Lentil bread is definitely my go-to, super healthy, and nutritious snack at any time, especially. It is gluten-free, making it a great alternative to regular bread. I often have a slice or two for breakfast or brunch, either before or after a workout. It is quite filling, packed with protein, and remarkably nutritious. It takes me a long way, especially when I'm feeling power hungry, and it's a fantastic alternative to traditional bread.
I make this throughout the year, it is a fantastic dish for a work snack, work lunch, working from home quick lunch, to take to a picnic, garden party, or in a container to snack after gym. These are just a few ideas.
I sometimes soak (in cold water for best results) more lentils than I need, and the extra soaked lentils will almost always end up in a delicious recipe like this.
I love lentils in general and a good lentil recipe at any time. Feel free to browse around my site to find quite a few delicious red lentil recipes like this Brown And Green Lentils With Portobello Mushrooms Salad, Vegan Lentil Meatballs (Mercımek Kofte), or this Red Lentil Dhal With Coconut Milk And Quail Eggs.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It is made with just wholesome ingredients.
- It's naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and flourless.
- High in plant-based protein and fiber.
- Perfect for meal prep, lunchboxes, or healthy snacking.
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🥘 Ingredients
There are only a few ingredients you will need to make this delicious gluten-free, vegetarian, super healthy red lentil bread.
Here's what you will need:
- Lentils - use uncooked lentils and soak for at least 1 hour or even overnight
- Dill - is a versatile herb and works well in this recipe
- Feta cheese - gives the dish a lovely lift
- Yogurt - helps with the fermentation process
- Soda, bicarbonate, and baking powder - help this bread get a fluffy texture
- Red peppers - these enhance the flavors and give those nice speckles of color
- Add pumpkin seeds - a great, healthy addition
- Olives - I just love the addition of the olives in this dish - it works well
- Eggs - - use room temperature ones - these help with binding
- Spring onion or scallions - you may shallow fry those for extra flavor if you wish
- Cheddar cheese - such a lovely addition - you may even double the quantity
- Sesame seeds - to sprinkle over, but you may add some toasted ones to the recipe
- Chili flakes - oh yes, I would never skip those - add as much or as little as you wish
- Salt - only go for it if you like your salt, but remember, feta cheese and olives add saltiness to this gluten-free bread. Celtic or kosher salt will be the best option.
- Olive oil - I sometimes add olive oil, and sometimes I do not
- Add some psyllium husk powder if you feel it's too runny - mine never is, but if you want a denser version, use that.
See the recipe card below for exact quantities.
📖 Substitutions
- Lentils - The varieties of lentils are wide, so feel free to use any you like ( green, yellow, red, black (beluga), green mountain lentils, or brown lentils. Any lentil types you have on hand that you like and are used to eating will all do a great job in this high-protein bread. Try oat four if you don't like lentils.
- Fresh Herbs - use flat parsley and/or thyme, or oregano if you like. Dried herbs are great too.
- Make it Vegan - just substitute the eggs with a tablespoon of chia seeds and the dairy ingredients (yogurt and feta) with plant-based ones. Add nutritional yeast.
- Cheddar cheese - parmesan cheese makes a great sub - it is as delicious
- Eggs - the eggs will help bind the bread and give it structure. While a vegan version might use flax eggs or aquafaba, the result will likely be softer and more fragile. Chia seeds also make a good substitute for eggs. One tablespoon of dry chia seeds for each egg. Flax egg will also work perfectly.
- Check out my Easy Broccoli Bread (High Protein), which can easily be made by combining the ingredients from these two.
🌶 Variations
- Spicy - add chili pepper flakes while cooking to imbue heat into the dish, or long peppers for extra flavor
- Adding some cottage cheese to substitute the yogurt will work - just add that when whizzing the lentils, so it gets smoothed out a little.
- Add finely chopped mushrooms - even more protein? Yes, please!
- Kid-friendly - add some crushed potatoes or some chips to one side - also drop the chili flakes, as kids don't like spices unless yours can handle some.
- Make it into a flatbread and cook it in a pan on medium fire by taking a couple of spoons of the mixture and adding it to a lightly oiled pan with just a drizzle of olive oil. Flatten and spread uniformly into a ½ cm (¼ inch) thick flatbread and cook covered or uncovered for about 5 minutes on each side. So, so good! You may add some flour/chickpea flour, gluten-free flour, and an extra egg if yours doesn't hold properly.
