Red Lentil Granola

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If you've somehow ended up with a mountain of lentils at home (guilty), here's something you might not have thought to make: wonderfully sweet red lentil granola.

It's really easy, and the result is crunchy, satisfying, and packed with nutrients to help fuel your day. Not bad for a bag of lentils.

It all started when I wanted to treat the participants in my Vegan Lean Challenge to an easy breakfast recipe without oats or buckwheat.

I racked my brain—and rummaged through my kitchen—looking for something that would be both nourishing and delicious.

Pretty quickly, I spotted a deep bowl in the fridge. The day before, I'd soaked a cup of red lentils to make lentil patties. And suddenly, I had one of those light-bulb moments, straight out of a movie:

"Why not turn these lentils into granola?!"

5 minutes later, I was tossing lentils, spices, and nuts together in a big bowl.

A few minutes after that, I was shouting across my studio kitchen: Eureka! Yes! I've got it!

I'd made ridiculously good, crunchy, satisfying granola out of red lentils!

What to Know About Red Lentil Granola

I use split red lentils, which are very thin and don't need any precooking before baking—just soaking. You can also use yellow lentils, quinoa, or raw buckwheat groats. I haven't tried other legumes, but I don't think they'd work here.

If you get another legume to work, tell me!

Maple syrup sweetens this granola. You can swap it for silan (date syrup), sugar, agave, or another sweetener you like.

For that familiar granola flavor, I added cinnamon. Feel free to try other spices, such as a blend of cardamom, ginger, and cloves, or hawaij for coffee (a warming Yemenite spice blend popular in Israel).

The nuts and seeds add fatty acids and plenty of extra crunch. Get creative with your mix-ins: dried fruit, whole spices, and whatever else sounds good to you.

Peanut butter plays an important role here: it coats the lentils to help keep them from burning in the oven. You can replace it with the same amount of tahini, almond butter, or coconut oil.

Nutrition Facts

One serving, out of 5 total servings, weighs approximately 135 g (4.8 oz) and contains:

• 360 calories
• 15.4 g protein
• 38.4 g carbohydrates
• 16 g fat

Red Lentil Granola

Prep Time 8 hours

Cook Time 20 minutes

Yield 5 servings

Calories 360 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 cup split red lentils, measured before soaking 170 g (6 oz)
• 4 tablespoons maple syrup 60 g (2.1 oz)
• 1 heaping tablespoon peanut butter with no added sugar 25 g (0.9 oz)
• 1 handful chopped walnuts 40 g (1.4 oz)
• 1 handful blanched almonds 26 g (0.9 oz)
• 1 handful untoasted coconut flakes 25 g (0.9 oz)
• 1 handful pumpkin seeds 17 g (0.6 oz)
• 1 handful sunflower seeds 23 g (0.8 oz)
• 1 level tablespoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Rinse the lentils thoroughly to remove any dust or dirt.

2. Transfer to a bowl and add enough water to cover.

3. Soak for at least 4 hours or overnight.

4. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

5. Drain the lentils in a strainer, shaking off the excess water thoroughly.

6. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

7. Add the remaining granola ingredients: peanut butter, maple syrup, nuts, coconut, seeds, and cinnamon. Mix well.

8. Spread the granola on a baking sheet in a thin, even layer, making sure it isn't piled up.

9. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until the granola is crunchy.

10. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

11. Transfer to a dry, airtight jar.

12. The granola stays crisp and delicious for about a week.

Recipe Video