It sounds like I have some fellow sprout enthusiasts from my last post, Why Sprout. Great! I am so glad since I do plan on sharing my sprouting adventures and the recipes I create along the way. I also will be sharing some other easy (and frugal) methods for sprouting and some resource options as well.
Meanwhile, I wanted to share a few pictures and explain the basics of how I sprouted my brown lentils (with a recipe using them soon to follow). Lentils are extremely easy to sprout, so they are a great choice for first timers.
Directions for Sprouting Brown Lentils (Using a Mason Jar and Screen Insert)
Basic Directions: Soak lentils 8-12 hours in ample water. Rinse and drain thoroughly after the initial soaking period. Every 8-12 hours after wards, rinse and drain until lentils sprout. Most people enjoy lentils sprouted small.
Detailed Directions:
(You can also start soaking in the morning, and then start the rinse and drain process that evening.)
In the evening, put two cups of brown lentils in a half gallon mason jar. Fill completely with water, and screw on the screen insert. Leave out on the counter overnight.
In the morning, you will find that the lentils will have swollen considerably.
Drain through the screen into your sink.
Rinse very well with water (I use purified water) once again through the screen. You want the water to drain clear. Drain well over the sink, and then put screen side down in a bowl, or other container which allows the glass jar to remain at an angle. This allows the lentils to continue to drain with good air circulation.
That evening rinse and drain again.
The next morning, you may start to see sprouts, like I did.
You can stop at this point (many people like legumes sprouted just a little bit, as they taste sweetest then, but it’s a personal preference call). If you don’t see any sprouts yet, rinse and drain again and check again in the evening.
I decided to go ahead and sprout a bit longer, and on the third morning, my sprouts looked like this.
I did not rinse again, as that will make them too wet to store well. Instead, I simply made sure they were dry to the touch and took out the screen and replaced it with the normal jar lid. This was then placed in the fridge. Feel free to experiment, if you like, by sprouting even longer. You can even eventually get your lentils to grow tiny leaves (this takes about a week). Though you will probably be happiest with a very small sprout, about 1/4 inch long.
These can now be steamed and enjoyed on salads, cooked in soups or casseroles etc. Stay tuned for a recipe idea using sprouted lentils!
This post is part of Kitchen Tip Tuesday!
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
I love lentils, but I’ve never sprouted them before. I’m looking forward to lots of ideas for using them!
Oh yes, lentils are super easy to sprout. I don’t even use a mason jar or screens or anything, just a bowl full of water on the counter does the trick. I like lentils so much when they are sprouted because of the sweet taste and how easy it is to toss them into a salad or on top of a cooked meal. I’ve never actually cooked the sprouted lentils though, since I’m assuming that would kill all the live enzymes that sprouting creates? Well, in any case, it’s always a fun kitchen experiment to sprout things!
Hi Michelle,
It’s true that you do lose enzymes when you cook them, you do gain digestibility though! It’s a personal preference of course, but I like the taste a lot better cooked too.
(If you read my post about Why Sprout, you will read why I don’t eat all of my sprouts raw, by the way). Great to have you back! I missed your comments and will add you in to the carnival later today. 
Hi Kimi! I’m So glad you are doing this – I bought a couple of Sprouting devices a few months back, but really haven’t tried very many new things, I tried mung beans, but they we short & disappointing & I think they molded…so now I really just use them for wheat berries… so I am VERY much looking forward to your recipe ideas… we’re not too much for sprouts raw in this house either…Hurry, wouldja!?
Hi Kimi
Can we use normal tap water to soak & sprout?
Tks
JK
Jk,
Normal water should be fine, usually. If you have highly chlorinated water, you can let it sit for a few hours in a pitcher to remove chlorine.
Hi sprout buddies. my sprout world was rocked last month when I found sprouted pretzels at my health food store. They are made from the Essential Eating Sprouted Flours that I buy. What I read from their site is that when you sprout grains, the bitterness disappears and an amazing taste remains… and it’s true. Sprout on.
I’m interested to hear that you lightly steam the sprouts. That makes sense to me. I have tried both brown and red lentils sprouted, but still raw, and found them terrible and barely edible. They had a strong starchy taste to me, that made me wonder whether I should even be eating them raw at all! I’ve never tried steaming them, but I think that would make all the difference with lentils! Maybe I’ll give those silly old lentils another shot…
How neat, I never thought to sprout the lentils.