- Make it an Indian /Sri Lankan version - by adding some paneer, green chilies, cilantro, mustard seeds, cumin, fresh curry leaves, ginger, turmeric, and ground coriander. This is such an awesome version.
- Turn it into a sweet version - add some honey, vanilla, chopped dates, cinnamon, and raisins, and remove the savory ingredients (feta, cheese, peppers, scallions/spring onion, dill, chili flakes, and olives). The final product will be pleasing.
- Sesame seeds - feel free to substitute with bagel seasoning.
- Add some flax and make it into lentil bread rolls, or turn the lentils into lentil flour.
- You can also bake this delicious bread in a baking sheet and cut it into bars.
🔪 How To Make Lentil Bread
Here are some process shots to show you how to make this super-easy and quick lentil bread recipe.
Here are the steps you will need to follow to make this easy lentil bread recipe.
1. Wash and soak the dry lentils. Soak them overnight or for at least one hour.
2. Drain the lentils well and puree them in a food processor.
3. Combine some of the ingredients (soaked, drained, and lentil mixture, yogurt, eggs, oil, salt, pepper, baking soda, soda bicarbonate, and cayenne pepper/chili flakes) into a large bowl and mix until homogenized.
4. Add the remaining ingredients (mainly the chopped ones), olives, spring onion or scallion, crumbled feta cheese, grated cheddar cheese, dill, and finely chopped red pepper.
5. Give it a good mix, and it is ready to go in the oven. This is what the lentil bread mix looks like before going into oven-proof tins and then the oven.
6. Pour the mixture into the two greased bread loaf pans. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over and place them into the preheated oven. Bake at 180°C/350°F for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown, just like these beauties here.
💞 Pro Tips
- Keep an eye on this while in the oven so it does not burn. You may add 2-3 tablespoons of flour/tapioca flour or psyllium husks for a denser or drier option if you wish. I do like it, and I prefer it to be nice and moist.
- If you forget to soak the lentils for longer, rinse them and allow them to soak for at least 30 minutes in hot water.
- You can also use parchment paper if you wish to line the loaf pans.
Troubleshooting
- Too dense? - Make sure lentils are fully soaked and blended until almost creamy.
- Not holding shape? - Let it cool fully before slicing.
- Too wet/moist? - Leave the yogurt out if you prefer a drier bread.
👪 Serving Suggestions
- This dish is great to have as a snack whenever you feel hungry. For me, a slice of this bread, just like the one shown above, makes a perfect snack to have at teatime when the sugar cravings kick in.
- It is lovely having this with some extra protein, like this nice Creamy Cucumber, Fennel & Yogurt Dip a tzatziki type of dip/ side dish that pairs well with this amazing lentil bread. With a warm slice of this healthy lentil loaf and a dollop of that yogurt dip, it's plain heaven.
- It makes a fabulous party dish, perfect for sharing as little squares or made as mini muffins or mini cupcakes.
📦 Storage
Once it has cooled, if you still have any left 😜, store it in an airtight container and refrigerate. Ideally, it is to slice or cut it into portion sizes, as it is easier to grab and go. These can be refrigerated for 2-3 days. You can freeze it too - see more on this below under the FAQs.
💭 Recipe FAQs
Yes, lentils are naturally gluten-free. Lentils are legumes and do not contain gluten (a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. However, it's important to be cautious when buying processed or packaged lentil products, as they might be cross-contaminated with gluten during production. Always check labels and choose certified gluten-free lentil products if you have gluten sensitivity or celiac disease to ensure they haven't come into contact with gluten-containing ingredients.
Yes, I am sure this freezes well, and the best practice for using it after freezing will be to thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. I always freeze it after I slice it so I can take out however much I need and thaw it rather than the whole thing. Freeze slices between parchment for up to 2 months
Yes, this can be reheated in a preheated pan by placing the slice or slices in a hot nonstick pan with or without a drizzle of olive oil. It is entirely up to you. Please do remember to add the slices to the pan when this is hot; this is important to avoid or reduce them sticking to the pan. Also, these can be toasted
Yes! You can pour the batter into lined muffin tins for individual portions. Reduce the baking time (start checking around 25-30 minutes).
