3-Ingredient Brown Lentil Tofu Recipe
Brown Lentil Tofu Recipe- Made with simple pantry ingredients, this soy-free tofu comes together fast and is super easy to make. Each serving packs 13 grams of protein!
Whether you’re not into eating soy or just want to mix things up, this brown lentil tofu is a great alternative.
The best part is that it is SUPER EASY to make. You just blend up uncooked lentils with water and seasonings, cook it on the stovetop for less than 10 minutes, then transfer to a dish and refrigerate for a few hours. Bada bing, bada boom. Protein is served.
Brown Lentil Tofu Ingredients
- Uncooked Brown Lentils– Using brown lentils makes for a firm and hearty tofu that also resembles the color of meat once it’s cooked. Not that it matters but just saying. I haven’t tested it green or red lentils so I can’t say for sure how it would vary with those varieties.
- Oil- We’ll need just a few tablespoons of oil to keep the lentil mixture from sticking to the pot as we cook it. If you have a non-stick pan, you can probably use less or omit the oil altogether.
- Seasonings– I’m combining seasonings as one ingredient but it will vary depending on what you choose. You could use an all-purpose seasoning or break it down with a combination of what you already have on hand such as garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika and salt.
How to Make Brown Lentil Tofu
NOTE: You will need a high speed blender to break down the lentils. You can go with the big dog (AKA Vitamix) or use something smaller like a Nutribullet.
- Combine lentils with water and seasonings in a blender. Blend until smooth.
- Warm oil in a saucepan. Add the lentil batter. Whisk until lumpy then use a spatula to stir until batter is thickened, with a texture similar to refried beans.
- Transfer to lined baking dish. Refrigerate until firm, for about 2 hours or overnight.
- Slice into strips or cut into cubes and serve as desired!
Serving Suggestions
I enjoy slicing the lentil tofu into strips and grilling or baking them with a little more oil and seasonings to match the flavors of the dish I am serving it with. This make it ideal for wraps, sandwiches or tacos. Keep an eye out for a wrap idea coming soon! ;)
However you can also cut it into cubes and serve it as you would soy-based tofu, alongside pasta, salad, rice and/or vegetables.
More Recipes Using Lentils
- Vegan Lentil Sloppy Joes
- Easy Lentil Spinach Soup
- Roasted Butternut Squash Lentil Curry
- Classic Lentil Burgers
- The Best Lentil Soup
Brown Lentil Tofu Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked brown lentils, rinsed and picked through
- 2 cups water, or broth
- 2-3 teaspoons seasoning, please see notes
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Line a 9x5" loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a high speed blender, combine lentils, water, and seasoning. Blend until lentils have completely broken down and a smooth batter forms.
- In a saucepan, warm olive oil over medium-low heat. Pour the lentil batter into the pot. Whisk as it cooks over medium-low heat for about 2 minutes. At this point, it should start to become lumpy and somewhat thickened. Switch to a rubber spatula or wooden spoon and continue to stir as it cooks for about 5 more minutes, until it is uniformly thickened and resembles the texture of refried beans.
- Transfer the lentil batter to the lined loaf pan. Spread to the sides until even and smooth on top. Allow to cool then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight (for best results, allow to set overnight).
- Once the lentil tofu is nice and firm, you can either cut it into cubes or slice into strips. It can be served as is, or you can add additional seasonings and grill or bake for about 10-12 minutes. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Genius!
Typically on the look out for this type of protein “delivery method”.
As I read I’m considering flavoring & smoked paprika, onion & garlic were my first thought. :-)
Going to try thin slicing & see how it’ll work as “deli meat” for sandwiches.
Thank you!
I think using it for “deli meat” is a great idea! The texture is more like tofu rather than seitan (it’s not chewy) so it won’t be like wheat-based faux meat but still delicious. :)
One day while making sandwiches w/my self made seitan suddenly I saw it for what it was…
A bread on bread sandwich. A bread sandwich. Even tho layered with assorted vegetables, definitely did not fit my approach on food…seeking a broad array of nutrition from many different sources.
Mostly the end of seitan sandwiches. :-)
So…this idea of legume based protein for deli sandwiches is so perfect.
Again…Thanks. (still dancing a little bit)
Lol. Bread on bread. That’s so true!
I don’t know what happen! The first time I made this it worked perfectly. The second time it set but it was softer and sticky. When I went to fried it in a pan it melted and bubbled. Thoughts? I really like it the first time so I’m keen to master it
This recipe was so easy for a quick weekend meal prep. A quick blend and then I let the loaf rest overnight. I’ll be making this repeatedly. It’s a great cost savings to make this at home instead of buying the pre-made vegan deli slices.
Followed recipe step-by-step first try, was too gritty. Cooked the lentils a little on the second attempt, followed directions again, step-by-step; was unable to slice because it didn’t firm up….was the consistency of re-fried beans even after browning in the skillet. Thoughts?
What kind of blender did you use? If you use a high speed blender (such as a Vitamix, Nutribullet or Beast blender) the lentils should get broken down enough that you don’t get a gritty texture.
Cooking the lentils first doesn’t work, unfortunately. The first time I tested the recipe was with canned (cooked) lentils and it also turned out like refried beans. That is why the recipe specifically calls for uncooked lentils.
I used the whole 14 oz bag of Goya lentils. I blended it in my RocketPro which required less water. The consistency was great and so far after 2+ hours the texture is looking good in the fridge. I’m looking forward to eating it.
Diana, I soaked the lentils overnight and the resulting batter was not gritty. The recipe is really simple and one can whatever blend of spices depending on which flavors you want to acheive. I am completely sold.
Hello.
Do you think this could work with black lentils?
Thank you,
Hiroshi
I’m not sure as I haven’t tested it with black lentils. It seems like it would though!
This recipe is AMAZING!! I used adobo and smoked paprika and it made a great meat substitute. I used it to make a vegan bologna sauce that was indistinguishable from the regular version with meat. Super easy to do and tasty!
Hi, I’m excited to try this. Can it be frozen for meal prep?
I haven’t tried freezing it but it feels risky! It will definitely stay good for a week when refrigerated though.