Lentils are legumes and cousins to beans, chickpeas, soybeans and peanuts. Like the different types of beans, lentils can be used in cooking various dishes. There are also different kinds of lentils such as green lentils, red and yellow lentils as well as black and brown lentils. Like all other meals that can be kept in the refrigerator or frozen, you can warm up your lentils in the microwave or on the stovetop. Below are the full descriptions of how you can warm up your lentils.
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The Microwave Method To Reheat Lentils
One of the most effective ways of warming up lentils is in a microwave. All you need is a microwave safe, a cover and your left-over lentils. Simply put your microwave-safe dish in your microwave and be sure to cover it with a splatter guard. Lentils may pop in the microwave, which can leave a bit of a mess in your microwave if your dish isn’t covered properly. If you have plain lentils with no other ingredients, you may want to add some water to your container or dish before heating them. The microwave method works best If you have other ingredients mixed in with your lentils, since your microwave will quickly warm up your meal. Follow these steps to reheat your lentils in the microwave;
- Start by heating up your lentils for 1 minute, then stir your food well. This will distribute the heat and ensure that your lentils don’t dry out or heat unevenly.
- Continue heating your lentils at 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until your lentils are at the right temperature.
- Check your lentils if they are warm enough, you can take them out and simply drain the water if you add some.
Ensure that you do not leave your lentils for too long in the microwave and that your heat is not too high otherwise your lentils may dry up. Otherwise, the microwave is one of the most effective and quickest ways to warm up your lentils.
The Stovetop Method
Another effective way of warming up your lentils is on the stove top. All you need is a pot with some water and your left over lentils. Follow these steps to warm up your lentils.
- If you are reheating plain lentils, simply transfer your cold lentils to a pot and cover with cold water.
- Bring the water to a boil and then remove the pot from the heatright away,
- By the time the water boils, your lentils will be thoroughly heated and you can drain the water right away and enjoy your meal,
- If you’ve cooked your lentils in a sauce, you don’t need to add any water to the pot just bring the sauce up to a low simmer and that will warm your lentils in the process. It shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes over medium heat to warm up your lentils.
- If you’ve mixed ingredients into your lentils such as rice or vegetables, you can warm up your meal in a frying pan instead of a pot. Simply add a tablespoon of olive oil or some vegetable oil to keep your food from sticking to the pan and bring the temperature up to medium-high. Ensure that you stir frequently to make sure the heat is evenly distributed. Be careful not to overheat your lentils so that they do become mushy.
The Warm Water Method To Reheat Lentils
Lentils are very versatile and can be warmed up in water with ease, even frozen lentils. If you have frozen lentils, simply add them in their packaging to warm water. This will allow them to thaw over the course of a few minutes. Once defrosted, you can put them in a bowl of clean, warm water, and stir them. Another way of defrosting frozen lentils with no other ingredients or spices, is by simply transferring the frozen lentils to a colander or strainer with tiny holes and run hot tap water over your lentils until they are well thawed. If your lentils are not frozen you can simply skip the first step and float your packaging in warm water and if you do not want to dilute your spices there is no need to unpack and stir until warmed. You can also put the entire container into a Ziploc bag before soaking it in hot water to prevent water from leaking into the container. If the hot water doesn’t transfer enough heat to both defrost and warm up your frozen lentils, you can pair the warm water method technique with one of the others listed above.
Tips For Reheating Lentils
- Lentils do not have any significant inherent risk of causing food poisoning. If you cook your lentils and eat them right away, any potentially harmful bacteria will not survive the cooking process.
- However, if you leave your cooked lentils exposed to air, pathogens like bacteria, contamination is possible. Although it’s unlikely, you might get sick from eating contaminated food.
- Also, if you store your lentils within 2–3 hours of cooking in a sealed container, without exposing it to any known contaminants, your lentils will be safe and reheating your lentils will not cause food poisoning.
The Advantages and Disadvantages to reheating up Lentils
Some of the advantages of reheating your lentils include
- Not having to waste and toss out extra food,
- You can create a simple make-ahead meal,
- The reheating process is incredibly simple and quick,
- The lentils flavour will be just as good in your lentils eggs,
- You can enjoy your leftover meals or grab an on-the-go pre-made dish for any day and for any meal.
Some of the disadvantages of re-heating your lentils
- Lentils can pop when reheated in the microwave,
- All types of food including lentils retain moisture so it is important to follow the correct procedures when reheating otherwise you may lose the texture and taste of your lentils after you reheat them,
- Freezing your food for too long may result in your meals experiencing freezer burn
