andouile sausages sliced 1/2 inch. Threw it all in a crockpot on high for 3 or 4 hours.

The soup was great. I cooked this in my pressure cooker for 10 minutes, with 1 cup basmatic rice and 3 potatoes, cut in large chunks. I added carrots, mushrooms and several colors of bell peppers also when sauting the onions. I added some soy sauce, salt and about 1/4 cup of ketchup also to add more flavor, into the pot of lentils. I also added about 4 cups of extra water to make this a more brothy soup. It was WONDERFUL.

Very easy and delicious!

I followed other recommendations and used 2 1/2 cups of chicken broth instead of water and 1 cup of lentils. This was a delicious recipe and I will definitely be making it again!

When I first tried this recipie, I could not get enough. My twelve year old who is a vegetarian loved it. Is on our menu at least once a week.

I really didn't like this and neither did my husband.

The recipe idea was great, however it took a lot of extra seasoning to make it taste good. I used vegetable broth instead of water. I added mrs. dash regular, celery seed, cumin, white pepper and a red onion to pep up the flavor. After that it was a huge hit. The original recipe just needs some polishing.

This was delicious and beautiful. I used miniture yellow lentils and they cooked a lot faster, so just be careful to watch the cooking time. The combination of the green spinich and the yellow lentil was really stunning.

Omg, this is delicious! Based on my taste and other reviews, I doubled the lentils, used chicken broth instead of water, added a can of rinsed and drained diced tomatoes, baby spinach, cilantro, and red pepper flakes! So incredibly good!

My family enjoyed this dish. I think that next time I will add a little bit of pepper to add spice. But, overall good.

Great recipe! I used water and it tasted great. I did add a few more spices including curry powder and extra cumin to give it an added kick.

I must have done something wrong. It seemed really bland after it cooked, so I tried adding a bit of garam masala to it. Then a bit more garlic. Alas, the garlic gets stronger as it stands, so be careful! It ended up an ugly-looking dish that my husband and son, who do like spicy food, turned their noses up at. I should try the coconut version on this site next because it sounds more like what I was hoping for.

Loved it! I used chicken broth in place of water and doubled the lentils. I served it on jasmine rice. Delicious!

This is a VERY tasty recipe. I served it over rice. Watch the cooking time, though...after 35 minutes, all the liquid was abosrbed. I may try soaking the lentils before cooking next time.

Very easy recipe. This will be a new favorite! I used vegetable broth- 2 1/2 cups and added extra broth near the end. I also used 1 cup of lentils and fresh spinach and Swiss chard from our garden. I cooked the greens while the lentils were simmering, squeezed all the water out of them and then chopped them. This was my lunch today also. Great recipe!

Very Yummy actually. I did make a couple changes though and for our family turned out delicious. I used this over noodles rather then rice, and also used a 15 bean soup mix. colorful, hearty and very filling.

My husband and I LOVE this recipe and my kids like it well enough to clean their plates! I add carrots the last 10 minutes, substituted some chicken broth for some water and serve over a bit of rice. Fantastic meatless dish and makes great leftovers.

Perfect as written. One of my favorites :)

This was pretty good and hearty. My husband liked it!! I also added some crushed red pepper and chili powder to the seasonings and I served it on top of cous-cous and toasted pita on the side. I'll definitely make it again, but I'll add some bacon or proscuitto in with the sauteed onions, and also top it all with some Raita (Garlic Cucumber Yogurt Sauce) with the toasted pita. Really quite satisfying and also extremely cheap to make, which is great for those on a tight budget!!!

This was very yummy! I used fresh spinach instead of frozen and also left out the salt because we're watching our sodium intake. It wasn't as good the second day, but it was a tasty and healthy quick dinner that I'm sure I will make again. I served it over leftover mashed potatoes because I already had them on hand, but next time, I think I'll try it over rice.

This is FABULOUS. Reminds me very much of Indian food, which I love. Only changes I made were to add red pepper flakes for some heat, I used low-sodium chicken broth instead of water, and I sauteed one green bell pepper with the onion since I had it around (I don't think the bell pepper added anything but extra veggies can't hurt). Served over brown rice. DELICIOUS. I will definitely be making this again.

This recipe is exceptionally good! My first time making lentils and it was a success. I didnt have all the ingredients so I had to improvise a bit. I subbed with olive oil, red onions, garlic powder and threw in fresh crushed tomatoes. I used cumin but I also used chicken bouillon packets and a little cayenne. I added fresh spinach at the end. Delish!

This was seriously amazing! Way better than I expected, and my kids loved it too which is even better =)