Q: There is a lentil salad at Whole Foods that I love and have wanted to try making at home but everytime I cook lentils they just end up mushy.
What am I doing wrong?
Sent by Shaina
Editor: Shaina, take a look at these instructions:
Those should give you good results. However, having said that, know that different sorts of lentils will give you very different results. I like making red and yellow lentils, but they turn out much mushier, regardless of cooking method, than the green French lentils.
Readers, any thoughts or suggestions for Shaina? What is your favorite sort of lentils for making a lentil salad?
Related: What's the Difference? Brown, Green, and Red Lentils
(Image: Emily Ho)
How To Make Perfect Bacon in the Oven
How To Cook Tender, Chewy Wheat Berries on the Stovetop
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Straw Mat from The ...
Must-See Small Cool Homes: Week Two
Beth's Romantic & Retro Residence
For salads I tend to use either the french green or the black lentils since they retain their shape and texture even when well cooked. The orange/red and brown are too mushy for that application.
maybe under-cook them?
I usually soak mine over night or for 24-hours. That seems to help with cooking them. Also supposed to make them more nutritious.
Yes to vinegar - you'll be surprised at how well this works.
Yep, the choice of lentils is key! French Lentils de Puy are perfect and they cook up in about 15-20 minutes with no soaking. I toss them immediately after draining with cider vinegar or red wine vinegar and/or a Dijon/wine vinegar vinaigrette and then chopped veg. I've never had a problem with mushy lentils this way.
I don't know about salad, but I always saute them with my aromatics when I'm making a soup. I've found that they hold their shape much better when sauted before cooking.
don't stir them when they are cooking, not once, not at all. cook them at super low heat with a little crushed tomato and butter, salt, and enough water. i do 2 1/2 to 1. make sure the lid is sealed tight, just like rice. cooking time should be 45 mins to an hour.
Acid stops beans & lentils from cooking, so I suspect tossing them in vinegar (or lemon juice, etc) once they are perfect or near-perfect should keep them where you want them...
America's Test Kitchen recommends adding baking soda to the water and notes that french green lentils hold up better than the other kinds.
I concur with French green lentils - they hold their shape when cooked to perfect, tender doneness.
I'm with Jezibel-Don't stir!
For salads I use black (Beluga they are called I think) lentils that only need to cook for about 20mins and sometimes add some red lentils in that need even less time to cook. Also try to only cook them until they still have some bite left in them.
Also, be certain that you don't buy split lentils - that will guarantee mushiness.
Wow. Nice tips, I guess, but I've never added acid, never used vinegar, never soaked overnight, and have not had problems overcooking lentils. I do agree that French lentils take longer to cook, but those can be overcooked as well.
Just watch your cooking time would be my ha' penny.