It has a mild, slightly earthy flavor from the lentils, a savory touch from the cheese, and a soft, moist crumb. The taste is neutral enough to pair well with spreads, soups, or any toppings.
The top should be golden and firm to the touch. A skewer inserted in the center should come out mostly clean. Let it cool fully in the tin before slicing-this firms it up.
🍞Other bread recipes you may like
🍽 You can pair this lentil bread with
Tried this recipe or added your own twist? I'd love to hear how it turned out! Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and share your experience in the comments. Your feedback helps others and supports this blog.
Thank you for being here. Happy baking💗!
📋 Healthy Lentil Bread - Flourless
Equipment
- 1 food processor
- 1 chopping board
- 1 glass bowl
- 1 spatula
- 1 ovenproof dish 8x 4 inch approx (22 x 10cm)
- 1 knife
Ingredients
- 2 cups red lentils dry quantity
- 200 g feta cheese ( 7.05 oz) made into crumbs
- 10 sprigs dill fresh
- 6 spring onions / scallions
- 1 medium red pepper diced
- 1 cup Greek yoghurt go for any 5% up fat
- 1 handful olives chopped
- 4 medium eggs or 3 large
- 50 ml olive oil ( 1.69 fl oz) 5-6 tablespoons
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- ½ teaspoon soda bicarbonate (small teaspoon) ½ U.S. teaspoon *
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 100 g cheddar cheese ( 3.53 oz) grated
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1 pinch chilli flakes
Instructions
Preparing the Lentils
- Wash and soak the red lentils for at least one hour. * See Recipe Notes for more
- Sieve the lentils once soaked (no need to rinse) and puree these in a food processor.
Mixing the Ingredients
- Transfer the pureed lentils into a bowl and add the eggs, soda bicarbonate, baking powder, yogurt, olive oil, black pepper, and salt (if adding any). Mix well until homogenized.
- Add the remaining ingredients, the chopped olives, spring onion/scallions, chopped pepper, crumbled feta, grated cheddar, dill, and chili flakes. Add most of the sesame seeds and keep a few to sprinkle over.
Prepare for Baking
- Prepare two small bread loaf baking tins * by greasing those with some butter or olive oil. Pour the lentil mixture into the tins in equal amounts. Sprinkle the remaining sesame seeds on each loaf.
Bake the Lentil Bread and Serve
- Transfer to the oven and bake at 190C or 375F (fan-assisted oven) or 200C/400F for 40-45 minutes until golden brown. It depends on the oven and the tin used/thickness of the loaf. Keep an eye on it so it comes out perfect.
- Take it out of the tins and place it on a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or cold as a snack or a main with a salad as a side. See other serving suggestions above.
Video
Notes
- No need to worry. If you have little time for soaking the lentils and you do not have at least one hour, soak these for as long as you can in hot water. This will speed the soaking process a little.
- It is entirely up to you and your taste but I never really do for this dish because the feta cheese, the cheese, and the olives add sufficient (for me) salt. I'm not too fond of anything salty but if you do like your salt, add a pinch or two extra.
- Add a teaspoon of each - the European teaspoons should be shaved and not heaped, and for the U.S. cooks, only add ½ teaspoon as the teaspoon over there is quite a bit bigger.
- Do not worry if you do not have loaf tins, you can use any oven-proof dish whether that's round, rectangular, or any shape you have or prefer. My tins are approximately 8x4 in or 22 x10 cm. You may also use a single rectangular tray/dish but it will have to be larger so the bread doesn't end up being too thick to cook, especially the middle part. You can then cut it into squares and serve. Ramekins or a muffin tray will be perfect too.
John says
Hi Ramona,
Can I use green lentils?
Thanks,
John
Suze says
Fab recipe, I had to sub the yoghurt for cottage cheese (blended with the lentils), peppers for roasted jar peppers and spring onion for red onion. Made them into muffins, absolutely perfect!! Thank you so much.
Ramona says
Thank you so much Suze - I am so impressed with your subs - it is a very customisable recipe though - you did great and thank you soo much for taking time to give me a feedback. It is greatly appreciated!
Rapha says
Thanks so much for this recipe! I have saved it, and make it regularly as muffins as a "grab & go" snack.
