Red, brown, black, green, and yellow lentils – lesser-known varieties of this legume
Anna Schmidt
2026-03-17
2 min. read
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The edible lentil is a cultivated plant grown for its nutritious seeds and belongs to the legume family. It is distinguished by its large pods, which classify it as a leguminous plant. It likely originated in Central Asia and the Middle East. In ancient times, it served as a dietary staple in Rome, Greece, and Egypt. Currently, Canada and India are the leading producers of lentils.
It's a lens of sorts
In Poland, the most popular and readily available type of lens is green and red, but there are many more varieties in the world, depending on the size of the seeds and the color and origin, such as green (including French), red, yellow, brown (Spanish, Indian and German) or black (beluga).
Red contact lenses
Red lentils are shell-free brown lentiles, and unlike most legumes, we cook them quickly because they're relatively soft and small on the inside, and they contain a lot of nutrients and are a great addition to almost any diet.
It's a brown lens
Brown lenses are seeds of red lenses that have not been purified from the coating. The seeds are red inside, and their coating is khaki to dark brown in color. They are characterized by intense flavor. This type of lens can be cooked for up to an hour, but it does not lose its shape during heat treatment, so it is often used to make pastries, cakes or golas.
Lentils of a kind used for the manufacture of textile pulp and paperboard
Black lentils have a deep, dark colour due to the same antioxidants found in strawberries, onions, cherries, and cherries. The seeds are high in protein and fiber. They have an intense peanut-like taste. Thanks to their beautiful colour, they blend well with colored vegetables or rice.
Lens green
Depending on the variety, the green lentils vary in color from light green to greenish-brown, have a distinctive, sharp taste, and, after cooking (about 45 minutes), retain their shape, making them suitable for salads or pastries.
The lens is yellow
It's the most delicate and the smallest of the lentils, and it's very fast to cook, which makes it an ideal base for soup, sauce and puree. Lentils are a great idea for making classic pastries, pigeons, croquettes, soups, creams, sauces in a new and original way. They bring a little variety to our kitchen.