Rinse and read the package
Rinse in a fine sieve. Red lentils usually cook without soaking, but follow your product instructions. Cooking time and absorption vary; check tenderness rather than the clock alone.
Choose for texture
They break down and thicken soup. For a salad with distinct grains, choose a recipe for lentils that hold their shape. The soup quantity is dry weight before rinsing, not cooked weight.