Emma is a former editor for The Kitchn and a graduate of the Cambridge School for Culinary Arts. She is the author of True Brews and Brew Better Beer. Check out her website for more cooking stories
updated May 1, 2019
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Q: I’ve tried again and again to cook with lentils, but every time, they come out hard. I’ve tried them in burgers, soups, etc., but every time they are almost unpalatable. Should I be soaking them? I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong or what I should be doing differently. My fiancé is close to banning me from cooking with lentils.
Help me, please!
Sent by Jessica
Editor: First, I wonder how old your lentils are. If they’re more than a year or two old, they will often stay crunchy in the middle no matter how long you cook them! Another trick is to wait to add salt or acidic ingredients until near the end of cooking. Take a look at our post on cooking lentils for some more help!
Readers, what other advice do you have?
