One Pot Rice and Lentils. Super easy, super quick, super delicious, super nutritious, gluten-free and vegan and hardly any washing up!

One Pot Rice and Lentils uses the same method as Perfect Plain Rice. The only difference is you are cooking rice AND lentils. You need more rice than lentils here but you can vary the proportions. I use approximately 20% lentils to 80% rice (by volume).

There is a bonus recipe below!!! Top the hot rice with a rich spicy oil. The spicy oil is also very quick and easy and adds an amazing taste and texture. You can even use this hot oil to lightly fry green beans and peppers. Extra special!

Serve the One Pot Rice and Lentils and Make it Spicy dish with a solid salad such as Asian Slaw with Cumin Aioli makes a great meal.

This absorption method works every time! The rice and lentils are cooked in a rice pot, in the microwave using one of the many absorption methods – where rice and lentils are cooked with only the volume of water required to cook the rice and lentils.

Allergy Information – One Pot Rice and Lentils

One Pot Rice and Lentilsis gluten-free and vegan as well as… celery free, coconut free, garlic free, lupin free, mustard free, nightshade free*, onion free, peanut free, sesame free, soya free, tree nut free.

*Leave out chilli for nightshade free.

Top Tips – One Pot Rice and Lentils

This is one of the rare occasions that ingredients are measured by volume rather than weight.

I almost always use basmati rice – I prefer the taste and texture – you can use any white long grain rice (brown rice and short grain rice require different methods). I tend not to wash the rice. I also do not add salt. Your choice.

Rice pots are incredibly useful and produce consistent results. My rice pot was a much loved present from my brother and sister-in-law. It is ceramic and has two ridges on the inside: rice and lentils are added to the pot to the lowest ridge and then add boiling water is added to the next ridge. Effectively this is one part rice (and lentils) to two parts boiling water. There are two lids each with holes in to allow pressure and steam to escape (stops the lid blowing off). The lids are aligned so the holes are 90 degrees to each other. My rice pot will cook rice for four to six people (depending how hungry those people are).

If you don’t have a rice pot do not worry, all you need is a deep microwave proof bowl (ceramic is best) add one part rice and lentils and two parts boiling water (as a very general rule one cup of uncooked rice and lentils will serve two to three people). Take a sheet of kitchen roll (big enough to cover the top of the bowl entirely), dampen it and lay it over the top of the bowl. Smooth down over the sides of the bowl so a seal is created. Cook as described below.

You may need to slightly adjust your power and cooking time depending upon your microwave. They are all a little different!

For any leftover rice and lentils cool quickly and refrigerate. Rice can be reheated once (reheat thoroughly until it is piping hot) and should not be kept longer than two days.

Rice and lentils are two of my store cupboard essentials. I eat rice almost everyday, and lentils more than once a week in one form or another. I adore them! Find out what else is on my regular shopping list with my FREE Store Cupboard Essentials Cheat Sheet. Get it now! Just click the button below, sign-up and download.

Recipe – One Pot Rice and Lentils

Difficulty easy
Serves 2-6 (depends how much you cook)
Preparation time 5 minutes
Cooking time 25 minutes

Ingredients – One Pot Rice and Lentils

1 measure of white basmati rice and dried red lentils (~20% lentils to 80% rice)
2 measures of boiling water

Method – One Pot Rice and Lentils

1. Add the rice and lentils to a microwave rice pot or suitable bowl and mix well. Add the boiling water and stir
2. Cover the bowl with the lid (or a piece of damp kitchen roll to create a seal)
3. Microwave on 600 W for eight minutes and leave to stand for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Note: you may need to slightly adjust your power and cooking time depending upon your microwave.

Ingredients – One Pot Rice and Lentils – Spicy Oil

2 tablespoon vegetable oil
0.5 teaspoon chilli flakes (leave out for nightshade free)
0.25 teaspoon asofoetida
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
0.25 teaspoon turmeric

Method – One Pot Rice and Lentils – Spicy Oil

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a small pan
2. Add all the spices to the hot oil and fry gently until toasted – around 30 seconds
3. Pour the hot oil over the hot rice and lentils and season with salt and pepper
4. Serve.