Popped Lentils with Mashed Potatoes

Lentils popped in a skillet and tossed in spices then paired with an easy cauliflower-potato mash, have amazing texture and flavor! You can make the mash smoother or chunkier based on your preference. Serve it with the lentils on top and a good drizzle of olive oil. soy-free, gluten-free, nut-free with oil-free option

These crispy popped lentils with smooth mashed potatoes are full of amazing texture and flavor!

If you’ve never made popped lentils before, they are so much fun! Add cooked lentils and a little bit of oil to a skillet, cook them over high heat until they fluff up and pop like a popped grain, and then they crisp up a little bit. Then, we add some savory and smoky spices to flavor them.

Then we try not to eat these delicious lentils all by themselves! And serve them over some creamy mashed potatoes. I served these as topping over a simple cauliflower potato mash flavored with herbs and paprika. You can use all potato or all cauliflower. These bowls make for an amazing holiday or even weeknight side dish!

These popped roasted lentils are very versatile. Add whatever herbs or spices you like and add them to your salads, bowls, tacos, pasta and everything! Think spicy Cajun lentils, Jamaican curry lentils and more.

Serve these with a side salad or rustic bread, or some gravy and biscuits, or as a side in a spread

Why You’ll Love Lentil Mashed Potatoes

• creamy, cauliflower mashed potatoes with crisp, popped lentil topping
• lentils add fiber and protein!
• Everyday ingredient and quick recipe, perfect for the holidays or any day!
• soy-free, gluten-free, nut-free
• can be made oil-free

More Vegan Lentil Recipes

• Smoky Skillet Lasagna with Crispy, Bacon-y Lentils
• Kung Pao Lentils
• Handi Lentils
• Easy Lentil Soup

Ingredients and Substitutions

• cauliflower florets – For the mash. Or use more potatoes
• potatoes – For the mash. Make sure to peel these for the creamiest texture!
• seasoning – You season the cauliflower-potato mash with garlic powder, Italian herbs, and nutritional yeast. For the popped lentils, we’re using more Italian herbs, nutritional yeast, and garlic powder, plus smoked paprika and onion powder.
• oil – For the mash and to sauté. Omit for oil-free, and just be sure that when you are popping the lentils, you add little bit of lemon juice at the end to help the spices stick.
• non-dairy milk – For the mash.
• lentils – Use canned or cooked brown lentils, drained very well.
• garnishes – Garnish this dish with lemon juice, parsley, olive oil, and black pepper

Tips

• You can make the mash thinner/creamier if you like! Just mash more and add a little more non-dairy milk.
• For the best results with the lentils, keep cooking after they’ve popped, until they get a little bit crispy, too. Yum!

How to Make roasted Lentils and Mashed Potatoes

First, make the cauliflower-potato mash.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the cauliflower and potatoes and cook until they are tender. This will take anywhere from 7 to 9 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes and cauliflower florets.

Drain and transfer to a bowl. Mash with a potato masher.

Then add in all the spices, 2 tablespoons of the milk, and all of the oil. Mix in with a fork or the masher. Taste and adjust salt and flavor.

Adjust the consistency by mashing more if you like. Add more of the non-dairy milk if you want a smoother and thinner mash. Then, transfer to your serving dish or plates.

Make the popped lentils while the potatoes and cauliflower cook.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the well-drained lentils and cook until the lentils start to pop and crisp up a little bit. This will take anywhere from 7 to 10 minutes. Keep stirring the lentils and flipping them in the pan.

Once the lentils have started popping, add the other teaspoon of oil and all of the spices and herbs. Toss well so that the spices stick to the lentils and switch off the heat.

Serve the lentils over the cauliflower potato mash.

Garnish with some parsley, a drizzle of olive oil or lemon juice or both, and black pepper and serve. You can also serve these lentils over pasta or a salad.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions

Is this recipe allergy friendly?

This recipe is soy-free, gluten-free, and nut-free depending on the non-dairy milk that you use.

How do I make this oil-free?

To make the potato cauliflower mash oil-free, just omit the oil. If you use a good, nonstick pan, you don’t necessarily need the oil to cook the lentils. You can just pop them in a dry skillet and add a few drops of lemon juice in the end to help the spices stick.

What do I serve with these lentils and mashed potatoes?

Serve with a side salad or toasted seeded bread, or some gravy and biscuits, or as a side in a spread with nut loaf or grilled portobello.