Curried Lentil Vegan Lettuce Wraps
These 100% plant-based curried lentil lettuce wraps can be served as a healthy appetizer or a quick and easy weeknight dinner.
Protein is top of mind for many of the professional and competitive athletes I work with who follow a plant-based diet. However, it’s entirely possible to meet your protein goals with plants. The key is to eat a variety of different plant-based foods throughout the day (veggies, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds) in order to consume a broad array of essential amino acids.
One plant-based protein source I often recommend to athletes is lentils. They’re rich in plant protein and can be incorporated into a variety of recipes. Since lentils don’t have a strong flavor on their own, I added a combo of delicious spices, like coriander, cumin, turmeric, and cinnamon, to liven them up and boost the antioxidant potency of this dish.
Health Benefits of Lentil Lettuce Wraps
Before we get to the recipe, let’s review some of the health benefits of its ingredients.
Tomato Benefits
Consuming tomatoes (in all forms) can help protect against chronic diseases and support exercise recovery. Although exercise is beneficial, it creates cell damage, so incorporating antioxidant-rich foods like tomatoes is an important healing strategy. As noted in this 2022 review from Biology, some studies have shown that athletes who consumed 3-5 ounces of tomato juice had enhanced recoveries and lower blood markers of exercise-triggered muscle damage.
Turmeric Benefits
Turmeric is a vibrant, yellow-hued spice commonly used in Indian cuisine. The primary bioactive compound in turmeric is curcumin - a powerful antioxidant.
It’s important to note that human studies related to turmeric often use curcumin supplements, which are much more potent than the amount of curcumin you might consume from a turmeric-seasoned dish. Regardless, adding turmeric to meals is a great way to boost your antioxidant intake, and pairing it with black pepper ups curcumin bioavailability.
Lentil Benefits
Incorporating lentils into your diet regularly can reduce the risk of chronic diseases, like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, as noted in this 2022 review in Legume Science. As a sports dietitian, I regularly recommend lentils as a great option for fueling up pre-exercise or recovering post-exercise. Lentils offer a unique combination of protein and complex carbohydrates that’s optimal for athletes in a variety of sports.
Lentils are also a good source of B vitamins, which serve two functions that are especially important for athletes. First, B vitamins like thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin are needed to convert carbohydrates into usable fuel. Second, the B vitamin folate is needed for tissue repair as well as red blood cell production, which supports oxygen availability.
One cup of cooked lentils provides:
18 grams of protein
40 grams of carbohydrates
15 grams of fiber
71 milligrams of magnesium
7 milligrams of iron
731 milligrams of potassium
Different Types of Lentils
There are 4 main lentil varieties. Since the nutrition composition of each is similar, I recommend choosing the type that best suits your intended recipe.
Brown lentils. This is the most common lentil variety. It holds its shape well when cooking, so it’s ideal for dishes like soups, casseroles, and salads. Brown lentils also make a great base for veggie burgers or plant-based meatloaf.
Green lentils. The size of green lentils can vary, but large green lentils are the ones most often carried in general grocery stores. You can use large green lentils and brown lentils interchangeably in recipes.
Red and yellow lentils. This variety of lentils is often sold “split,” which reduces the cooking time. These lentils are common in Indian and Middle-Eastern cuisine; yellow lentils are the key ingredient for Indian dahl. These lentils tend to fall apart when cooked, so they’re best used in soups or stews.
Black lentils. This lentil variety, also called beluga lentils, have an earthy flavor that pairs well with mushrooms. They take longer to cook than brown or red lentils.
How to Make Lentil Lettuce Wraps
If you use pre-cooked lentils, these lettuce wraps can be made in a matter of minutes. Start by sauteing some onion in a pan with oil and broth. Stir in the minced tomato and your seasonings (garlic, coriander, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper, and salt). Finally, add the lentils and cook to heat through. Use the washed large outer leaves of a head of romaine lettuce to make wraps by filling them with the lentil mixture.
Curried Lentil Vegan Lettuce Wraps
