💬 Let’s Be Real
You don’t like soy? Okay, cool. Let’s try lentils instead. This recipe is a little annoying at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s a breeze.
This is perfect for meal prep and takes on flavor like a champ. Season it before chilling, after chilling — marinate it, grill it, air-fry it, crumble it into tacos, slather it in BBQ… the options are wide open.
⚠️ Heads up: It needs a couple hours in the fridge to set. So prep this the night before if you can!
Ingredients
2 cups red lentils
6 cups water
All-purpose seasoning (or your go-to spices)
Optional: Soy sauce, hot sauce, garlic paste, etc.
A blender
A whisk
A glass dish or baking pan
Preparation
Soak Your Lentils Cover lentils in boiling water and soak for 20 minutes.
Blend Drain the lentils, toss them into a blender with 6 cups of fresh water, and season to your heart’s desire. Blend until smooth.
Cook It Down Pour the blended mixture into a pot over medium heat. Whisk constantly — do not stop stirring. After 4 minutes, it’ll start thickening. If it boils, turn it to medium-low. Keep going until it’s super thick and your whisk is almost stuck — about 8 minutes.
Mold It Pour immediately into a glass dish. Use a spatula to smooth it out into a flat layer. No need for nonstick spray. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight is even better).
Use It Like Tofu Slice, cube, tear, crumble — treat it just like tofu. Air-fry, sauté, grill — it’s sturdy and flavorful.