The lentil has finally made it into government policy.
Under the biggest overhaul of school food standards in England for more than a decade, schools will be expected to serve far more wholegrains, vegetables and pulses when the new rules come into force from September 2027. Lentils and chickpeas are specifically named: pulses will have to be included within or alongside menu options at least once a week, with some requirements phased in more slowly for secondary schools.
School rules: Pulses like lentils are to be compulsory, included on menus at least once a week (PA)
As expected, deep-fried food is being pushed out, sugary desserts reined in, and vegetables put alongside every main meal. But the elevation of the lentil is particularly interesting. After decades spent somewhere between a worthy vegetarian restaurant staple and an emergency back-of-the-cupboard dinner, one of the least glamorous ingredients in Britain is suddenly centre stage.
And the lentil has quite a good case.
“Superfood” is a term nutritionists generally approach with the enthusiasm of a restaurant critic presented with a menu promising “food with a twist”. No single ingredient is going to rescue a bad diet. Yet if anything can survive the indignity of being called one, pulses have credentials.
They are rich in fibre, provide plant protein and contain useful amounts of micronutrients including iron. They are low in saturated fat, cheap, keep for months and, unlike a great many products marketed as protein foods, are as good as the hype.
More importantly, they contain plenty of something most of us are spectacularly bad at eating and is crucial to our gut health: fibre.
The latest National Diet and Nutrition Survey makes fairly grim reading on that front. Among children aged four to 10, average fibre intake is just 14.5g a day and 86 per cent do not meet the recommendation for their age. Among 11- to 18-year-olds, average intake is 15.4g and an extraordinary 96 per cent fall short.
Adults, lest anyone feel smug about the contents of their child’s lunchbox, are scarcely better. The recommendation is 30g a day. Adults aged 19 to 64 average 16.4g. Just 4 per cent get enough.
“Protein is having such a huge moment,” says Rhiannon Lambert, nutritionist, founder of Rhitrition and author of The Fibre Formula, “while fibre still gets nowhere near the same attention. The good news is that fibre doesn’t require expensive powders or specialist products.”
Lentils can be folded into familiar dishes such as pasta sauces without making dinner feel like a health project (Getty)
She is right about protein having excellent PR. Walk around a supermarket and you’ll see protein yoghurts, protein cereals, protein bars, protein puddings. Fibre, despite the fact that almost none of us eats enough of it, remains considerably less fashionable.
There are good reasons to pay attention. Dietary fibre is the name given to carbohydrates found naturally in plants that our bodies cannot fully digest. Rather than being absorbed in the small intestine, much of it continues into the large intestine, where different fibres perform different jobs.
Some help keep the digestive system moving. Others are fermented by gut bacteria, providing food for parts of the microbiome. Higher-fibre diets have also been associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer.
Pulses are particularly useful because they contain fermentable fibres that can be used by beneficial gut bacteria. The British Nutrition Foundation puts the fibre content of a 120g portion of cooked lentils at around 8.1g. The same amount of chickpeas contains about 6.2g and kidney beans 9.4g.
In other words, they deliver quite a lot for something that costs very little.
The government is not proposing that children be marched into dining halls and presented with an unseasoned mound of brown lentils, either.
The way we eat has evolved since 2015, and, by prioritising wholegrains, fibre-rich breads and more beans and pulses, the proposed standards address one of the most significant gaps in children’s diets: fibre
Meg Hughes, Chartwells
School caterers are already experimenting with rather more realistic ways of getting them eaten. Chartwells, one of the country’s largest education caterers, has introduced lasagne enriched with lentils and a beef burger made with a 40 per cent bean and lentil mix, alongside dishes such as vegetable fajitas with kidney beans.
That’s the difference between a policy that sounds virtuous and one that actually survives contact with a dining hall full of 12-year-olds.
Red lentils will collapse completely into a tomato sauce, curry or soup. Green and Puy lentils keep their shape and can take the place of some of the meat in a ragu or cottage pie. Beans can be blended into burgers. Chickpeas can become hummus. Children do not have to develop a sudden interest in 1970s vegetarian cookery for the policy to work. In trials in Bradford primary schools, increasing beans and pulses did not reduce meal uptake and in some cases increased it. Other projects have had success with foods such as pulse-filled sausage rolls and pizza.
