Beans and soy

Lentils nutrition, before and after the heat.

The number most people want first: 1 cup of boiled lentils holds 230 calories, alongside 18 g of protein. That is USDA’s figure for “Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt”. That figure is not fixed. Depending on how it is prepared, 100 g runs anywhere from 116 to 352 calories. Set the serving below and the panel works it out, with the full nutrient table following your choice.

By Alen Yaco · Updated 20 September 2026

Numbers come from USDA FoodData Central records 172421, 172420 and are worked out locally, with no sign-up.

How many calories are in lentils?

USDA puts 1 cup of boiled lentils at 230 calories and 100 g at 116. Other household measures follow, each with its weighed gram figure.

What lentils offers in protein

Protein in 1 cup of boiled lentils comes to 18 g. Against the 50 g Daily Value, that covers 36 percent. Protein supplies 31 percent of the energy in lentils, which helps a day’s total without carrying it.

Its energy is 3 percent fat, 67 percent carbohydrate and 30 percent protein, meaning it behaves as mostly a carbohydrate in a meal.

Does the method change lentils?

Go from boiled to raw and 100 g of lentils climbs from 116 to 352 calories. That 203 percent rise is down to cooking water soaked up by the dry ingredient.

Each line compares 198 g of lentils, prepared a different way.

Buying, cooking and using lentils

These small dried pulses come in several distinct varieties, sold whole or split. Look for plump, brightly coloured skins. Brown and green types keep their shape well. Red and yellow split varieties soften quickly into purée. Avoid packets containing dusty debris or faded, shrivelled seeds, which suggests they have sat on shelves for years.

Gentle simmering softens the seeds. Salting the cooking water too early toughens the skins, which is the most frequent error. Acidic ingredients like tomatoes or lemon juice also delay softening, so add these at the end. Split varieties dissolve into a thick mush, whilst whole green lentils retain a firm bite.

Simmered red lentils thicken Indian dhal, seasoned with mustard seeds and turmeric. Whole green lentils hold their structure in French salads, tossed with cold vinaigrette and shallots. They absorb wood smoke and cured pork flavours well, making them traditional partners for bacon, ham hocks, and bay leaves in European soups.

Micronutrients in lentils

The figures worth noticing in 1 cup of boiled lentils are folate at 90 percent of a day, iron at 37 percent of a day, phosphorus at 29 percent of a day. The full list follows and tracks your selected portion.

Fibre is a genuine strength: 7.9 g in every 100 g, which is 28 percent of the Daily Value.

Lentils and your daily targets

1 cup of boiled lentils: 12 percent of 2,000 calories, 36 percent of the protein Daily Value. Those are reference numbers; the TDEE calculator finds yours, and the macro calculator converts them to grams.

Lentils recipes, with the numbers

From the Calorie Counter Team: three dishes built around lentils, with per-serving nutrition calculated from the USDA data for every ingredient that goes in.

Dinner · Indian

Red Lentil Dhal

A spiced, slow-simmered red lentil stew served as a main course.

35 min · serves 2

358kcal

19gprotein

8.4gfat

54gcarbs

Ingredients

• Dry split red lentils 150 g
• Water 450 g
• Yellow onion, chopped 100 g
• Garlic cloves, minced 6 g
• Vegetable oil 15 g
• Ground turmeric 2 g
• Table salt 3 g

Method

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic, frying for 5 minutes until soft.
3. Stir in the ground turmeric, salt, and dry red lentils.
4. Pour in the water and bring the mixture to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for 20 minutes until the lentils are soft.

Figures are per serving and come from 7 USDA FoodData Central entries; cooking will shift them slightly.

Lunch · Mediterranean

Lentil and Feta Salad

A cold salad combining boiled green lentils with salted feta cheese and cucumber.

30 min · serves 2

358kcal

18gprotein

17gfat

36gcarbs

Ingredients

• Dry green lentils 100 g
• Water 500 g
• Feta cheese, crumbled 80 g
• Cucumber, diced 120 g
• Olive oil 15 g
• Lemon juice 10 g
• Table salt 2 g

Method

1. Boil the green lentils in the water for 20 minutes until tender but firm.
2. Drain the lentils and rinse them under cold water until cooled.
3. Chop the cucumber and crumble the feta cheese into a mixing bowl.
4. Add the cooled lentils, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt to the bowl.
5. Toss the ingredients gently to combine them before serving.

Summed from 7 USDA records and divided by servings. Heat alters weight and a few nutrients, so read it as a close figure.

Breakfast · British

Savoury Lentils on Toast

Warm, seasoned brown lentils served on toasted wholemeal bread for breakfast or a snack.

25 min · serves 2

309kcal

16gprotein

7.3gfat

47gcarbs

Ingredients

• Canned brown lentils, drained 240 g
• Olive oil 10 g
• Yellow onion, chopped 50 g
• Tomato paste 15 g
• Table salt 2 g
• Whole wheat bread 80 g

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
2. Fry the chopped onion for 5 minutes until translucent.
3. Add the drained canned lentils, tomato paste, and salt to the pan.
4. Cook the mixture for 5 minutes, stirring frequently until hot.
5. Toast the bread in a toaster.
6. Spoon the warm lentil mixture evenly over the toasted bread.

Built from 6 USDA ingredient records. A cooked dish never matches its raw sum exactly, but it stays close.

Calorie Counter Team, food critic

A plate built around lentils

To see how lentils adds up in a meal, here it is beside two ordinary companions, all three from USDA figures.

Lentils against other beans and soy

Here is how lentils sits among its neighbours per 100 g; the form column keeps raw and cooked apart.

Common questions on lentils

How many calories does 1 cup of boiled lentils have?

230 calories, according to USDA FoodData Central: the record is “Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt”, FDC 172421. That works out at 116 per 100 g.

Is there much protein in lentils?

Per 100 g, lentils contains 9 g of protein. 1 cup of boiled lentils therefore gives 18 g, which is 36 percent of a 50 g day.

Do the calories in lentils change with how it is prepared?

The weight stays the same but the number moves. 198 g of lentils is 230 calories boiled, rising to 697 raw.

Is lentils good for weight loss?

No food causes or prevents weight loss on its own. The useful facts are that 1 cup of boiled lentils is 230 calories with 18 g of protein, which makes 31 percent of its calories protein; so pair it with something that carries more protein.

Do lentils need to be soaked before cooking?

No, lentils do not require soaking. Unlike larger dried beans, they cook relatively quickly from dry. You only need to rinse them thoroughly in cold water before boiling to remove any dust, chaff, or small stones hidden in the bag.

Why are my cooked lentils still crunchy?

Old age is the usual culprit. Lentils kept in the cupboard for years dry out completely and resist softening. Cooking them in acidic liquids or adding salt before they are tender also keeps the skins tough and crunchy.

Sources

• Lentils, raw — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 172420
• Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 172421
• Daily Values for nutrition labelling, 21 CFR 101.9