Anti-Inflammatory Lemon-Herb Lentil Dip Recipe

By Stephanie Clarke, MS, RD & Willow Jarosh, MS, RD
Updated September 17, 2019
Medically reviewed by Richard N. Fogoros, MD on March 10, 2017
Lemon-Herb Lentil Dip
Stephanie Clarke, MS, RD & Willow Jarosh, MS, RD
Total Time: 40 min
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 35 min
Servings: 8 (1/4 cup each)

Nutrition Highlights (per serving)

106 calories
3g fat
15g carbs
6g protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 (1/4 cup each)
Amount per serving  
Calories 106
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 4%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 151mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 15g 5%
Dietary Fiber 6g 21%
Total Sugars 2g  
Includes 0g Added Sugars 0%
Protein 6g  
Vitamin D 0mcg 0%
Calcium 20mg 2%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 283mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Lentils are antioxidant-rich, protein-packed, and fiberific. In other words, they’re an anti-inflammatory diet dream. They also cook up much more quickly than beans. The flavors in this dish come from veggies, herbs, and spices, which means the whole dish is not overloaded with sodium.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup green lentils (uncooked)
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion (chopped)
  • 1 medium stalk celery (chopped)
  • 1.5 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley (plus more for garnish)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • Lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (ground)

Preparation

  1. In a large pot, cover lentils, onion, and celery with 2 ½ cups of water.

  2. Bring water to a boil then turn down heat to bring the water to a simmer.

  3. Cook lentils for 30 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Drain and reserve any remaining cooking liquid.

  4. In a food processor or high-speed blender, blend lentils with 1 tablespoon olive oil, parsley, lemon juice, 3/4 of the zest, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper until smooth. Add reserved cooking broth in 1 tablespoon increments to smooth if needed.

  5. Garnish with additional parsley and lemon zest, and drizzle with remaining teaspoon olive oil before serving.

Ingredient Variations and Substitutions

Try using pre-cooked lentils when you’re extra tight on time. To do this cook the onion and celery in 1 teaspoon olive oil until soft, then add all ingredients to the blender, using warm water or vegetable broth to thin as necessary. Add a 1/2 teaspoon of curry powder before blending for a curry dip.

For more lemon flavor (and vitamin C!) increase the amount of lemon zest and/or juice, the dip can definitely handle it!

For a burst of heat, add a dash of cayenne pepper. Cayenne pepper contains a compound called capsaicin, which also helps fight inflammation. You can also add a dash of smoked paprika for a smoky dip.

Cooking and Serving Tips

Cook the lentils a bit more than you might normally, since you want them very soft and blend-able. You can serve this as a dip with crudites and whole wheat pita bread. Or, it’s delicious used as a sandwich spread. Since it contains protein, it can be used as a vegetarian source of protein in sandwiches.

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