Lentil

Curry powders vary in flavor and heat; begin with two tablespoons and add more according to your taste.

Kohlrabi, a bulbous vegetable with thin stems attached, is a member of the cabbage family. Both green and purple varieties are available. The flavor is a mix of turnip, celery root, and radish. Like other vegetables in the cabbage family, kohlrabi is rich in antioxidants.

This warming soup freezes nicely. After eating it for a night or two, freeze some for a rainy day—it’s a treat that is both spicy and soothing.

A complete, one-pot meal.

This fall salad balances earthy, tangy, sweet, and creamy flavors.

An all-new version of franks and beans: The dogs are topped with lentils and an innovative take on raita, India's ubiquitous yogurt-based condiment. If you’d like to use naan (tandoor-baked flatbread) instead of hot dog buns, look for it at Trader Joe's stores—in both the bakery and the frozen foods aisle—or at Indian markets.

Versions of this casual dish are found throughout Peru, often crowned with a steak and a fried egg. Cooks flip the mixture of beans and rice frequently while it fries so that the exterior develops a crisp, browned crust. We've simplified the technique, but have no fear— you will still end up with lots of delectable crunchy bits. Although it is served here as a side dish, tacu tacu also makes a satisfying vegetarian supper alongside a green salad.

The three main elements in this recipe make an unbeatable combination. The soft, sweet taste of the lamb coupled with full green flavor of the spinach and the nutty, full-bodied taste of the lentils makes every bite a gastronomic pleasure. These lentils are one of my favorites. I've interpreted a recipe from the masterful chef Judy Rodgers of San Francisco's Zuni Café.

Sweet butternut squash teams up with earthy red lentils to make this simple and satisfying vegetarian dinner.

A fragrant and exotic dish.

The restaurant switches up this dish from time to time, substituting scallops or foie gras for the duck. The lentil puree would also be a great accompaniment to chicken or pork.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Crescent Dragonwagon's book Passionate Vegetarian. Dragonwagon also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. For most of our years as innkeepers, these croquettes, served with shiitake mushroom gravy and accompanied by a small stuffed pumpkin and other fixings, were the entree we offered vegetarians at Dairy Hollow Thanksgivings. Though rather plain as far as savory cakes go, the deep, dark colors and flavors are autumnal and satisfying. Sure, most guests chose turkey, but vegetarians were ecstatic about these. In fact, one of my sources of residual Innkeeper Guilt is the nice thank-you note I got from two such, begging me for the recipe. I am not territorial about recipes and had no problem — or wouldn't have, if I'd ever measured what I did. They actually called the front desk twice to ask again (Guilt! Guilt!) but by the time I had measured, and written, a year had gone by. I sent the recipe, groveling and apologetic. Alas, they had moved, forwarding service expired. If you two are out there reading this, I hope you will accept my apologies. At the inn I always used to fry these, but I am very pleased with the nonfried version. These are slightly tricky to work with because the batter is soft and messy. Just persevere: They come out delicious. I prefer this with 2 eggs — one in the batter, one as part of the breading mix — but it is possible to make it vegan, too.

Nuggets of sausage give a little meatball action to this hearty, no-fuss soup chock-full of healthy escarole and lentils.

Give your pan-seared salmon fillets a lemony pop with mustard-herb butter.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Mark Bittman's book How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. Pita makes a wonderful crust for this stuck-pot recipe, but you can use tortillas or lavash instead (see the Stuck-Pot Rice and Beans with Tortilla Crust variation). This dish is quite complex in both flavor and texture, and the earthy lentils with lightly caramelized onions and sweet bits of dates or raisins are delicious. Use oil, and this becomes vegan.

Food editor Maggie Ruggiero has taken lentils "from canned to Cannes" in this très simple—and très français—dish.

Red lentils, faster-cooking than other varieties of the legume, are the foundation of this earthy, rustic soup. Light but satisfying, it's a wonderful (and easy) start to an autumn meal.