Green Lentil Paté | Smooth & Easy

In the mood for a snack? Try this healthy green lentil paté. It’s so simple and really easy to make. And you don’t need any special skills to prepare it. If you have on hand some green lentils, onions, garlic and a few spices, then you’re just three steps away from eating this delicious snack.

This spread is hearty and comforting and yet very nutritious. You can serve it on bread, crackers, naan bread or as a veggie dip. Or even just off the spoon!

Vegan or not, you should always have lentils in your kitchen as they  have a lot to offer! They’re packed with protein (you’ll get 24 g only by making this recipe), high in fiber, iron, polyphenols, folic acid and they’re good for your bones too. Plus, they’re very affordable.

There’s no “correct thickness” for this spread. You can make it more or less thick, depending on your preferences. You only need to adjust the quantity of water and olive oil.

It’s also open to improvisation. I used turmeric to give it a nice color and I added garam masala, a blend of ground spices common especially in Indian, Sri Lankan and Nepalese cuisines. It is usually made of a mix of sweet, hot and savory ingredients like cumin, coriander, bay leaves, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom; the recipe may vary from region to region. If you are not a big fan of this combination of spices, you can replace garam masala with thyme or other herbs that you like.

All in all, this green lentil pate requires about 40 minutes of your time and 9 ingredients. And besides, it’s vegan, gluten free and can be served as an appetizer or a nice high protein snack.

How to prepare the lentils?

Lentils come in various ways and they have to be cooked differently. For instance, red lentils need only a 20 minute boiling as opposed to green lentils that need more time. And since for this green lentils paté you need a nice and fluffy texture, let’s see what options you have.

Since I’d rather make anything from scratch than using canned food, I chose the long way. I soaked the lentils overnight in a bowl filled with water. I also added 1 tsp of baking soda for a maximum of smoothness. If you ad baking soda too, don’t forget to rinse the lentils before cooking.

In case you really want to make this green lentil paté and you forgot to soak the lentils, don’t worry, there are always some shortcuts! If you have dried lentils, use a pressure cooker and problem solved! Or take the “shortest shortcut” and grab a can of lentils from the supermarket to save the 30 minutes boiling time too ?

How to make green lentil paté

1. Soak the lentils in water for minimum 2 hours (or overnight) and boil then them in 2 cups of water with the bay leaves for about 30 minutes.

2. Sauté the onion with garlic over medium heat and then add the boiled (or canned) lentils together with the rest of the ingredients. Cook for about 10 minutes; add water if necessary.

3. Blend the lentils with olive oil in a food processor or a high-speed blender and put the paté in a small bowl. Spread it on bread and serve it with vegetables.

If you try this green lentil paté, leave a comment and share a photo. I’d love to hear from you ?

Smooth and easy to make green lentil paté

This simple and flavorful paté, and yet very healthy, is perfect as a quick comforting snack or a great appetizer for when you have guests. And it's easy to make and absolutely delicious.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Lentils soaking time (optional) 2 hours hrs

Course Appetizer

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup green lentils soaked for at least 2 hours or overnight
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 diced medium onion
• 2-3 minced garlic cloves
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder or more if you prefer spicy
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tsp salt
• fresh coriander leaves for garnishing optional

Instructions

 

• Soak the lentils in water for minimum 2 hours or overnight; rinse after soaking;
• Put the lentils with the bay leaves in a medium sized pot with 2 cups of water; bring to a boil and let it simmer until the water is absorbed by the lentils;
• When the lentils are cooked set aside and take out the bay leaves;
• In a large pan add the 2 tbsp of olive oil and, when it’s hot, add the diced onion and minced garlic; sauté over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until they turn yellow; stir continuously to prevent burning;
• Add the cooked lentils together with the rest of the ingredients (except the olive oil) and ½ cup of water (or more if you prefer it less thick) and cook for 10 minutes; set aside and allow it to cool;
• Put the lentils with the remained 2 tbsp of olive oil in a high speed blender or a food processor;
• Blend the lentils until you get a smooth paste;
• Transfer it to a bowl, garnish with fresh coriander leaves and enjoy.

Notes

1. Cook the lentils a little more than you would do normally to make them soft and easy to blend;
2. If you want to get a less thick spread, add 1 cup of water in step 4 (instead of ½ cup); you can also adjust the quantity of olive oil when blending the lentils;
3. You can keep the paté in the fridge in a tight lid container for about a week.

Keyword appetizer, green lentils, healthy snack