Crispy Crunchy Oven-Roasted Lentils
Your new favorite snack? Crispy crunchy Oven-Roasted Lentils! Seasoned with savory Moroccan spices, they’re incredibly addicting. Perfect for enjoying as an easy snack or pop of texture sprinkled on salads, soups, and more. The trick to achieving a super crunchy end result is drying the lentils thoroughly before roasting in the oven.
As a huge fan of Moroccan and Puerto Rican cuisine, it’s no secret that I love a good bean. And these crispy lentils are officially my new favorite way to enjoy them.
Topped with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and flakey salt, they’re the perfect snack!
They have a super addicting crunchy texture and lots of flavor, thanks to a blend of Moroccan spices.
It’s a super forgiving recipe; use any spices you love and any kind of lentils you have on hand, and take these in just about any direction imaginable.
The only real non-negotiable for perfecting this recipe is in the prep. You must dry the lentils, removing as much moisture as possible before dousing them in oil and spices to achieve that crispy crunchy perfection.
And from there you’ve got a super tasty batch of oven-roasted lentils. Enjoy by the handful or on top of salads, rice dishes or stews. Maybe even on top of these stewed Moroccan lentils? Lentil inception?
Everything You Need
Making Crispy Lentils
Tip: Feel free to use spices you like here, these lentils are neutral in flavor and lend well to just about any savory spices.
DRY YOUR BEANS
HEY, SORRY FOR YELLING, BUT THIS STEP IS ESSENTIAL. If you want crispy crunchy, snack-able lentils, you’ve gotta take the extra time to dry your lentils.
Use paper towels (super quick), a clean kitchen towel (equally quick and eco-friendly), a mesh strainer and 30 minutes of patience (less quick but still works).
Whatever you need to do to get those babies dry, do it.
After testing this recipe like 10 times, it’s the simplest yet most important step. Otherwise you’ll end up with weirdly dense, not-at-all crispy lentils. Trust me!
Where to Use ‘Em
We usually end up snacking on these oven-roasted lentils on their own with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice, but there are so many fun ways to use these.
I love them as a super easy, super filling topper on salads (kind of like a crouton, if you will). They’re also excellent on top of slop-like dishes like rice and beans, soups, stews, etc.
They add that super addicting pop of crunch and texture that levels up any meal.
Some more ideas:
Enjoy!
Crispy Crunchy Oven-Roasted Lentils
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
- Category: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
- Method: Roasted
- Cuisine: Indian, Middle Eastern, Moroccan
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Your new favorite snack? Crispy crunchy Oven-Roasted Lentils! Seasoned with savory Moroccan spices, they’re incredibly addicting. Perfect for enjoying as an easy snack or pop of texture sprinkled on salads, soups, and more. The trick to achieving a super crunchy end result is drying the lentils thoroughly before roasting in the oven.
Ingredients
- 5 cups water, salted
- 1 cup uncooked lentils, rinsed and sorted
- 1 tbsp oil (olive, avocado, etc.)
- 1 1/2 tsp ras el hanout seasoning (or spices of choice)
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Cook & drain the lentils. Add salted water to a small pot and bring to a boil before adding in the lentils. Lower the water to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until tender and no longer crunchy. Strain out all of the water.
- Pat dry. Arrange the lentils on a plate and cool before patting dry thoroughly using a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. The less moisture left, the crispier the end result.
- Season generously. Transfer the dried cooked lentils to a baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Season generously with ras el hanout (or your preferred spice blend) and salt. Toss to coat.
- Roast. Spread the lentils into a thin layer on the baking sheet and bake the lentils at 425°F for 15-20 minutes, tossing halfway through and removing when until crispy and crunchy. Watch closely as this happens quickly!
