Free lentil serving calculator. Enter servings to find the dry lentils in grams and the cooking water in millilitres you need for lentils.
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Enter servings. This calculator allows 80 grams of dry lentils and 240 millilitres of water per serving.
How much lentils per person in grams depends on the dish role, and competitors quote a range, not a single figure. This calculator uses 80 grams of dry lentils per serving, which sits near the top of the side dish range and near the bottom of the main dish range. Competitor guides list a main dish at about 100 grams dry per person, a side dish at 50 to 70 grams dry, a dal portion at about 75 grams dry per person (150 grams for 2 people), and a packet serving at about 30 grams dry (about 60 grams cooked). Use 80 grams as a hearty standard serving, drop to 50 to 70 grams for a small side, and raise it to 100 grams when lentils are the only protein. The lentil serving size in grams is therefore 80 grams as a standard, and the lentil portion size ranges from 50 grams for a side to 100 grams for a main.
Lentil to water ratio for brown and green lentils is 1 part lentils to 3 parts water, which is exactly the calculator ratio: 80 grams dry to 240 millilitres water per serving. In short, 80g dry lentils need 240 millilitres of water. Brown lentil water ratio and green lentil water ratio are both 3 to 1, cooked 20 to 36 minutes. French lentil ratio is slightly higher at about 3.25 cups water per 1 cup dry, cooked 30 to 40 minutes for a firm salad lentil. Black beluga lentil ratio is about 3 cups water per 1 cup dry, cooked 25 to 32 minutes. Red lentil water ratio is lower, about 2 to 2.5 cups water per 1 cup dry, cooked 10 to 16 minutes to a soft dal. Split yellow lentils need about 2.25 to 2.75 cups water per 1 cup dry, cooked 14 to 22 minutes.
Dry to cooked lentils yield is about 2.5 times by volume for brown and green lentils: 1 cup dry lentils cooked yield is about 2.5 cups cooked, and by weight, 100g dry lentils cooked weight is about 250 grams. Lentil cups to grams conversions: 1 cup dry is about 192 to 200 grams, 1/2 cup dry is about 96 grams, and 1/4 cup dry is about 45 to 50 grams. How much dry lentils for 400g cooked? Divide by 2.5, which gives 160 grams dry. A cooked lentil yield table runs: 1/2 cup dry gives about 1.25 cups cooked, 1 cup dry gives about 2.25 to 2.67 cups cooked, 2 cups dry gives about 4.5 to 5.33 cups cooked, and 4 cups dry gives about 9 to 10.67 cups cooked.
How much lentils for 2 people? At the calculator rate, 2 servings need 160 grams of dry lentils and 480 millilitres of water. How much dry lentils for 4 people? Four servings need 320 grams and 960 millilitres. How much lentils for 10 people? Ten servings need 800 grams and 2400 millilitres. One serving needs 80 grams and 240 millilitres. For a crowd, lentils for a crowd planning should add a 10 percent buffer for seconds, since lentils are cheap and leftovers freeze well, so a 10 serving plan becomes about 880 grams dry if you want a safety margin.
Lentil main dish portion per person is about 100 grams dry, or about 1 to 1.5 cups cooked. Lentil side dish portion per person is about 50 to 70 grams dry, or about 1/2 to 3/4 cup cooked. Lentil soup portion per person is about 100 grams dry, or about 1.5 cups cooked including broth and vegetables. Lentil salad portion per person uses firm lentils at about 60 grams dry, or about 1/2 cup cooked, so the lentils hold their shape. How much dal for 2 people? About 150 grams of dry dal, giving about 2 to 2.5 cups cooked dal, with light eaters at 100 grams and hungry eaters at 200 grams for two.
Do lentils need soaking? No, unlike beans, lentils cook without soaking, and most guides say soaking is unnecessary, though a quick rinse and stone check is still worth doing. When should salt be added to lentils? Halfway through cooking is the common advice on the detailed calculator guides, while red lentil guides often salt after cooking, since early salt can toughen some batches. Do you have to boil the water first? No, start lentils in cold or room temperature water and bring them to a simmer. Cooking times: brown and green 20 to 35 minutes, French green 25 to 40 minutes, black beluga 20 to 30 minutes, split red and yellow 10 to 20 minutes.
How to cook red lentils: rinse 1 cup red lentils, add 2 to 3 cups water or vegetable broth, simmer with the lid tilted for about 10 minutes, then salt to taste. Red lentils break down into a soft puree, which suits dal and thick soups, not salads. How to cook lentils in an instant pot: use the same 1 to 3 ratio for brown and green lentils, pressure cook for about 8 to 10 minutes for brown lentils, and use a shorter time for red lentils, since they turn to puree quickly. Can you make lentils with broth instead of water? Yes, broth adds flavour and works at the same ratio.
Why are my lentils mushy? Usually overcooking, too much water, or using split red lentils where a firm type was needed. Why are my lentils still hard? Usually old lentils, hard water, or salt added too early, so extend the simmer and add salt later next time. Are canned lentils the same as cooked dry lentils? In nutrition they are close, but canned lentils are softer and saltier, and half a 400 gram can is about one person. How to store cooked lentils: refrigerate within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days on strict guides, or 4 to 7 days on looser guides, and freeze for up to 3 months. Can you freeze cooked lentils? Yes, cool them first, pack them flat, and reheat with a splash of water until steaming hot.
About 80 grams of dry lentils per serving in this calculator. Use 50 to 70 grams for a small side dish and 100 grams when lentils are the main protein.
One part lentils to three parts water for brown and green lentils: 80 grams dry to 240 millilitres water per serving. Red lentils need less, about 2 to 2.5 parts water.
About 2.5 cups cooked for brown and green lentils, or about 2.67 cups for split red lentils. One cup dry weighs about 192 to 200 grams.
About 160 grams dry, since cooked lentils weigh about 2.5 times the dry weight.
About 150 grams of dry dal, giving about 2 to 2.5 cups cooked. Light eaters need about 100 grams for two, and hungry eaters about 200 grams.
No. Lentils cook without soaking, unlike beans. Rinse them and check for small stones before cooking.
Halfway through cooking on most detailed guides, or after cooking for red lentils, since early salt can keep some batches firm.
Close in nutrition, but canned lentils are softer and saltier. Half a 400 gram can is about one person.
Mushy lentils usually mean overcooking or the wrong type for the dish. Hard lentils usually mean old lentils, hard water, or salt added too early.
Cooked lentils last about 3 to 4 days in the fridge on strict guides, or 4 to 7 days on looser guides, so how long they last in the fridge depends on the guide you follow. You can freeze cooked lentils for up to 3 months.