I don’t have any mason jars. Can I just soak them in a bowl of water and drain with a sieve?
a cheesecloth or nylon tights works to, remember to rinse every 8-12 hours and put them in a bowl with a lid (left ajar)
I love sprouting! Thank you for the information, it nicely supports Sally Fallon’s book. I had been covering my sprouting foods with water until they sprouted instead of just until thay are soaked! Thanks, this will be much less water intensive. Also, sprouting decreased cooking time huge, also a bonus. Looking forward to trying your recipes!
Thanks for all of the information. I love lentils, and I accidently sprouted some last week. It kind of freaked me out and I threw them all away. I just boiled them gently for 20 minutes, and then let them sit in the water for a couple of hours. I went to drain them and put them in the fridge and they had sprouted! Next time, I will have to eat them. Do you have any idea why they sprouted so easily?
hi all, can u sprout any dried legume? i.e. mung beans, chickpea, redbeans, or do they have to be treated? i read that you should only sprout legumes/beans that are specially for sprouting beacause if you use any old dried legume they could be treted with some sort of pesticide? i quote “warning -only chemically untreated and certified edible seeds should be used for sprouting.” from a boook called
‘sprouts to grow and eat’ by Esther Munroe
is this true?
Hi All,
Here’s a natural solution to prevent bacteria and mold on your young sprouts.
I’ve recently read the numerous benefits of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and how it kills bad bacteria and mold. Please research hydrogen peroxide on the web further for a solution to this common problem. It’s very easy and completely safe. It’s also good for your other plants.
I use a 1 lb bag of organic lentils, rinse them in a collander, then place in my pressure cooker with 12 cups of water, 2-3 chopped carrots & celery, 1-2 tbls worcestershire sauce, and 1 chicken boullion cube; cook at medium to high pressure for 30 minutes. Add 1-2 cups of cooked noodles and salt and pepper to taste. (You may want to add additional water to thin to desired consistency…especially after refrigerating.) The lentils sprout during the cooking process due to the steam. What a great healthy meal!
It’s getting very close to soup and stew time around here and I am just learning about soaking and sprouting and all of the benefits! Can’t wait to try sprouting some lentils and using them in soups
I’m not buying Sprouted Beans from a store.
I’m Buying Dry Adzuki Beans and Lentils and Sprouting them myself. First I Soak them in water 12 Hours, dump the water – then Rinse them with water every 12 hours for about 2- 3 days. Does pre-Soaking the Dry Beans before Sprouting them eliminate the enzyme inhibitors, or do you still have to Steam them to remove the enzyme inhibitors after they’re sprouted?
If you have to Steam the Bean Sprouts:
Can You Steam 1 QT of Sprouted Legumes All at once, ahead of time – Let Them Dry – Then Store them in the Fridge for 5 days. Or do you have to Store Sprouted Legumes in the Fridge and then Steam them right before you eat them every time?
I’m steaming them in a big pot with a stainless steel steamer basket.
Hi, could you tell me if it is dangerous to eat sprouts with brown spots. I made the mistake of leaving them in a sunny window and later read that you can’t do that until the last day. Thank you!
So I stumbled across a sprouting lentil by accident. I rinsed and soaked my lentils in a bowl overnight, covered with a kitchen towel, with intentions to drain in the morning (was planning to make lentil soup the following evening). I forgot to drain and ended up soaking the lentils for about 24 hours. By the time I was ready to make the soup, the lentils had soaked up almost all of the water and had begun sprouting. I went straight to the googles to see if they were still okay to use (don’t judge… I’m a novice cook). After reading your blog, I was excited to make my soup… which was off the chain delicious. However, I’m now having some digestion issues. Do you think it’s because I didn’t rinse every 8-12 hours (I only rinsed once… at the end of my 24 hour soaking period)??
I buy alfalfa sprouts in store and eat raw on sandwiches and in salads. I recently sprouted lentil seeds from a pack of Camellia brand dried beans. Are t?hey edible raw? What about dried peas, and black eyed peas or garabanzo beans. I know red beans are a no no to eat raw, but what about the ones listed above
Do lentil sprouts maintain their complete protein status when cooked?
Thanks
I am with you, I like the taste of cooked sprouts better than uncooked. I steam my chickpeas (garbanzo beans) sprouts for about 10 minutes and they are really delicious.
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