Is There A Difference Between All Those Different Colors Of Lentils?

There are around 3,000 known types of lentils in the world. However, because many of these varieties are rarely grown, only about 80 of these types are available. Of course, most of us consume only a fraction of the available varieties. This is a shame as each lentil brings something slightly different to the dish that it's a part of. 

If you're unfamiliar with lentils, it's easy to be intimidated by their appearance. After all, they do come in many different colors, shapes, and sizes. When learning your lentils, it's good to focus on the color as this is the easiest way to tell the varieties apart. Lentils can be found in colors ranging from red, to green, to black. Some of them offer flavor profiles that seem to pair well with everything while others are suited to certain soups or stews. What's for certain is that there is a lentil for just about every culinary occasion.

Let's begin with a lentil that most of us are familiar with: brown lentils. Brown lentils pack an earthy flavor that makes them an ideal addition to many dishes. Perhaps more importantly, these lentils soften when cooked, meaning they can easily be mashed and molded. For this reason, brown lentils are often used to make vegetarian burger patties, are used as a meat alternative in ragù, or can be used to make lentil rice balls. This soft texture also ensures that brown lentils are fantastic at thickening hearty soups. (Don't worry if you make a big batch of lentil soup, it'll keep in the freezer for a long time.) However, brown lentils are not suited to dishes where mushy textures aren't desirable. For example, I would not use brown lentils as a salad topping.

If you are looking to purchase brown lentils, keep in mind that they come in a multitude of shades, from dark brown to nearly black. Cooking them only takes around 20 to 30 minutes. In other words, they are a versatile lentil that can easily form a major part of most weeknight dinners.

Green lentils — like brown lentils — are a variety that most people are aware of. Green lentils provide a peppery and nutty flavor that tastes as refreshing as the legume looks. While the flavor of these lentils is bright and enticing, the real benefit of using them is their texture. Unlike brown lentils, green lentils have a thicker skin that allows them to keep their shape throughout the cooking process. This means that, aside from adding texture to soup and stews, these lentils can also be used in salads.

Another member of the green lentil family is the French green lentil. Thanks to a very thick skin, these lentils do an exceptional job of holding their shape and are not only ideal in soups, but can form the basis of a side dish or meal. They can be dressed with a little oil and mixed with fresh vegetables to form a simple salad or can be used to make more substantial dishes like lentil tacos. However, this thicker skin does have a drawback; the lentils usually take around 45 minutes to cook. The most famous of all French lentils come from the Puy region in France. Known as Puy lentils, these legumes have a distinct taste that some have described as flinty. 

Red lentils are the legume that your soups have been neglecting for far too long. Interestingly, red lentils are actually just brown lentils that have been hulled and split; it's only after the skin is removed that the lentil's red hue is present. Due to the absence of any skin, these are the softest lentils you can buy. This makes them ideal for making comforting foods like masoor dal, an Indian curry, and, as mentioned, soup. These lentils can be cooked in under 10 minutes.

Red lentils can be cooked from a dry state or prepared out of a can. Canned red lentils will typically be slightly softer than their dry counterparts and tend to contain more sodium. Whether you use canned or dried red lentils, the chances are your final dish will have a creamy texture. For this reason, red lentils go exceptionally well with fried, crisp ingredients. For example, in India, a lot of red lentil dals are topped with tadka, a fried mixture of vegetables and spices, providing both flavor and textural contrast. 

Head on over to the goth side of legumes where the shiny black Beluga lentils await your tastebuds. The name, Beluga, is an affectionate term given to these lentils because of their uncanny resemblance to Beluga caviar. Although they cook in under half an hour, black lentils remain a bit more sturdy throughout the cooking process than most other lentils. Because of this, black lentils can be cooked in the slow cooker. What's more, they are also great for adding texture to salads. In this scenario, the black lentils also provide visual appeal.

Aside from boasting a firm texture, black lentils also have a great flavor. They are more intense than most other types of lentils with distinctly rich, nutty notes. For these reasons, black lentils are rightly viewed as the most striking of all lentils. While they may not be suited to every dish, those that you do add them to will be noticeably tastier and more attractive.

Like red lentils, yellow lentils are hulled and split. However, these lentils can actually come from two different sources. One type of yellow lentil is made from hulled and split mung beans while another is made from hulled and split toor lentils. Both of these yellow lentils share the same characteristics and are not dissimilar to red lentils; yellow lentils cook quickly and become very soft. That being said, there are some differences between yellow lentils and red lentils. Namely, yellow lentils contain a lot of iron. A 1 ounce serving of mung bean yellow lentils contains double the amount of iron found in the same portion of red lentils.

The flavor of yellow lentils isn't as bold as other lentils; it's mild and sweet. They're commonly used in recipes like kitchri, a type of flavored lentil and rice dish. In fact, yellow lentils work well in any dish that features flavors that complement, but don't overpower, the lentils.