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About

About the veg wiki

Philosophy

Cooking is better with more hands in the pot.

A wiki gets more useful the more it's used. Every recipe links to the ingredients and techniques it uses — and every ingredient links back to the recipes built around it. Nothing here is static: pages grow as the household cooks, and what we learn goes straight back into the site.

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Ingredient · Fabaceae

Red lentils

Lens culinaris · Fabaceae

OriginMiddle East / South Asia SeasonYear-round FlavourMild, earthy, creamy when cooked Typical cost~£1.90/kg (approx, curated UK price list (approx) · checked 11 Aug 2026) Edit
353 kcal per 100g dry 18% RNI
Carries the calories a body runs on day to day from carbohydrate, protein, fat and alcohol. How much you need varies widely with age, activity and goals.
Reference: 2000.00kcal per day (UK Reference Intake)
Full nutrient page →
25g 50% RNI
Supplies amino acids used to build and repair body tissues. Vegetarian sources include pulses, dairy, eggs, tofu and whole grains.
Reference: 50.00g per day (UK RNI)
Full nutrient page →
31g 103% RNI
Plant-based carbohydrate that humans cannot digest. Linked in research with digestive comfort, steady blood-sugar response and healthy cholesterol levels. Pulses, wholegrains, fruit and vegetables are the main sources.
Reference: 30.00g per day (UK dietary guideline)
Full nutrient page →
6.5mg (36% RDI) 44% RNI
Carries oxygen around the body as part of haemoglobin. Plant (non-haem) iron from pulses, leafy greens and fortified cereals is absorbed better alongside vitamin C. A nutrient of concern on vegetarian diets.
Reference: 14.80mg per day (UK RNI)
Full nutrient page →
479µg (120% RDI) 150% RNI
Essential for cell division and DNA synthesis, and especially important around pregnancy. Leafy greens, legumes, asparagus and fortified grains are the sources. The UK RNI (200mcg) is lower than US DFE figures.
Reference: 200.00mcg per day (UK RNI)
Full nutrient page →

Physical wellbeing

Excellent source of plant protein — a staple in vegetarian cooking worldwide.
High in folate, important for cell repair and particularly relevant during pregnancy.
Iron content is well-absorbed when paired with vitamin C (e.g. tomatoes, lemon).

Mental wellbeing

Dal (lentil stew) is comfort food across South Asia — the dish many people associate with home.
The act of simmering lentils slowly is described in food writing as a form of kitchen patience.

Wellness framing here reflects traditional use and ongoing research, not medical claims.

This reflects research on standardised extracts in clinical studies of diagnosed conditions, not a claim that cooking with this ingredient treats a mental health condition. If you're struggling with your mood, please speak to a GP or a mental health professional.

Recipes using red lentils

Auto-generated — populates whenever a recipe tags this ingredient.

Cross-references

Pairs well with
Turmeric Cumin Onion Tomato
Substitutes
Yellow split peas (longer cook) Chickpeas (different texture)
Research →