Skip to main content
Epicurious

Soy-Braised Black Lentils

4.0

(1)

Bowl of black beluga lentils braised in a soyagave sauce served with white rice and seaweed crumbled on top
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell

Inspired by kongjaban, a popular Korean banchan of sweet and salty black soybeans, this dish instead uses black Beluga lentils, which have a remarkable ability to hold their shape, even when fully tender. Braising them in soy sauce and garlic flavors them from the inside out, while the sugar and agave bring an enticing gloss and mild sweetness. French green lentils (like Le Puy) would also work great.

All products featured on Epicurious are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

What you’ll need

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ cup black beluga lentils, rinsed
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. agave nectar
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
Cooked rice and seasoned toasted seaweed snacks (for serving)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, ½ cup black beluga lentils, rinsed, 3 Tbsp. soy sauce, and 2 cups water to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer, until lentils are tender (liquid will be mostly absorbed), 18–22 minutes.

    Step 2

    Mix in 2 Tbsp. agave nectar and 1 Tbsp. sugar and cook, stirring often, until liquid is syrupy and reduced to about 2 Tbsp., 8–10 minutes.

    Step 3

    Remove lentils from heat and sprinkle 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds over. Serve warm with cooked rice and seasoned toasted seaweed snacks.

    Do ahead: Lentils can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature or reheat if desired before serving.

TagsDinnerMainSideEasyQuickWeeknight MealsVegetarianVeganDairy FreeNut FreeSimmerBraiseBlack LentilLentilBean and LegumeVegetableFrench LentilRiceRice & GrainsBon Appétit
Read More
Quick Butter-Braised Tomatoes and Dumplings
Store-bought dumplings, fresh tomatoes, butter, and soy sauce simmer away for dinner in a flash.
Chickpeas With 40 Garlic Cloves
Braising canned chickpeas in chicken stock and olive oil makes them unbelievably tender and buttery. This is worth the effort of peeling 40 cloves of garlic.
Silken Tofu With Black Bean Garlic Sauce
A homemade black bean sauce is better than anything you can find in the grocery store. Plus, the 15-minute dinner you can make with it.
Scallion-Speckled Rice
Scallion-infused oil, or pa gireum in Korean, is a fragrant way to upgrade a pot of rice.
Chicken Meatballs With Sesame Green Beans
Baking meatballs and green beans on two sides of the same sheet pan streamlines the cooking process for this saucy, savory dinner.
Coconut Tempeh Larb
This riff on the Laotian classic comes together in 20 minutes.
Bouillon-Baked Tofu
Aided by jarred bouillon paste and some spices, the flavor of this baked tofu is intriguingly complex, and good enough to eat on its own.
Oyakodon
This classic Japanese comfort food is a combination of chicken and egg (oyako means “parent and child”) simmered in sweet-savory broth and served over rice.