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 (Summary)
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.
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