What to do with canned lentils

To help you save money and boost your health, Healthy Food Guide shares three tasty ways to use canned lentils.

Canned lentils are a convenient and versatile ingredient that will pump up the gut-friendly fibre and satisfying protein of any meal.  And, lentils contribute to your five-plus-a-day. They can be used to bulk out meat dishes or as a healthy plant-based protein in vegetarian or vegan dishes. Here are three smart ways to make use of this affordable and nutrient-dense legume.

1. Creamy lentil dip

Serves 4 (as a starter), vegetarian and gluten free

Empty a 250g pack ready to eat puy lentils into a blender. Add a 250g tub ricotta, 3 sun-dried tomatoes, 1tsp chilli sauce and juice 1 lemon. Blend until smooth, then season with freshly ground black pepper. Chop 150g raw carrots and 150g red pepper into sticks for dipping.

2. Lentil kedgeree

Serves 2, dairy free and gluten free

Put 250g undyed smoked fish in a pan with just enough water to cover it and poach for 5 min. Remove the fish from the pan and discard all but 4tbsp of the poaching liquid, then skin and flake the fish. In the same pan, combine the reserved liquid with 1tsp curry powder and a 250g pouch ready to eat puy lentils, then heat through. Stir in the flaked fish with 100g peeled cooked prawns and heat again until hot. Add 2 chopped spring onions, 2tbsp chopped fresh parsley and 2 chopped hard-boiled eggs and stir gently to combine before serving.

3. Super lentil salad

Serves 2, vegetarian and gluten free

Mix 200g ready to eat puy lentils with 200g steamed broccoli, 250g cooked (not pickled) beetroot wedges, 30g crumbled reduced-fat feta and 30g pumpkin seeds. Drizzle over some balsamic vinegar and mix lightly to serve.