This is a good sign, because Britain does not have much of a pulse-eating habit to build on. Food Foundation analysis suggests secondary school-aged children eat the equivalent of only around two-thirds of a portion of beans a week, and half of that comes from baked beans.
That is not a problem shared equally around the world. Lentils appear in dals across India and South Asia, beneath sausages in France, in soups across the Mediterranean and Middle East, and in everything from salads to kofta, stews and rice dishes.
Lentils are an everyday staple in cuisines around the world, including the dals of India and South Asia (Getty)
In Britain, they have somehow acquired a rather narrower identity, but that’s the ingredient’s problem, not its fault.
It is also one of the few answers to the question of eating better that does not automatically involve spending more. Dried lentils remain among the cheapest proteins in the supermarket and tinned versions remove even the minimal faff of soaking or planning ahead.
There is, admittedly, another problem. Fibre is fermented in the gut and going quickly from very little to very much can mean bloating, wind and discomfort. Nutritionists recommend increasing it gradually rather than attempting to make up the deficit overnight.
Dried lentils remain among the cheapest proteins in the supermarket and tinned versions remove even the minimal faff of soaking or planning ahead
“It is understandable to want quick results, but the gut generally prefers consistency,” says registered dietitian Jo Travers. “Going from a low-fibre diet to a very high-fibre diet overnight can cause discomfort. Start gradually, drink enough fluids and give your body time to adapt.”
It is easy to make school food policy sound comical. Compulsory lentils inevitably summon a Roald Dahl-esque image of a dinner lady standing over a child until the final pulse has disappeared. The reality is a bit less dramatic. The more interesting question is why the rest of us still need quite so much persuading.
Five great recipes for lentils:
High-protein rigatoni
Puy lentils join walnuts and tempeh in a rich tomatoey rigatoni sauce packed with protein and fibre (Andrew Burton)
“The walnut, tempeh, Puy lentil blend in this recipe delivers on the protein and fibre needs for your gut wellbeing, and the texture and flavour of this combination are phenomenal,” says Dr Rupy Aujla.
“With red wine and mixed herbs plus a bit of time, you get a gorgeous bowl of food that is nourishing and delicious. Try it with different pasta varieties if you wish and, for more protein, use a lentil or bean-based pasta.”
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve
100g onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tsp dried mixed herbs
2 tbsp tomato purée
100ml red wine
100g walnuts, roughly chopped or pulsed into a coarse crumb
200g tempeh, roughly chopped or pulsed into a coarse crumb
200ml vegetable stock
200ml passata
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
200g cooked Puy lentils
100g cavolo nero, stalks removed, and leaves massaged and roughly chopped
150g dried rigatoni pasta
20g Parmesan, finely grated, to serve
Method:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large lidded casserole pan over a medium heat, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until softened and starting to turn golden. Add the garlic and plenty of seasoning and cook for another minute before adding the mixed herbs and tomato purée. You want to cook the purée for three to four minutes to intensify the flavour.
2. Pour the red wine into the pan and cook for another three minutes until there is no smell of alcohol and the mixture becomes thick and sticky. Add the walnuts and tempeh and stir to coat them in the sticky mixture. Cook for two minutes, stirring, then pour in the stock, passata and vinegar and add the lentils. Reduce the heat to low–medium, stir until combined and simmer, part-covered with the lid, for 15 minutes.
3. Toss in the massaged cavolo nero for the last two minutes of cooking. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions. Drain, reserving a mugful of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the sauce with enough of the pasta cooking water to loosen.
4. Serve in bowls, drizzled with olive oil and with the Parmesan scattered over.
Protein boost: Add more tempeh or walnuts. You can also use lean beef mince instead of tempeh, just add 150g mince to the onions, garlic, tomato purée and herbs, and cook for five minutes before adding the red wine.
‘Healthy High Protein’ by Dr Rupy Aujla (Ebury Press, £26).
The Curry Guy’s dal makhani
Slow-cooked black lentils turn rich and creamy in Dan Toombs’ take on dal makhani (Kris Kirkham)
“Dal makhani isn’t a dal you can rush, as these lentils need a good long cook – so this recipe is perfect for the slow cooker,” says Dan Toombs, otherwise known as the Curry Guy.
