Sweet Korean Lentils (2024)

Apr 20, 2016

4.96 from 222 votes

| 345 Comments

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I WON I WON I WON!

I'm so subtle, I know. I'm sure you have heard by now, but if not, Canadian Lentils chose me, along with 4 other awesome bloggers:Koko from Koko's Kitchen, Lalitha from Taylor Nutrition, Trudy from Eat Live Play, and Adam from Kook Channel, to go film a cooking show in P.E.I. with Food Network Star Chef Michael Smith. Oh boy, was that an experience!

My entry was this YouTube video where I featured one of my favourite lentil recipes, Lentil Tacos with Avocado Cilantro Sauce.Apparently, the recipe and my quirky personality were well received, as before I knew it, I was on a terrifying little plane on my way to see Chef Michael Smith.

A full day of filming was dedicated to just little ol' me! At first, I wondered how in the world, it would take so long to film a 15 minute recipe, but the dayquickly flew by.

Filming in front of this giant crew and eight (yes eight) cameras pointing at me,was such a fun/stressful/scary/amazing/exciting/awkward experience... and I absolutely loved it. Someone give me a cooking show please. I want to do this all the time!

That's not to say it was easy, because it certainly wasn't.

The director and Chef Michael Smith would give me a 627instructions (or something like that): look here, say this, don't say that, don't talk about what you're doing, but talk about something, don't say that you are chopping an onion, tell me why you're chopping an onion... "errr... so that it's chopped?"

It went on like that. Then they follow up all of these instructions by saying"act natural". See how natural I am↓↓↓ haha!😁

I would be chopping up an extremely underripe mango (apparently the camera can't tell)and then suddenly someone would run in to do a close-up of my mango choppingskills (which are hugely lacking p.s.).

Meanwhile, I'm inchingaway from the camera afraid of injuring the expensive technology with Michael's largechef knife and the camera man keeps chasing me getting closer and closer to myawkward chopping.

Regardless of my chopping skills, and lack of knowing what to say, I seemed to work my way through filming, and I was even able to break the entire crew at one point and make them all burst into laughter when they weren't supposed to. FINALLY!!

Hardest part for sure was that there was a roomful of people that I was having a completely one-sided conversation with. I literally couldn't tell if anyone was remotely interested in what I was yabbering on about, because they couldn't respond.

At least I know thateveryoneenjoyed thefood. After every cut, the crew would swarm mytacos and quickly devour them all. Wooing the world onedelicious vegan meal at a time.Muhahaha!

I can't reveal all the secrets, because there were some fun (and slightly evil) surprises they had in store for us, but I justcan't wait to see/ I am terrified to see the final videos!

Update: You can now see the final video here.

Isn't that a lovely looking crew?? It's so much fancier than thecrew I am used to (me, myself, and I).

To celebrate the end of the festivities, Chef Michael Smith taught me how to use a knife to cut the top off of a champagne bottle.

A big thank you to Ethan from Food Bloggers of Canada for taking all of these photos (and driving my hungover self around P.E.I. the day after the shoot).. what... champagne... And to Rachel from Canadian Lentils for filming this video (and just generally being awesome).

I wanted to share a recipe in celebration of this super fun event, and since I already posted the Lentil Tacos with Avocado Cilantro Sauce, I decided to make a brand spanking new lentil recipe, cause can you ever have too many lentils? The answer is no.

So here we go my friends. All you need is 15 minutes, a few go-to ingredients, and boom, flavour-packed Sweet Korean Lentils are on the table. These lentils are sweet and mildly spiced, a serious nod to Korean BBQ.

These Sweet Korean Lentils reminds me of when I lived in LA, and my roommate Ashely and I would frequent this little Korean restaurant. They always served this sweet and tangy beef. Now obvi I wasn't going to make that, but this is why I love lentils, anywhere a recipe calls for ground beef, you can pretty much sub lentils. A much healthier and friendlier option, and oh so delicious.

To make Sweet Korean Lentils: mix all the sauciness together. Um, hello delicious looking sauce!

Sauté up some onion.

Side note: Are you supposed to use signed wooden spoons, or are you supposed to display them? I decided the spoon would have a lot more love and appreciation if it was used in my daily life, so I am going to cook with it. My mom sometimes wishes I was more sentimental... oops.

Now add your lentils and sauciness to the pan.

Cover and simmer for around 10 minutes until the lentils are cooked and tender, and most of the sauce is absorbed.

