This Thai Basil Lentil Stir Fry is a quick and easy weeknight meal, and it comes together faster than you can order takeout! Chunky vegetables, shortcut canned lentils, and a delicious sauce served over rice, it’s a perfect plant-based dinner.
I’ve been in need of a lot of quick and easy weeknight meals this year, and this one checks all the right boxes. We all need dinners that get on the table fast, and I promise you, this is truly a 30-minute meal. The vegetables are cut in a large dice, nothing fussy. The sauce gets whisked together in one bowl. And the star of the show? Canned lentils.
Lentils are not difficult to cook from dried, nor do they take very long. But for some reason, every time I saw a recipe featuring lentils, I had a roadblock in my head that cooking those lentils was just one extra step too many. One day at the grocery store, I decided to give myself permission to buy canned lentils, and I’ve never looked back. My lentil consumption has increased at least three-fold! As a vegetarian and a nutritionist, I know how good lentils are for health. And I often tell my students that any shortcut that helps you (or clients) increase intake of plants is a good one! So let me tell you, if canned lentils increases your lentil consumption and gives you another easy plant-based protein option, go for it!!
This stir fry is delicious with the Thai basil and tomatoes included, but honestly, it’s just as good without them. I first made it without the basil and tomatoes, but then started adding them during the summer months when my garden was overflowing with basil and tomatoes. Either way, this recipe is a delicious, easy, plant-based meal to add to your menu!
This Thai Basil Lentil Stir Fry is a quick and easy weeknight meal, and it comes together faster than you can order takeout! Chunky vegetables, shortcut canned lentils, and a delicious sauce served over rice, it’s a perfect plant-based dinner.
2 Tbsp. avocado oil
1 yellow onion
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
3 celery stalks
2 cans (15 ounces each) lentils, drained, rinsed
3 small-medium tomatoes, seeds removed, chopped
1/2 cup roughly chopped Thai basil leaves
1 cup roasted cashews
For the sauce:
6 Tbsp. water
4 Tbsp. low-sodium tamari
3 Tbsp. hoisin
3 Tbsp. maple syrup
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp. corn starch, heaping
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
Cooked white or brown rice, for serving
Note: If you cannot find Thai basil, Italian basil can be substituted.
I invite you to try my seasonally-inspired,
plant-based recipes to create your own
joyful plateful!
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