3 vegan Lentil recipes for a Healthy and Lucky 2025

I know many people today is going to celebrate the New Year’s Eve with a traditional dish believed to bring prosperity to the new year. I will be one of them! And who couldn’t use a little luck in this coming year? I have to say I’m delighted that 2024 is about to be over! This year has not been my favorite, in so many ways. Perhaps it was because I didn’t start 2024 with my usual good luck dishes! Here I share 3 lentil dishes that are delicious and simple to make.

Growing up in Brazil, it was the tradition to start a new year eating a feast of dishes that were supposed to bring a prosperous and abundant new year (and many dishes that were to be avoided!). There were also some superstitions such as jumping on the right foot just as the clock turn to midnight, and adding cinnamon to your wallet and purse so you could have them filled with money throughout the year. The rules to ensure a positive new year were so many that it would require me to write another post! But this post is dedicated to the foods that in so many cultures will be as important tonight as the resolutions.

In my house the good luck dishes and foods were mandatory. We had a lentil stew (one of the few times we would have lentils throughout the year) and grapes. But sometimes we would also include a variety of nuts (still in the shell), and even pomegranates, something very exotic and hard to find in my hometown.

Nobody never questioned why we had to eat lentils instead of peas or something else entirely. Nor did we know the origins of these traditions. Nevertheless, I followed them for many years even after moving to the US. Recently I found out that many cultures eat lentils on December 31st and January 1st. And the origin is thousands of years old! The believe comes from Italy to even gypsies; that associated the rounded shape of lentils to coins, and so the intention and hope to bring abundance and wealth to those who it.

Lentils are the main character in this play, but other foods are also supportive such as grapes. In Brazil we eat 12 grapes for each month of the new year, making a wish as we eat each one. If the grapes contain seeds, we keep them in certain places such as wallets, purses, drawers, closets, and inside pockets, so we can continue receiving the good luck. The color of the grape is also important: green is for good health and longevity, darker colors are for prosperity and wealth.

Today I am going to gorge myself with lentil soup, grapes, nuts, and pomegranates the moment the clock turns to midnight! Maybe a few minutes before just be be sure. I love lentils as they are packed with protein, fiber, nutrients, and are so delicious! I also know that some cultures eat black-eyed-peas, so that gives me an excuse to make some arroz con gandules which I love. Tomorrow I will continue to enjoy these good luck dishes, and also do some other rituals that are traditional in my culture. I will write another separate blog about them.

Here are some delicious recipes to welcome 2025, but also to be enjoyed all year around! I hope we all have a prosperous, healthy, and happy 2025!

This lentil salad is from my website. I love the flavors and the texture the tortilla adds!

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Vegan Lentil Salad

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked lentils
• grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 1/4 teaspoon dried mint
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup packed fresh parsley and/or mint, torn
• 1 1/2 cups gluten-free pita chips, broken into small pieces

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until tender, about 4 minutes.

2. Add the lentils and cook until warmed through, about 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with the lemon zest and juice, the cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, pita chips, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper.

More recipes you might like

French Lentil Salad

Lentil Burger

And this easy and delicious curried red lentil soup will be a crowd pleaser!

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Vegan Curried Red Lentil Soup With Toasted Coconut

Cook Time 40 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more as needed
• 1 medium red onion finely chopped
• 1 medium carrot finely chopped
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 cup red lentils
• 5 cups vegetable stock or water
• ¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• Cilantro scallions and lime wedges, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and the carrot, and cook until they begin to soften about 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the garlic and ginger, and cook 1 minute more, adding a small drizzle of olive oil and lowering the heat if necessary to make sure they don’t burn. Stir in the curry powder, turmeric, and ground coriander and cook for about 30 seconds more until fragrant.
2. Add the lentils and vegetable stock, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally until the flavors have melded and the lentils are soft and cooked through about 30 minutes. If you prefer your soup looser, add in 1/2 to 1 cup more water and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer until heated through.
3. While the soup simmers, heat a medium skillet over low heat. Toast the coconut flakes, stirring frequently, until they are lightly golden and fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. Taste the soup and adjust seasonings. Serve in bowls and pass the coconut flakes at the table. If desired, serve with bowls of cilantro, scallions and lime wedges at the table.

This recipe comes from Forks Over Knives, it’s a delicious and healthy black-eyed-pea soup. Low in calories, oil free and hearty. A great way to kick off the new year!