Sprouting lentils is fun, and easy and turns them into an even more nutritious powerhouse!
In just a few days, you can have these delicious sprouts to use in so many ways!
Sprouting lentils? You may be wondering why you would want to sprout lentils. There are so many reasons!
First of all, they are delicious. We love them in salads, on sandwiches, adding texture to bowls, and even just for snacking.
They are also so economical. From a ¼ cup of lentils, I got about 2 cups of sprouts! So, a large bag of lentils can really go far.
Finally, sprouting makes the nutrients much more usable for your body! Sprouting neutralizes the anti-nutrients and makes the available nutrients more readily available.
Ingredients.
Lentils - green, black, or de puy work best. I don't recommend sprouting red, yellow, or white lentils. I usually use organic small green lentils that I can get from Whole Foods.
Water.
That's it! That's all you need to sprout lentils, water, and lentils!
Step-by-step instructions.
I sprout lentils using the jar method. You can also use a tray. I don't really like using trays because I find the sprouts tend to grow through them and it's a hassle to get them free.
Begin by soaking the lentils (I use ¼ cup) in a jar or bowl of water. You can soak them for 8-12 hours, though sometimes I've done 24 hours.
Drain the lentils and place them in a jar. Place a cheesecloth cover over the mouth of the jar or use a sprouting mesh lid. Tilt the jar so that any excess water can drain out.
I used to use a bowl, to tilt the jar, but then I finally ordered a kit from Amazon, and it works so well, I'll link to it in the recipe card.
Rinse the lentils twice a day with water. Just run water into the jar, swish it around and drain it out and return the jar to it's tilted resting space.
You can see that after just one day, the lentils are starting to sprout. If you were planning on cooking the lentils, you could stop now and cook them as just sprouted.
Continue rinsing and draining the lentils a couple of times a day.
After 2-4 days, your lentils will have sprouted and have tails about an inch long. Since I am not cooking the lentils, I usually let mine go for about 4 days.
Remove them from the jar and spread them out on a paper towel to remove excess moisture. I let mine dry for a couple of hours and then store them in a lidded glass container topped with a paper towel in the fridge, where they will keep for about a week.
I always have a container of these sprouted lentils in my fridge! They really pump up the volume in a simple salad. Since I have lupus, I stay away from alfalfa sprouts and mung bean sprouts, so I use these anywhere I might use those sprouts. Like noodle bowls, garnishing stir-fries, and sandwiches.
Next up I am trying garbanzo beans (chickpeas) sprouts!
Below you'll find some of my recipes where you could also use these sprouts.
Recipes to use lentil sprouts.
Recipe.
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How to Sprout Lentils
Ingredients
- ¼ cup lentils
Instructions
- Rinse the lentils and remove any stones. Place them in a jar or bowl and pour in enough water to cover the lentils by at least 2 inches. Let them soak for 8-12 hours.
- Drain the water and place the lentils back in the jar and cover with a sprouting lid or a mesh cloth and tilt the jar so that excess moisture can drain out. I
- The next day, little tails will have already formed. Run water into the jar rinse the lentils and pour out the excess water. Tilt again.
- Continue to rinse and drain them twice a day until the sprouts are your desired length. I usually let mine go 3-4 days.
- When the tails are your desired length, spread them out on a paper towel lined baking sheet until they are dry. Store in a lidded container in the fridge for up to a week.
Maja says
Does sprouting remove lectins from lentils? I am sprouting red lentils. Also, can I cook sprouted lentils? I know that soaking lentils for 24 hours and cooking them afterwards in a pressure cooker remove most lectins. Thoughts?
Pam Greer says
According to what I found, sprouting does help remove lectins. I don't see why you couldn't cook with the lentil sprouts. I like to use them on salads, but I'm sure they'd work in a stir fry.
Tim Small says
Thanks for the article! For those with low DAO levels (histamine intolerance) who would like to use lentil sprouts as a cheap vegetarian DAO source (most existing supplements are made from pig kidney), a 2020 study* found that maximum DAO levels were reached after six days and that DAO levels were roughly doubled by keeping the sprouts in the dark throughout the sprouting process.
* "Lyophilised legume sprouts as a functional ingredient for diamine oxidase enzyme supplementation in histamine intolerance." - Oriol Comas-Basté et al
Jennifer S says
Are lentil sprouts lower or higher in tyramine than lentils? I need to avoid lentils because of tyramine
Pam Greer says
I'm not sure. I tried googling it, but I can't really find a definitive answer. If you are avoiding lentils, I would suggest avoiding lentil sprouts too just to be on the safe side.
Tammy says
I have been controlling my lupus with my food senses 1997. It's great to find you.
Pam Greer says
Oh, I'm so glad you're here!
Keelee says
Why don't you recommend sprouting red lentils? They're my favorite!
Pam Greer says
Someone told me not sprout red lentils, I guess I'll have to give them a try!
Greatly says
Just started learning about sprouting. How does lupus relate to the types of beans / peas you sprout? Btw, I have an autoimmune disease as well.
Pam Greer says
Anyone with an autoimmune disease should not eat alfalfa sprouts. They contain an amino acid that can trigger your immune system. They are the only ones that I avoid.