Ingredients
- 1½ cups dry red lentils
- 1 cup water, plus water for soaking
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds, for topping
- 1 tbsp sunflower seeds, for topping
- 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds, for topping
Instructions
The recipe takes about 20 minutes of hands-on time, plus soaking and baking. Here is how it all comes together.
Rinse the red lentils thoroughly under cold water. Place them in a large bowl, cover with plenty of water, and soak for 3 to 4 hours or until softened. Drain and rinse well. The lentils will swell as they soak, so use a bowl that is large enough and add plenty of water. Soaking softens the lentils so they blend smoothly, and it also makes them easier to digest for many people. You can soak them in the morning and bake in the afternoon, or soak them before bed and bake the next day.
Add the soaked lentils, 1 cup fresh water, olive oil, eggs, and lemon juice to a blender. Blend until the mixture is as smooth as possible, scraping down the sides if needed. The smoother the batter, the better the texture of your bread. If your blender is not very powerful, blend for a little longer and stop to scrape down the sides a few times. Any leftover pieces of lentil will show up in the finished loaf.
Add the baking powder and salt. Blend briefly until combined. The batter should be thick but pourable. It should look similar to a thick pancake batter. If it seems too thick to pour, add a tablespoon of water. If it seems too thin, make sure the lentils were well drained next time.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a small loaf pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it. Pour in the lentil batter and smooth the surface. A small loaf pan, around 8 x 4 inches, works best. A larger pan will produce a flatter loaf. Parchment paper is important because lentil batter can stick, and it makes lifting the bread out much easier.
Sprinkle the sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds evenly over the top, gently pressing them into the batter. Pressing the seeds lightly helps them stay in place during baking and slicing.
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the loaf is firm, golden, and cooked through in the center. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover it with foil. To check doneness, insert a toothpick into the center. It should come out clean or with just a few dry crumbs. The top should feel firm to the touch.
Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack. Let it cool completely before slicing so the crumb can set properly. Cutting too early can make the center seem gummy. Patience pays off here, because the texture improves a lot as the loaf cools.