“In fact, I think they are better if you cook on low for eight to 10 hours rather than trying to speed things up by cooking on the high setting. So some forward planning might be a good idea. I usually soak the lentils all day on day one, then place them in the slow cooker overnight. Once they are cooked, this is a quick and easy dish.
“This version is quite a lot easier but you still get a very good, if perhaps less authentic, butter chicken.”
Serves: 4 or more as part of a multi-course meal
Ingredients:
300g black urad dal, soaked overnight in cold water
750ml boiling water, plus extra if needed
5 tbsp rapeseed oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
2 tomatoes, diced
2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp paprika
250ml single cream
2 tsp sea salt, or to taste
3 tbsp butter, or to taste
4 tbsp chopped coriander leaves, to garnish
For the garam masala (makes 170g):
6 tbsp coriander seeds
6 tbsp cumin seeds
5 tsp black peppercorns
4 tbsp fennel seeds
3 tsp cloves
7.5cm real cinnamon stick
5 dried Indian bay leaves
20 green cardamom pods, lightly bruised
2 large pieces of mace
For the garlic and ginger paste (makes about 250g):
150g garlic, roughly chopped
150g root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
Method:
1. For the garam masala: Roast all the spices in a dry frying pan over a medium–high heat until warm to the touch and fragrant, moving them around in the pan as they roast and being careful not to burn them. If they begin to smoke, take them off the heat immediately. Tip the warm spices onto a plate and leave to cool, then grind to a fine powder in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place and use within two months for optimal flavour.
2. For the garlic and ginger paste: Place the garlic and ginger in a food processor or pestle and mortar and blend with just enough water to make a smooth paste. Some chefs finely chop their garlic and ginger instead, which is a good alternative to making a paste. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days and use as needed. If you’re planning a curry party, go ahead and get this job ticked off early. The paste can turn a bit blue or green while in the fridge. This is natural and it is not off. I often make larger batches and freeze it in ice cube trays. Once frozen, the cubes can be transferred to airtight plastic bags in the freezer, ready for when you get that curry craving. Be sure to let them defrost a little first.
3. For the dal makhani: For best results, rinse and then soak the urad lentils for eight hours. Rinsing is required but you could get away with not soaking them. It might just take longer for them to cook.
4. Place the lentils in your slow cooker, pour in the water and cook on low for eight hours. Sometime during the day, when it is convenient, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium–high heat and add the chopped onions. Fry for 10 minutes, or until the onions are soft, translucent and lightly browned and then add the garlic and ginger paste and fry for a further minute. Turn off the heat and stir in the tomatoes, chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala and paprika. Stir for a minute into the hot oil, then set aside.
5. Check the lentils after eight hours to ensure they are fall-apart soft. If not, continue cooking. Once soft, mash them with a potato masher or blend using a stick blender.
6. Pour in the prepared onion and spice mixture. You want the dal makhani to be good and hot, so if serving later you could reheat it using the sauté/searing mode of your slow cooker or in a pot on your stove.
7. Just before serving, stir in most of the cream and season with salt to taste. Top with the butter, which will melt into the dal. I usually swirl a little cream on top at the end before garnishing with the chopped coriander.
‘Curry Guy Slow Cooker’ by Dan Toombs (Quadrille, £16.99).
Chunky chickpea and lentil soup with tahini and tomatoes
Red lentils and chickpeas make this one-pan soup hearty enough for dinner (Clare Winfield)
“This one-pan soup is such a lifesaver – hearty, comforting, and packed with protein from the lentils and chickpeas,” says Deliciously Ella, aka Ella Mills. “You simply throw everything into the pan, and it pretty much cooks itself, making it perfect for those evenings when you’re low on energy but still want something nourishing. It also freezes brilliantly, if you want to double the quantities.”
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
Olive oil
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 × 400g tin of chickpeas, drained
1 × 400g tin of cherry tomatoes
750ml hot vegetable stock
60g red lentils, rinsed
2 tbsp tahini
½ bunch of flat-leaf parsley (about 15g), roughly chopped
Sea salt and black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil, to finish
For the speedy croutons (optional):
2 slices of sourdough
1 garlic clove
Method:
1. Warm one tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan set over a medium heat. Add the carrots, onion and celery, and cook for five minutes until just softened.
2. Tip the chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, stock and lentils into the pan, add a generous pinch of salt and pepper and bring to the boil.
3. Once the liquid is boiling, turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are soft and the lentils are cooked.
