Black lentils or beluga lentils are among the healthiest legumes you can eat. Learn how to cook these nourishing and delicious lentils to the perfect consistency in under 20 minutes, then use them in soups, salads, wraps and more.
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What are black beluga lentils?
Beluga lentils or black lentils, so named because they resemble black beluga caviar, are tiny, glossy black lentils with a creamy interior. They are nutty and mild in flavor, which makes them a wonderful addition to nearly any legume dish you can think of, and they are widely used in Mediterranean and European cooking.
But the real reason I adore these little lentils is the incredible health benefits they offer.
Like all lentils, beluga lentils are rich in protein and fiber, with 12 grams protein and 10 grams fiber in a single serving. But here's what makes them superstars: their high antioxidant content. Black lentils - like other dark colored foods we love, including blueberries, purple cabbage and black beans - are rich in pigments called anthocyanins, which fight free radicals in the body. Where I live they can be a little harder to source than green lentils or brown lentils, but you can find them at health food stores like Whole Foods or online.
I always cook black beluga lentils on the stovetop, and that's the recipe I have for you today. They take no more than 20 minutes to become wonderfully tender without bursting open or mushing up. You can cook them in the Instant Pot if you want to, but between having the IP come up to pressure and then waiting for the pressure to release, you will likely spend more than 20 minutes so why bother? If you absolutely want to use the Instant Pot to cook these, I have instructions for you in the FAQs below.
Once you have cooked these up, the possibilities for recipes you can make with them are endless. You can use beluga lentils instead of green or brown lentils in any recipe. As a vegan I consume a lot of lentils and beans and usually have at least a dozen varieties in my pantry. But if you prefer stocking just one or two, make sure black lentils are one of them so you can reap all of their magnificent benefits.
Cooking your own legumes like beans and lentils is good for the health and for the wallet! Be sure to check out my complete guides on how to cook dried chickpeas and how to cook black-eyed peas.
Recipe card
How to Cook Black Lentils (Beluga Lentils)
Ingredients
- 1 cup beluga lentils (also labeled "black lentils"
- 3 cups water (or vegetable stock, for more flavor)
Instructions
- Place the lentils in a strainer. Pick out any stones or any lentils that look damaged, then rinse under running water. Place the lentils in a saucepan.
- Add three cups water to the lentils.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat to a simmer, cover the pot and let the lentils cook 20 minutes or until very tender. The lentils should still hold their shape.
Notes
- Strain the lentils before adding them to salads. If using the lentils in a soup you can keep the cooking water and add it instead of water to the soup.
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs rosemary or oregano, or a couple of leaves of sage
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
Nutrition Information
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Are black lentils the same as black gram lentils?
At first glance, beluga lentils resemble whole black gram lentils, or saboot urad, also a black lentil with a creamy white interior that's used in Indian cooking. But when you look at them side by side, the differences are quite apparent. Urad lentils, which you can use in recipes like this spicy urad dal, are bigger, more matte. They have a slightly slippery texture when cooked, which makes them a great addition to south Indian recipes like idli and dosa. They also have a very mildly bitter aftertaste. Black or beluga lentils are smaller, rounder, shinier, and they cook much faster than black gram lentils. They also retain their shape after cooking, although they do get a few shades lighter, and they taste nuttier than black gram dal does.
Beluga lentils are not used in traditional Indian cooking, but you can easily substitute them for brown lentils in Indian recipes like whole masoor dal or masoor keema.
Black lentils FAQs
No, beluga lentils cook really fast and don't need to be soaked, unlike other varieties of lentils like pigeon peas and black gram.
Use them in any recipe that calls for green or brown lentils. Black beluga lentils are delicious in soups, like this simple dal soup with beluga lentils, but they are also awesome in a warm salad, like lentil pasta salad, lentil tacos and in lentil soup.
Yes. Use the same ratio of water to lentils - 3 cups water to 1 cup lentils. Place in the Instant Pot liner and set to pressure cook on high for six minutes. Wait 10 minutes after end of cooking to do a force-release, or let the Instant Pot release pressure naturally.
You can use this recipe for other quick-cooking lentils like red lentils, brown lentils and green lentils. But split lentil varieties used in Indian cuisine, like toor dal, chana dal and urad dal, should be soaked for several hours and will need more time to cook. They are best cooked in a pressure cooker.
Store the cooked lentils in the fridge for up to four days or freeze for up to four months.
Elizabeth says
I first purchased Black Beluga Lentils for a “meaty“ marinara recipe. It was very good but I didn’t know what to do with the rest of the lentils. UNTIL I found this very simple recipe on your website. It is so delicious. I made it exactly as you suggested and they turned out perfect. Thank you so much. Your pictures and instructions are so easy to follow. I appreciate the added information you provide. It is informative without being overwhelming. You’ve helped me to increase my repertoire of plant source protein in a delicious way.
Vaishali Honawar says
So happy you loved the recipe, Elizabeth! Thank you for your kind words.