This hearty vegan dinner is colorful, filled with flavor, and very satisfying! It’s a blend of tender cooked black lentils and Roasted Carrots that everyone at the table will love!
One of our go-to dinners no matter the season is Roasted Carrots Over Black Lentils. This recipe uses a bed of black beluga lentils, our best-roasted carrots recipe, and an easy-to-make homemade glaze. Everything combines into a filling main dish that has an incredibly exciting blend of flavors and spices! You’ll want to make a double recipe so you can save the leftovers and enjoy it again the next day.
Carrot Spice Rub
We used a flavorful, savory blend of spices that perfectly complements the natural sweetness of carrots! It consists of paprika, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, onion powder, and garlic powder. Cut the carrots into uniform pieces to ensure that they cook evenly.
How to Roast Carrots in the Oven
Roasting carrots in the oven is really easy! We like to use a hot oven (400F) and roast the carrots for around 35 minutes or until tender. While the carrots are cooking, we make a delicious sauce out of ketchup, soy sauce (or coconut aminos), lemon juice, and silan (date syrup). We highly recommend that you try silan, but if it's not available or can't find it you may try honey, agave or maple syrup. This glaze gets is used to coat the oven-roasted carrots before putting them back into the oven. The glaze cooks beautifully into the carrots and creates a really great topping for the black lentils!
What Are Black Lentils?
Black lentils, also called beluga lentils because they resemble caviar once cooked. They are small, black lentils that are great for meal prepping since they store so well and they keep their shape once cooked, unlike other types of softer lentils such as red lentils or yellow lentils. Black beluga lentils are great to add to salads, soups, chilis and even Babaganoush. Black Lentils are a great source of plant-based protein, while being low in fat and high in fiber that will keep you full longer. To learn more about different types of lentils and how they are different from each other check out the lentils information on our Mujadara recipe.
Do I Have to Soak Lentils Before Cooking?
It’s not necessary to soak black beluga lentils. Dry lentils will cook in 20-35 minutes depending on the variety. If you do have time and want to cut the time for cooking lentils in half, you can soak lentils for a minimum of 20-30 minutes. Canned lentils also work great for this recipe! Just rinse them before adding them to the cooked onions and garlic and reduce the simmering time.g
How to Cook Lentils
Pick Lentils: the first thing you should do before cooking lentils is picking through them and discard any small rocks or debris.
Rinse lentils: using a fine mesh colander rinse the lentils before cooking.
Cook Lentils: use a saucepan or a deep skillet to cook lentils. For simple lentils just add some salt and pepper and you are done. For added flavor, you can saute onion, garlic, and ginger before adding the water or broth and the lentils. You can also flavor them with a bay leaf, thyme, or other herbs. Depending on the lentils you will need 3-4 cups of water for each cup of lentils. Cook lentils to desired tenderness.
Drain Lentils: if there if any water left once the lentils are cook to your taste, drain the lentils, but don't rinse them. They are now ready to be enjoyed. We chose black lentils to serve underneath our tasty roasted glazed carrots
Where to Buy Black Lentils
Whole Foods usually carries black lentils and they can also be found online. Lentils and other pulses and legumes are a great healthy and inexpensive kitchen staple that last a long time in the pantry. They are a great way to introduce more fiber and plant-based protein to any diet.
More Lentil Recipes
- Lentil Soup With Moroccan Spices
- Red Lentil Soup With Fresh Fennel and Turmeric
- Mujadara
- Lentil Curry
- Lentil Chili
- Lentil Veggie meatballs with Tahini Turmeric Sauce
- Red Lentil Soup with Lemon and Cilantro
Black Lentils with Glazed Roasted Carrots
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This hearty vegan dinner is colorful, filled with flavor, and very satisfying! It’s a blend of tender cooked black lentils and Roasted Carrots that everyone at the table will love!
Ingredients
For the lentils
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large sweet onion, diced
- 1" piece of peeled fresh ginger, grated
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced or grated
- 1 cup dry black lentils, picked through
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the carrots
- 8 carrots, washed and peeled
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp dry oregano
- ½ tsp dry thyme
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
For the Glaze
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tbsp silan ( date syrup)
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp soy sauce
- ½ " piece ginger, grated
- 2 dashes of hot sauce ( more or less to taste)
Garnish (optional)
- Pomegranate seeds
- Chopped parsley or cilantro
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet for which you have a lid. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and saute for 5 minutes.
- Add the lentils and 3 cups of water, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until tender Check the lentils after 20 minutes to make sure there's enough water. You want to prevent the lentils from burning (see note #1)
- Once the lentils are tender, if there is any water left, strain and discard any water, but don't rinse the lentils. Set the lentils aside. Please note that cooking time for lentils may vary.
For the carrots
- Preheat the oven to 400F, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
- Cut the carrots in half lengthwise, and cut each half into 2-3 pieces (depending on the thickness) ensuring all the pieces are similar in size and thickness. Place them in a large bowl and add the olive oil, paprika, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Toss well until all the carrots are well coated with the olive oil and spices.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until tender
For the glaze
- Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl until well combined
Putting it all together
- Place the cooked carrots right out of the oven into a bowl. Pour the glaze over them and toss well so they're well coated and return to the oven for 5 minutes.
- Place lentils at the bottom of a serving or baking dish and arrange the glazed carrots on top. Garnish with fresh pomegranates and chopped parsley or cilantro
Notes
- The amount of water needed for the lentils will vary depending on the type of lentil and how fresh they are.
- Please note that cooking time for lentils may vary.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 40
- Category: Main
- Method: roasting
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ of the recipe
- Calories: 376
- Sugar: 19
- Sodium: 1065.5
- Fat: 11.4
- Saturated Fat: 1.6
- Unsaturated Fat: 9.1
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 58.6
- Fiber: 9.4
- Protein: 13.9
- Cholesterol: 0
Nelly Marina Ariza Ramírez
Excelente receta, súper deliciosa,
Vicky and Ruth
Muchas Gracias!
Jayne
I made this to contribute to a RH gathering, and it was a huge hit!
I used green French lentils, because I couldn't find black belugas. They worked well, because they hold their shape, too. Found silan and love it. Roasted for about half the time.
Thanks for the added garnishing suggestions. Sprinkled with pomegranate seeds and parsley for a colorful and flavorful addition. The sweet and savory combos were complex and wonderful.
Thank you, and Happy New Year!
juleezee
How many cans of lentils do you suggest using instead of dry lentils for this delicious recipe?
Vicky and Ruth
You'll need between 2 and 2 1/2 cups of canned lentils