Serve over rice and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. I also used this as a lettuce wrap filling and my oh my it was scrumptious.

A big final thank you to Canadian Lentils and Chef Michael Smith for having me. ❤️

Bon Appetegan my friends.

4.96 from 222 votes

(click stars to vote)

Sweet Korean Lentils

All the flavours of Korean BBQ made vegan and gluten free! Sweet and mildly spiced, just 15 minutes to make!

Prep: 5 minutes mins
Cook: 10 minutes mins
Total: 15 minutes mins

Servings: 4 Servings

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Ingredients

For the sauce:

▢ 2 cups water
▢ ¼ cup soy sauce (or gluten free tamari)
▢ 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar
▢ 2 cloves garlic,, minced
▢ 1 inch piece of ginger,, minced
▢ 1 teaspoon sesame oil
▢ ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

For the Lentils:

▢ 1 tablespoon light oil, (such as canola, vegetable, or peanut oil)
▢ ½ yellow onion,, chopped
▢ 1 cup red lentils
▢ 2 green onions,, chopped
▢ 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
▢ Cooked rice for serving

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a medium bow, mix together all the sauce ingredients.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, then add the onion and sauté for a few minutes until the onion softens and begins to brown. Now add the lentils and the sauce. Cover and bring to a gentle simmer until the lentils are cooked and tender, and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Serve by spooning over rice, and garnishing with the green onions and sesame seeds.

Nutrition

Did You Make This Recipe?Tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Insta and let the world see just how amazing plant-based creations can be!

Author: Sam Turnbull
Cuisine: Korean
Course: Main Course

Bon appetegan!

Sam.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Nancy Kash says
April 17, 2024 at 10:56 am

I cannot count the amount of times I have made this recipe. So easy, so quick and so, so delicious. It's also great the next day for lunch!
Reply
- Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
  April 22, 2024 at 10:02 pm
  Wonderful! Thanks for sharing your review, Nancy!
  Reply
Kim says
March 17, 2024 at 12:49 pm

I had only beluga lentils and used them with an extra 1/2-3/4 cup water, simmered for 35 minutes. We liked this with brown rice. The flavor is mild and I used the smaller amount of brown sugar. I put some matchstick carrots and broccoli florets on it to serve. Next time I may add a bit of gochujang just to see what that brings to the party. Will make this again, thanks!
Reply
- Sam Turnbull says
  April 15, 2024 at 3:42 pm
  So happy you enjoyed it Kim!
  Reply
Carolyn Dabney says
March 07, 2024 at 8:55 am

Anther delicious and easy recipe! I used green lentils as they are what I had and increased the water by 1 cup, cooking them for 30 minutes. So good and so easy. Who would have thought that lentils could become a comfort food??? Thanks Sam!
Reply
- Sam Turnbull says
  April 15, 2024 at 3:41 pm
  Aww yay! So thrilled you love the recipe so much, Carolyn! Thank you for your review 🙂
  Reply
afra says
February 23, 2024 at 10:01 am
I was doubtful that something so simple could really convince, but this is a great recipe. I added 250g chooped mushrooms when the onion was soft. Served with quick pickled cucumber and some steamed broccoli. Will certainly make this again. So super fast and tasty.....and healthy! Love it!
Reply
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- Jess @ IDTLC Support says
  March 04, 2024 at 10:36 am
  We're happy you liked it! Thanks for sharing your suggestions too!
  Reply
Slyn says
January 28, 2024 at 5:22 pm

Addictive!
Reply
- Jess @ IDTLC Support says
  January 29, 2024 at 11:14 pm
  We agree! So yummy!
  Reply
Jo says
January 14, 2024 at 1:21 am

Yum! Made this tonight, with a few tweaks. I only had brown lentils, so simmered for 35 mins (keeping an eye on the water level to make sure it didn't go dry), and to get more veg into it, I added mushrooms part way through frying the onion, and then added baby pak choi about five minutes before serving. Served over brown rice, and it disappeared. Definitely putting this on the make again list - thank you!
Reply
- Sam Turnbull says
  January 14, 2024 at 11:10 am
  Wonderful! So happy you loved it Jo, thank you for your review 🙂
  Reply
C Perry says
August 10, 2023 at 9:34 pm

