Whole
- Characteristics
- Outer seed covering retained
Common lentils
Lentils are small, flattened legume seeds eaten whole or with their outer covering removed.
- Food family
- Legumes
- Seed shape
- Flattened, lens-like
Types and forms
Hulled
- Characteristics
- Outer seed covering removed
Try it in the kitchen
Choose whole lentils when you want the seeds visible in a soup, or use hulled lentils for a purée. Finish either dish with olive oil and make the texture part of the choice, rather than treating every packet as interchangeable.
Read beyond the color
Look for the variety or local name and whether the lentils are whole or hulled. Color varies among lentils; it does not supply a universal cooking time. Follow the directions for the specific product.