I plan to make these muffins for a large group this weekend, and am thinking of doing a couple of batches in advance, and then reheating them.
I note that they can be toasted, but what recommendations for oven re-heat? Temp and time?
Thanks again!
Ramona says
Hi Rapha, I am delighted you will be making my recipe this weekend for a large group, it will be a hit!
You can heat it up for about 5-7 minutes at 200C/400F in a preheated oven. Mind due, it can be served cold as well, it is still delicious.
I am looking forward to hear back from you and how everything went. I would be very happy to have your feedback 🙏💞
Sal says
Love this bread..I added sun-dried tomatoes to go with the Mediterranean tastes!
Love its gluten free and high in protein!
Ramona says
Thank you soo much dear Sal. The sun-dried tomatoes addition is indeed excellent.
Heidi says
Easy to make, very tasty and healthy. Ticks all our boxes. Also, I enjoyed the addition of the substitutions and variations included.
Ramona says
Thank you so much dear Heidi!!Thank you for stopping by and for trying my Lentil bread recipe which I love very much too and make it very often.
Carrie says
What is the recommended baking time if I baked these as muffins? Thank you!
Ramona says
Hi Carrie,
I would say between 25 - 40 min at 180 C - all depending on how big the muffins are. Let me know how it all went 😉
M says
Are the lentils, split red lentils or whole
Ramona says
Hi Maggie,
They are red split lentils indeed 😉
Jen and Zac says
This recipe is simply amazing and we are probably going to make this weekly as our breakfast bread. I've added a tub of Trader Joe's Mediterranean herbed feta instead of plain feta and also have used an entire store bought bunch of dill and chives for the fresh herbs (instead of spring onion). Yum Yum Yum!
Ramona says
Hey Jen and Zac,
That sounds amazing!! Thank you so much for stopping by and the lovely fedback. The beauty of this recipe is that is really versatile and can be totally customised to everyones liking and availability. Thank you once again!! 🤗💞
Suz says
Hi, please clarify, does this make 2 loafs in 8” x 4 “ pans?
Thnx I wanted to be sure before I started my bread. 🙂
Ramona says
Hi Suz, Yes it does indeed 😉🙏🙏
Please let me know how you liked it. We just finished eating another lot today 😉
Sofia says
This was the best lentil bread EVER😘will be a staple in my house thanks for sharing your recipes
Ramona says
thank you Sofia.
Marilyn Kircus says
I am making this vegan and can’t find the amount of nutritional
yeast to substitute for the cheeses. Advice?
Ramona says
Hi Marilyn,
Thank you for your message. I’d say 3-4 tablespoons but there is no right or wrong you go with how much you think it’s right for you.
You may use some vegan cheese too if you’d like or a couple of spoonfuls of flax to help with binding as regular cheese helps with binding and since you won’t have any I’d recommend some flax.
MollyC says
I've been trying different recipes and this is by far the best! I'm so so happy to have found it! I made a sweet version by replacing the savories with shredded coconut, dried fruit, and the cheese with cream cheese and coconut sugar. It was also great. Thanks again.
Ramona says
Hey Molly, this version sounds terriffic! Definitely a must try. Thanks soo much for stopping by.
jayne jones says
Thank you for this perfect recipe, yes its easy to change recipes but if it works it works and this does, tastes delicious and the texture is great so no need to mess with it. I make this every week and it's a real treat, the only problem is I eat too much of it! Keep the recipes coming please, thanks again with love ❤️
Ramona says
Awww, thank you soo much Jayne - You made my day and my whole month. I really needed something like this after a whole week I have just had. Your comments and support means a lot to me. Thank you lovely. I have a slow pace at publishing my recipes at the moment as time seems to disappear but I promise I will be adding loads. I have soo much nice content on the pipe line it is just a matter of finalising it all.
Have a wonderful day and week ahead. I am really hoping to hear back from you soon with something else you may try from my collection of recipes.
Thank you again! Ramona ❤️❤️
Izzy says
Hello
Can I use green lentils as a substitute.
Thank you
Ramona says
Hi Izzy,
So sorry for the slighlty tardy reply.
You certainly can but the texture – Green lentils are firmer and hold their shape better, whereas red lentils break down into a mushy consistency. This could affect the bread’s texture, making it denser or chunkier.
