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With dozens of 5-star reviews, this Madras lentils recipe combines hearty lentils with a creamy tomato sauce for the perfect weeknight dinner or meal prep main! Inspired by the Tasty Bite Madras lentil pouches, it is incredibly easy, nourishing, and delicious.
save this recipe!Get ready to spice up your weeknight dinners with this mouthwatering Madras lentils recipe. It’s packed to the brim with flavor, and all comes together in just one pot.
Inspired by the Tasty Bite lentil pouches I always pick up at Costco, this protein-rich recipe doubles as an awesome meal prep recipe.
Reader rating
“Hearty, tasty & filling! Served with basmati rice & warm naan. This will be added to our dinner meal rotations.” —Colleen
Here’s what you’ll need
The ingredients for this recipe are mostly pantry staples. Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements, this is just an overview!
- Aromatics: Yellow onion, bell pepper, garlic, and ginger lay a delicious flavor base for these lentils.
- Tomato Paste: Gives a concentrated, umami-rich flavor. I like to freeze tomato paste in small portions, so I always have the right amount on hand!
- Vegetable Broth: This serves as the base liquid, infusing the lentils with flavor and ensuring they cook to perfection (here’s how to make your own vegetable broth!).
- Black Lentils and Kidney Beans: Two times of legumes make this a vegetarian powerhouse meal.
- Half and Half: Replace it with canned coconut milk for a vegan option!
Which lentil is best?
Black lentils are my preferred choice for this recipe. They hold their shape well, providing a hearty texture that complements the creamy tomato sauce. While brown lentils can be a substitute, they tend to become softer and might not offer the same robust bite (more on lentil varieties here!).
Let’s make them!
Grab a pot and a spatula, and prepare to have your house smell amazing. It takes under 45 minutes (and most of that time is hands-off). Jump to the recipe card for the full printable instructions.
- Cook the aromatics until the smells wafting from your kitchen attract all your neighbors.
- Cook the flavor makers (tomato paste and spices) to help reduce the sourness of the tomato paste.
- Add the broth and lentils, letting those simmer until soft.
- Get your rice going; basmati or jasmine are great here.
- Finish it off with a can of kidney beans and some half & half.
Adjust the spice level
The cayenne pepper adds a subtle kick, but it’s not overly spicy. Adjust the amount to suit your taste preferences.
Meal Prep It
This recipe makes amazing meal prep thanks to the sturdy black lentils. This recipe makes 4 to 5 servings, which last for about 5 days in the fridge.
- Cook according to the instructions below.
- Cool on the counter until no longer piping hot.
- Portion into individual serving sizes and transfer to airtight containers. You can also add some rice, cilantro, and naan for maximum meal prep!
- Refrigerate until ready to enjoy.
- Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes to heat it back up.
How does this recipe compare to Tasty Bite Madras Lentils?
I love the convenience of the Tasty Bite Madras Lentil pouches! In making this recipe, I studied the ingredients listed on the pouch as inspiration for this homemade version. Here’s how this recipe compares to the store-bought version:
- Flavor: The flavor of the homemade version is very similar to the store-bought version, although we found that the store-bought version tasted a bit more like refried beans.
- Texture: The store-bought version is much more soft, while the homemade version has more bite. I prefer a more textured version, but to replicate the soft texture, you could blend the kidney beans with half and half before adding them to the pot.
topping ideas
Cilantro is my go-to topping, but here are a few other ideas.
- Chopped green onions
- A squeeze of lime juice
- A dollop of plain yogurt
Serve It With
Like many of our Indian-inspired recipes, these Madras lentils are great with:
- Homemade Naan: It’s so pillowy and soft!
- Cauliflower Rice: Great for a lower-carb option.
- Mango Lassi: Finish your meal with a refreshing treat.
Madras Lentils Recipe (Tasty Bite Copycat)
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, 28 g
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
- ¼ cup tomato paste, 60 g
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground coriander seed
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 4 cups vegetable broth, 1 L
- 1 cup dry black lentils, can sub brown lentils, 180 g
- 1 15-oz can kidney beans, drained, 425 g
- ½ cup half and half, use canned coconut milk for vegan option, 120 mL
- To serve: cilantro, naan, rice
Instructions
- Aromatics: Heat 2 Tbsp unsalted butter in a large pot or skillet over medium/high heat. Add 1 yellow onion, 1 red bell pepper, 4 cloves garlic, and 2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger. Cook until onions are soft and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Flavor It Up: Stir in ¼ cup tomato paste, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp cumin, ¾ tsp salt, ½ tsp ground coriander seed, and ½ tsp cayenne pepper. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes (this will transform the tomato flavor from sour to savory).
- Lentils: Add 4 cups vegetable broth and 1 cup dry black lentils. Cover and let gently simmer until lentils are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Rice: If serving with rice, get that cooking now according to the instructions on the package.
- Finishing Touches: Remove from heat and stir in 1 15-oz can kidney beans and ½ cup half and half. Serve warm over rice, topped with cilantro and served with naan.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
Hi, what’s half and half??
It’s a mixture of equal parts whole milk and cream 🙂
this recipe is great. It’s best made in a pressure cooker in my opinion. so easy, and with rice it easily serves 6!
That’s a great idea! Enjoy!!
How long would I cook this in my Instant Pot pressure cooker?
I haven’t tested this one in the Instant Pot so I really can’t say for sure. Sorry about that!
Hi Christy – I am not the author of this recipe. But I have a regular pressure cooker. You need to skip the soaking step or it’ll turn to mush in a pressure cooker. I put mine in for 20 mins on high pressure. I am sure you can work it out with the Instant Pot.
Thank you for sharing this recipe I made several subs (jalapeno, chipotle pepper, and split chickpeas instant lentils) because I used what I had on hand but it was amazingly delicious.
Hi, this isn’t my thing so I can’t say for sure how it tastes or compares to the packet, but I made it several times for the vegetarians in my family. They both love it and say it’s very close! The only change I made is that I increased the garlic and ginger a bit, and I increased the spices A LOT.
Thank you for this recipe!! We’ve made it so many times now. I sometimes double the amount of kidney beans because I love them and I prefer it with coconut milk!!
Nothing better than hearing this, happy eating!!
Unfortunately, I found this dish too bland. I’ll try it again and plan to increase the amount of spices.
Appreciate you taking the time to leave a review!
I’m planning on making this tonight. How does this recipe freeze? Can I make a large batch and freeze it in single portions?
While I actually haven’t freeze tested this one, lentils do tend to freeze pretty well, so I think it would work. I would love to hear how it goes if you try it out. Happy eating!
Hi! Coming back to address how well this freezes. Made it at the end of July, put one deli quart sized container of it in the freezer and just thawed it in the microwave. It tastes just as good as it did when I first made it and none of the dairy did that grainy-separation thing. Winner recipe!
Pretty darn close to Tasty Bite! Happy to have found this recipe. I made it exactly as recipe called for except for black lentils, because they were not as common as I’d thought. That being said, I had trouble getting them to the proper texture and the dish to the expected consistency, but it still tasted delightful. I think the spices were perfect amount and blend!
Thanks for making it and sharing!
Good recipe to start with. However, the lentils turned out much firmer than the tasty bite brand. I did mash some of them but I will soak them overnight and cook longer next time. It was much too bland imo so I also doubled the spices and added 1/2 tsp of garam masala. This got us a good flavor along with the sweetness of the fried tomato paste with the half and half. Thank you!
Can I freeze this?
Yes this should freeze well!