4. To make the croutons (if using), toast the bread, then rub the garlic clove on each side and cut into bite-sized pieces.
5. Remove the pan from the heat, then stir in the tahini, parsley and season to taste. If you’ve made croutons, stir them through the soup or scatter over the top. To serve, divide into bowls and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
‘Quick Wins: Healthy Cooking For Busy Lives’ by Ella Mills (Yellow Kite, £25).
Marry me lentils
Red lentils soak up sun-dried tomatoes, rosemary and plenty of creamy richness in this 20-minute dish (Kimberly Espinel)
“Legend has it that if you make this dish for someone, they’ll want to marry you after tasting it!” says Gigi Grassia, author of cookbook Plant Protein.
“Usually made with chicken, in this version the red lentils soak up and carry the rich flavours of the sun-dried tomatoes and rosemary to create a perfect mouthful. In just 20 minutes, you can have a flavourful, protein-packed dish that I hope will become one of your go-to recipes.”
Serves: 2-4
Ingredients:
1 small-medium carrot, diced
½ celery stick, diced
1 small onion, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
1 sprig of rosemary
10-12 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped, plus extra to serve
1 tbsp tomato purée
300g split red lentils, washed
700ml vegetable stock
200ml soya milk
4-5 tbsp nutritional yeast
Handful of baby spinach
Olive oil, for cooking
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve:
Plant-based cream or yoghurt
Small handful of basil
Plant-based Parmesan-style cheese
Method:
1. Heat a good glug of oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and fry the carrot, celery, onion, garlic, rosemary, sun-dried tomatoes and tomato purée for five to eight minutes until the onion has softened and the flavours have infused. If it starts to dry out, add a splash of water.
2. Remove the rosemary and add the lentils, stirring for one to two minutes to toast the lentils. Slowly pour in the vegetable stock, stirring frequently, then add the soya milk and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Once the lentils are cooked, season with salt and pepper, then add the nutritional yeast and spinach and stir until the spinach has wilted.
4. Serve with plant-based cream or yoghurt, more sun-dried tomatoes, basil and plant-based Parmesan-style cheese.
‘Plant Protein: 80 Healthy And Delicious High-Protein Vegan Recipes’ by Gigi Grassia (Greenfinch, £22).
Saucy gnocchi bowl with crispy kale
Puy lentils bulk out a tomatoey gnocchi bowl finished with crisp kale and cashew ‘Parm’ (Haarala Hamilton)
“There’s nothing like a bowl of soft, pillowy gnocchi to comfort you on a cold day,” says chef Sophie Macfie. “The protein content of this dish is increased considerably by the Puy lentils – I just use a pouch of ready-cooked as it’s easy and convenient on busy days.”
Serves: 3
Ingredients:
2 handfuls of kale, roughly torn
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
Small handful of torn fresh basil leaves
500g gnocchi
250g cooked Puy lentils
4 heaped tbsp nutritional yeast
Sea salt and black pepper
For the cashew ‘Parm’:
120g cashews
6 tbsp nutritional yeast
½ tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
Note: Make sure you choose an egg-free gnocchi if vegan and go for the more high-end brands that use durum wheat semolina, as that’s generally a lot higher in protein.
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200C fan/220C.
2. First, make the crispy kale. Add the kale to a baking dish with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Massage well and bake for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, get a saucepan of water to boil for the gnocchi, then start the sauce. Coat the bottom of a pan with the extra virgin olive oil, heat gently, then add the garlic and fry on a low heat for 1-2 minutes until it starts smelling amazing. Don’t let it brown as this makes the sauce taste bitter.
4. Add the tomatoes, a big pinch of sea salt and the basil leaves. Stir well and leave to simmer. After 5 minutes, season to taste.
5. Cook the gnocchi in plenty of salted water according to the packet instructions.
6. To make the cashew “Parm”, blend all the ingredients together until you have a dry, crumb-like consistency, similar to grated Parmesan.
7. Once the gnocchi are cooked, drain and tip into the tomato sauce along with the Puy lentils. Stir in the nutritional yeast.
8. Serve immediately, topped with the crispy kale, cashew “Parm” and some freshly cracked black pepper.
‘Soph’s Plant Kitchen 30 in 30: 30g of protein, 30 minutes or less’ by Sophie Macfie (Yellow Kite, £25).