Green lentils take longer to soften, so they may require a longer soaking time.
also, flavor wise, the green lentils have a slightly earthier, nuttier taste compared to the mild sweetness of red lentils. This could subtly change the overall flavor of the bread. I must do a test with the green lentils. Meanwhile let me know if you tried, how it came out. Many thanks Ramona
María M. Minier says
The best recipe! Just little adjustments to fit my pan 🤣
Ramona says
Thank you dear Maria, it is a versatile recipe so adjustments make it even better to suit your taste and availability.
Kittima says
How would I make a vegetarian version of this for somebody who doesn’t have eggs?
Ramona says
Hi Kittima,
I haven’t made it without eggs, but I guess it would be very easy to replace the eggs with one and a half tablespoon of Chia seeds per egg. You can also add a couple of tablespoons of flax if chia seeds are not in hand. A mix of both will work fabulously too.
I hope this helps
Thank you so much for stopping by. I would really love to hear back from you once you make it and how you liked it.
Thank you again and have a wonderful weekend!!
Ramona 🙏💞💞
Anna says
Hello! I'm eager to try this. Any way to make it friendlier for my son who is allergic to dairy (lactoglobulin)?
Ramona says
Hi Anna,
I am so sorry, I completely forgot to respond to this. You can certainly make it dairy free by substituting the dairy for non dairy products like
Yogurt: Replace it with an equal amount of dairy-free yogurt (coconut, almond, or soy)
Cheese: (if used): Swap with nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor or use a dairy-free cheese alternative.
Milk: (if used): Substitute with any plant-based milk (almond, oat, coconut, or soy).
You can leave all (yogurt, cheese and milk) out altogether and use unsweetened apple sauce for the needed moisture. just an idea.
Thank you for your patience and for stopping by, I really appreciate it 💞💞
John says
Just to say than you for this wonderful recipe. I have made it 3 times now. It's just awesome
Ruth says
We absolutely LOVED IT!! This is beyong tasty. Thanks soo much for this recipe Ramona's Cuisine! Even my 4 year old smashed it. I am thrilled to have found this lentil loaf recipe it really is an awesome looking and tasting loaf!
Tara says
Made adjustments based on what I had, used mostly cottage cheese in place of feta ( only had a bit of feta which I also put in). Only used two eggs, used one tablespoon of baking powder (no baking soda) and dried herbs instead of fresh. I’m going to slice it thick, top with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese and grill it to make little pizzas!
Ramona says
Thank you dear Tara - great adjustments - I am so glad you liked the lentil loaf.
Elizabeth says
This was so delicious! For my first time I just added sunflower seeds, no other add ins. It baked in under 25 minutes divided between two round tin cake pans. Thank you for this!!!
Ramona says
Thank you soo much dear Elizabeth, I really appreciate your feedback and the fact that you took from your precious time to come and rate my recipe. It means a lot to me and your feedback is always greatly appreciated. I do hope you will give other recipes a try too and I would be delighted to hear back from you.
Happy, healthy and a blessed 2025 to you and your loved ones!!🥳❤️
Hugs, Ramona 🙏🙌❤️❤️
John B says
I made a sweet version along the lines you suggested (3 tablespoons honey, 1 cup dried dates/raisins, 1 cup chopped walnuts, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon kosher salt) and was very happy with how it turned out. However, I just noticed that you very different cooking instructions in the "How to Make Lentil Bread" section (350 for 35-40 minutes) vs. the recipe itself (400 for 45-50 minutes). Personally I'd lean strongly towards the 350 version. I started mine at 400 but turned it down to 325 after about 25 minutes because the bread was getting far too browned.
Ramona says
Thank you so much John! I really appreciate your feedback and I am very happy you loved the sweet version. there was definitely a typo - I will check and rectify.I agree with you however, it very much depends on ovens whether it is electric, gas, fan or not fan assisted. The best its to check it from time to time and see what is best for everyone. As a guide line, you are right, I rend to say 350 around 40 min should suffice.
Anne says
First time making this and I truly like it! The flavours just come together so nicely! Thank you for sharing your recipes! Will definitely make these again!
Thank you! 💚💚
Ramona says
Amazing! Thank you so much Anne for your kind feedback and support by taking time to rate my recipe. I am very happy you liked it too. We unanimously love it here too🙏🏻❤️