This rainbow lentil bowl is my go-to when I want something fast, colorful, and genuinely filling without turning on the oven. Lentils cook in about five minutes flat, so between chopping a handful of fresh vegetables and boiling water, dinner — or a picnic lunch at the park — is ready in well under thirty minutes.
Nutritionally, this bowl is doing a lot of quiet work: lentils bring a serious dose of protein, iron, and folate to the table, while the mix of colorful vegetables and pineapple rounds things out with fiber and vitamin C. It’s proof that a plant-based bowl doesn’t have to be boring to be this nutrient-dense.
It’s endlessly adaptable, too — swap in whatever fresh vegetables you have on hand, dress it with your favorite vinaigrette if you’re out of tahini, or add a scoop of grilled chicken or fish if you want more protein. Leftovers hold up well, which makes it an easy make-ahead lunch.
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Rainbow Lentil Bowl
Ingredients
Method
- Rinse lentils with cold water.
- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan.
- Chop fresh vegetables into bite-sized pieces.
- Add washed lentils to the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes, checking frequently — lentils cook very quickly.
- While the lentils cook, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, garlic powder, paprika, and sea salt to make the dressing.
- When lentils are tender, strain and rinse with cold water.
- Add vegetables, lentils, and dressing to a bowl and stir together.
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