Loved the flavor. Bonus that my preschooler enjoyed it also. I was generous with the fresh garlic and used 3T of brown sugar. I think I added in too much water to the sauce so the end result was nothing like the recipe picture. Also used split red lentils. Next time, I will reduce the liquid. Served over tricolor quinoa.
Reply
- C Perry says
  August 10, 2023 at 9:36 pm
  Just noticed a typo. I meant to write "generous with the ginger"
  Reply
- Jess @ IDTLC Support says
  August 11, 2023 at 11:55 am
  Thanks for sharing your experience!
  Reply
M says
April 20, 2023 at 7:00 pm
I wouldn't call it a Korean dish because all the ingredients are a typical standard but its a nice comfort food
Reply
- Jess @ IDTLC Support says
  April 28, 2023 at 12:21 pm
  Yes, absolutely! This is a nod to the flavors.
  Reply
Brian Jackson says
March 22, 2023 at 4:43 pm

I tried this as a vegetarian option for Lent different than my family's usual fare. it's very good. Does it do well reheated the following day?
Reply
- Jess @ IDTLC Support says
  March 27, 2023 at 1:14 pm
  Happy to hear it, Brian! Yes, it reheats quite well!
  Reply
Suz says
February 11, 2023 at 5:04 pm
I love this recipe & will crave the flavours. I mix it up a little & add in some mushrooms when I try the onions (I put mushrooms in everything cause I luv'em). I also put in frozen sweet petite peas to cook with the lentils. I like to serve with broccoli too.
Than is devastating the recipe.
Reply
- Brian Jackson says
  March 22, 2023 at 4:48 pm
  I also added sliced shiitakes which I sautéed with the onions. Worked out quite well.
  Reply
Dina K says
November 30, 2022 at 8:33 am

Oh I finally got around to making this (from your second cookbook) and I love it! Sweet but not too sweet, salty but not too salty, very comfort food-ish. Thank you, Sam!
Reply
- Sam Turnbull says
  December 03, 2022 at 1:33 pm
  So happy you loved it! 🙂
  Reply
  - Shannon says
    February 07, 2023 at 11:46 pm
    Hi Sam just wondering if your cooking times are based on soaking the lentils first? Going to try this one tomorrow- looks delicious!
  - Jess @ IDTLC Support says
    February 08, 2023 at 5:11 pm
    No need to soak the red lentils first for this recipe, Shannon. Though if you opt for a different lentil, you may have different results.
Jean says
November 01, 2022 at 4:57 pm

I've tried this recipe many times and I love it:). I've run out of red lentils. Can I use green lentils?
Reply
- Sam Turnbull says
  November 17, 2022 at 4:43 pm
  Yes but green lentils take much longer to cook, upwards of 20 minutes. So keep an eye on them and add more broth or water if needed. Enjoy!
  Reply
Malorie says
October 20, 2022 at 6:02 pm

Hi Sam,
I love this recipe and have made it a few times, but I’ve been having a hard time getting the right consistency and ratios.
If I want to use canned lentils instead of dried, how much water / liquid do you recommend for the sauce?
Thank you!!
Reply
- Bonnie Nash says
  June 22, 2023 at 7:37 pm
  
  Use the red/orange colour lentils. No skin on and they melt down in minutes. A fraction of the cost of canned beans.
  They look like 1/2 beans in the bag.
  Reply
Tinwee says
August 31, 2022 at 12:40 pm

I’ve made this recipe at least six times this summer. It’s so delicious and forgiving.
Reply
- Sam Turnbull says
  September 02, 2022 at 3:53 pm
  Amazing!!!
  Reply
HibiscusMom says
August 31, 2022 at 12:08 pm
Love this dish! I used no oil (veggie broth instead) and date syrup instead of brown sugar. Still delicious!
Reply
- Sam Turnbull says
  September 02, 2022 at 3:53 pm
  So happy you enjoyed it!!
  Reply
Ross says
August 08, 2022 at 4:33 am
Way too sweet, but at least it's easy to make.
Reply
- Sam Turnbull says
  August 17, 2022 at 2:43 pm
  You can adjust the sugar to taste, but note that it is called Sweet Korean Lentils 😉
  Reply
Blair says
June 22, 2022 at 6:31 pm

These are a family favorite! We make them regularly and it's a hit every time! We have a pretty extreme soy and gluten allergy in the family so we sub the soy sauce for coconut aminos and it's amazing! I tried to switch up the recipe to make it in the instant pot without much success - let me know if you/anyone has found a way to do it! Otherwise we will keep chugging along with the recipe as written because it's so good we always have to make a double batch for our family of 4!!
Reply

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Sweet Korean Lentils (2024)

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