It Only Takes 3 Ingredients To Give Lentils Savory Korean BBQ Flavor

Let's face it: Lentils aren't particularly flavorful. They toe the line between being bean-like and pea-like, and unless you're using them in something else, like a roasted veggie and tomato lentil soup recipe, their flavor can get kind of ... lost. 

However, with our recipe for Korean BBQ-inspired lentils, you'll never have to worry about these lentils being relegated to second-class citizens. Instead, our recipe elevates the naturally earthy, fibrous flavor with the help of three ingredients: ginger powder, soy sauce, and sesame oil. As the recipe's name suggests, these seasonings give the recipe a bold, Asian-inspired undercurrent. It's one instance where they are greater than the sum of their parts; the sesame oil adds nuttiness, the ginger powder adds sharpness and a punchy aroma, and the soy sauce offers saltiness and umami to round out the bite. Our recipe makes a sauce with these seasonings, along with Asian pear and brown sugar, but you can also use the OG trio in the liquid you cook the lentils in so that they can soak up all that delicious flavor. 

Since this lentil seasoning is made up of Asian-adjacent ingredients, it would be best to pair it with Asian-inspired foods. Since they are pretty punchy, you can get away with serving them with a basic white rice recipe to balance out their flavor. You could also stick with other popular Korean foods; a spicy Korean cucumber salad, for example, would be the perfect fresh yet piquant pairing for the heavy and starchy lentils. In that same vein, you could serve it alongside homemade kimchi for a crunchy, spicy contrast.

Of course, these are all light sides, so you can always make your meal a bit heartier by pairing it with a protein. This Korean-style air fryer salmon uses the same three ingredients, but the bite of the gochujang gives it a bit of pep that the lentils just don't have. Serve them alongside steamed vegetables (like broccoli) for a complete and fiber-rich meal.