Spicy Split Red Lentil Side Dish (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
This red lentil side dish only takes about 20 minutes to make, uses less than 10 ingredients, is vegan, gluten-free, and DELICIOUS. It’s my go-to spicy vegan lentils, flavored with garlic chili sauce and shiitake mushrooms. The perfect side to any meal, this simple lentil dish will be a weeknight go-to. Packed with flavor, it’s savory, spicy, salty lentil goodness!
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Lentils- The Best Food I Always Forget
I am a huge fan of beans, and I make them pretty often- usually in the oven or on the stove, and it’s a several hour long process. The other night we ended up eating beans for dinner at 11:30pm! There are definitely times where I think about making beans, but end up deciding against it because the time commitment is just more than I want to make. And I almost never remember that there is another option- lentils. They have a lot in common with beans, both in flavor and in nutritional content, but take a fraction of the time. Split red lentils like the ones I used in this dish only take about 15 minutes to cook! When I do remember that lentils exist, I often end up making a simple lentil dish with bold, savory and spicy flavors like this one. It’s great as a main component of your dish, or just as a side. For a delicious light dinner, eat it with a serving of smashed cucumber salad!
Looking for Lentils and Bean Recipes? Try one of these!
- Lentil, Chestnut Mushrooms and Amaranth Winter Soup
- Lentil and Nettle Soup
- Hearty Bean Dinner Salad with Sun Dried Tomato Dressing
- How to Cook Mung Beans: Easy 30-Minute Recipe
- Curried Lentils and Sorghum
- Hibiscus Flower and White Bean Vegan Tostadas
Making This Red Lentil Side Dish
This recipe is me sitting down and simplifying and clarifying a dish I make a lot- spicy lentils using some different Asian flavors. To get the most savory deliciousness possible, we use a good amount of soy sauce, plus some dried shiitake mushrooms. They actually work better than fresh mushrooms in this dish, because as they rehydrate they flavor the water, which in turn flavors the lentils. I get mine from my local Korean grocery store, but you can also find them online– I have a bag of them around at all times. As well as this dish, I like to add them to soups, make vegan fish sauce, and add them into seitan dough! The other less common ingredient I use here is garlic chili sauce- I use Huy Fong brand, which is available in most supermarkets.
Once you have your ingredients in place, start by chopping the onion, garlic, ginger, jalapeno, and dried mushroom. Sauté them in a skillet until the onions are softened, and then add the lentils and toss them in the oil. Add water and the remaining ingredients, and then bring it to a gentle simmer. After cooking for about 15 minutes, stirring often, the lentils should be cooked. If they’re not softening quickly, you may need to add a little more water. Serve with rice, vegetables, cold noodles, or just eat a bowl on its own! If you want to make it a little fancier, I garnished mine with a chopped up scallion and sesame seeds.
Spicy Split Red Lentil Side Dish (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
- 1 cup split red lentils
- ½ red onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp. grated ginger
- 3 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1-2 tbsp. soy sauce (or tamari, for gluten-free)
- 1 tbsp. garlic chili sauce
- ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Rinse your lentils well. Prepare all your vegetables- dice your onion, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, and roughly chop the three dried shiitake mushrooms.
- Heat the oil in a high-walled skillet, then add the garlic, onion, and ginger, sauteing until fragrant. After a couple minutes, add the lentils, tossing them well so they are entirely coated with the oil. Add the remaining ingredients, and top with 2 ½ cups of water. Bring to a light simmer, and cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until the lentils have absorbed all of the liquid and are soft and tender. Taste, add additional soy sauce if desired, and serve warm.
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